Trojans have issues; can they find answers?
USC FOOTBALL
USC still has a chance to get to BCS title game despite loss to Oregon State, but only if it can correct a laundry list of problems. There are at least five areas of concern.
With a veritable herd of officials in black-and-white stripes filling the landscape, USC's practice facility looked more like the Serengeti than a football field.
USC employs a crew of officials at every practice, but after accruing 10 penalties last week against Arizona State, Coach Pete Carroll on Tuesday summoned extra whistle-blowers to help cure the Trojans.
"We've got to find a way to fix this," Carroll said.
USC leads the Pacific 10 Conference in penalties, just one of the issues that, left unchecked, could prevent the Trojans from ascending in the polls and gaining a bid to the Bowl Championship Series title game.
With struggling Washington State, a 43-point underdog, coming up next, USC -- ranked No. 6 by the Associated Press, No. 5 in the Harris Interactive Poll and No. 4 in the USA Today coaches' poll -- is turning inward during preparation.
The Trojans are focusing on correcting problems. Some popped up in the first two games; others figured prominently in their loss at Oregon State and continued to varying degrees in victories over Oregon and Arizona State.
A look at five issues affecting the Trojans as they approach the season's midpoint:
Flag days
Running backs coach Todd McNair walked past linebacker Kaluka Maiava on Monday and greeted him with, "What's up, P?"
Explained Maiava sheepishly: "They call me P because I lead the team in penalties."
He's not proud of the title.
Neither are the Trojans fond of averaging a conference-worst nine penalties and 86 penalty yards a game. Last week against Arizona State, officials flagged the Trojans 10 times for 86 yards.
USC has been plagued by personal-foul penalties. They cost the Trojans a shutout against Virginia and led to an Oregon State touchdown in its 27-21 upset at Corvallis. They contributed to an Oregon touchdown drive the following week and continued against Arizona State, which lacked the firepower to capitalize.
Part of the problem, Carroll said, is that players are still adapting to new rules that protect quarterbacks.
"We've been hitting the quarterback so many times . . . we're just more susceptible," Carroll said. "We just have to do it better and be more in line with what they're calling so we don't put ourselves in bad situations."
Short (on) yardage
