Trojan Update 12/6

Texas QB Vince Young is campaigning for the Hesiman Trophy. "I think my chances are real high if they watch the game, how I'm a leader for my teammates," he said. "I hope they will see that the numbers that I put up were basically in the first half. In the second half I'm basically on the bench. If I played a full game I would have some more stats. Coach Brown, he don't like to blow out people, so he pulled all our starters. If they're just looking for the big, big highlights, then you got Bush winning." Young also said that if Bush wins the Heisman it will motivate him "...to go out there and show the world they made the wrong decision."

Assistant Head Coach Steve Sarkisian said he wants to pick the new starting QB by the end of spring practice and not have the competition run into fall training camp. "Ultimately, especially at that position, you need to develop a leader," he said. "I'm not one for playing musical chairs at that position. We'd like to go into summer with a leader. You like to know who's going to be the guy throwing to everyone during the summer." In spring 2003 the QB competition was a three man race between Matt Cassel, Matt Leinart and Brandon Hance. Hance had started a number of games for Purdue before transferring to USC. Cassel had seen playing time as Carson Palmer's back-up. Leinart had never thrown a pass in a college game. Leinart emerged as the starting QB by the end of spring practice that year. Going into 2005 the QB competition is a two man race between redshirt junior John David Booty and redshirt freshman Mark Sanchez. Booty skipped his senior year of high school to join the Trojans in 2003. He would likely have been the nation's top recruit in 2004 had he stayed in high school one more year. Booty quickly impressed the Trojan coaching staff and moved ahead of Cassel and Hance as a true freshman during the 2003 season, becoming Leinart's back-up. He then redshirted in 2004 due to injury and again served as Leinart's back-up this season. After seeing action in 14 games during the 2003 and 2005 seasons, Booty is 34-of-56 passing (60.7% completion percentage) for 417 yards, 3 TD's and 2 INT's. But don't expect Coach Carroll to hand Booty the starting QB job. Leinart was the least experienced of the QB's in spring 2003 and he won the job on the practice field. Booty will have to beat out talented reshirt freshman Mark Sanchez, who was one of the nation's top recruits in 2005.

Recruiting: Coach Carroll and Offensive Coordinator Lane Kiffin are on the road recruiting in Arizona, Florida and Texas this week. One of the Trojans' top targets, 4.0-star DT Brandon Antwine (6'1", 270, 4.9) of Garland, TX, committed to Florida yesterday. Luckily the Trojans will get some much needed depth at DT from 2005 4.0-star DT Walker Ashley (6'5", 295, 4.9) of Eden Prairie, MN who will participate in spring practice after failing to qualify in time to play this fall. The Trojan coaching staff will now focus their attention on 5.0-star DT Gerald McCoy (6'4", 290, 4.9) of Oklahoma City, OK and 4.5-star DT Derek Hill (6'2", 270, 4.7) of Oakland, CA. 4.5-star LB Joshua Tatum (6'1", 220, 4.5) of Oakland, CA said (after his visit to USC this weekend) he currently ranks his choices - 1) USC, 2) Miami, 3) Tennessee.