Three keys to beating Stanford

Photo by Lori Shepler (A/P)

It is homecoming weekend here in sunny Southern California and wouldn't you know it, Saturday's festivities are shaping up to be spectacular.

The USC Trojans host the Stanford Cardinal at the Coliseum on Saturday in a contest that could be a deciding factor in who takes home the Pac-10 crown.

Coming off an impressive victory over the Oregon Ducks last weekend, the Stanford Cardinal, led by tough tailback Toby Gerhart, are playing their best football to date.

The Trojans, on the other hand, are still trying to figure things out following the loss to Oregon on Halloween night.

While the Trojans got out of Tempe, Arizona, with a win over the Sun Devils this past Saturday, the 14-9 final score was less than comforting.

Although the defense rebounded and delivered for the Trojans in the game against Arizona State, true freshman quarterback Matt Barkley had a rough outing and needs to get the offense back on track for Saturday's game against the offensively potent Cardinal.

Let's take a look at three keys to beating Stanford:

1.  Tackling Toby Gerhart

As I alluded to in an article earlier in the week, Toby Gerhart is an integral part of Stanford's high octane offense. In the 51-42 victory over Oregon last weekend, Gerhart exploded for his best performance to date, racking up 223 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns on the day. With Southern California's offense playing the way it has been, the Trojans' defense absolutely must try and limit the talented Gerhart as much as possible.

Gerhart's contributions on the football field are also a big reason for freshman quarterback Andrew Luck's success in leading the Cardinal offense this season. With Gerhart eating up big chunks of yards on the ground, defenses are forced to spend more effort trying to contain the Cardinal tailback and, consequently, less effort is available to put pressure on Luck. This is one of the biggest reasons why Luck leads the Pac-10 in pass efficiency with a rating of 153.1.

To combat the presence of Gerhart on the field, the Trojans are tinkering with the idea of starting true freshman, Devon Kennard, at the outside linebacker position on Saturday. Kennard, another one of the gems from Pete Carroll's latest recruiting class, is a dynamic pass rusher, who has played primarily at the defensive end position this season. At 6-foot-3, 255 lbs, Kennard has the size to go up against the biggest back that the Pac-10 has to offer in Gerhart.

It is a tall task for any defense when it comes to shutting down Toby Gerhart; however, if the Trojans can get it together, limiting Gerhart's gains on the field would be a huge boon for the hometown team this Saturday.

2.  Hit them back

It is pretty much a given that Stanford tailback, Toby Gerhart, is going to be the focal point of the Cardinal attack on Saturday. Gerhart's smash mouth style of football is going to be an incredible test of toughness for the Trojans' defensive unit. One way that Southern California can reciprocate is opening things up for its own tough runner, Allen Bradford.

After his bust-out performance against the Oregon State Beavers, things have quieted down for Bradford. In the past two games against Oregon and Arizona State, Bradford has managed to rush a combined 20 times for only 89 yards. If Bradford can deliver a little pain and punishment himself, it would go a long way towards tiring out the Cardinal defense as well as controlling the time of possession for the Trojans.

3.  Shuffled personnel need to step up

It is no secret that the Trojans have been besieged with injuries this season, with players at almost every major position succumbing to some sort of ailment. For Saturday's homecoming game against the Cardinal, the Trojans will once again be forced to shuffle some personnel with the loss of key players due to injury.

On offense, it is looking more and more apparent that Damian Williams will miss Saturday's contest because of a high ankle sprain sustained in last week's game against Arizona State. With Williams out, Brice Butler will likely start opposite Ronald Johnson and will likely see an increase in playing time. Getting production out of Butler, along with a number of the other younger wideouts, will be key for a Trojans’ team that has not been up to par on offense in recent weeks. Anthony McCoy is another important member of the offense, who is questionable for the big homecoming game. McCoy, who also suffered a high ankle sprain, has missed the Trojans' last two games. The effect of the tight end's absence is undeniable as quarterback Matt Barkley's production has wavered without one of USC’s top weapons in McCoy.

On the defensive side of the ball, the decision as to whether defensive end Everson Griffen will play has become a game time decision this Saturday. Griffen, who missed the game against Arizona State with a toe injury, has been one of USC's biggest contributors this year, leading the Pac-10 in sacks with eight on the season. Fortunately for the Trojans, they have enough top-flight personnel that they can substitute someone in and hopefully not miss a beat. If Griffen cannot go, then Nick Perry, who is tied for third in the Pac-10 in sacks, may get the nod.

Regardless of what personnel is shuffled into the starting lineup, the players who take the field on Saturday need to step up and elevate their game in this homecoming contest with potentially huge implications in the Pac-10 race.