JDG Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 I found a nugget in this article on the USC Offensive Line, that has lead them to their second consecutive National Championship Game: SI.com Article "Every one of those guys will play in the NFL," Trojans coach Pete Carroll said of the Longhorns' starting line. "They don't have a weakness, they only have strengths." "They're the most physical and athletic line that we've seen," Brown said of his counterparts. It wasn't always this way. A year ago, USC's Kalil, Lutui and Baker were first-year starters in a mostly finesse, pass-oriented line. Justice, a freshman All-America in 2003, was suspended for the season for pulling a replica gun on a fellow student in an incident he claimed was a practical joke. The line performed well enough to help the Trojans win a national championship, but this year they've taken things to a whole other level. Much of the credit goes to first-year position coach Pat Ruel, a former Miami offensive lineman and 31-year coaching veteran who Carroll hired away from the New York Giants. Under Ruel's direction, the Trojans have become noticeably more physical, as evidenced by the dramatic upgrade in their running game, which improved from 177.4 yards per game to a staggering 264.2. JDG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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