Campus Confidential

By Adam Abramson

This isn't pee-wee football, so you're allowed to say anything less than a national title is a disappointment.

Forget having fun. Forget about what's politically correct. The standard is all or nothing for Southern California. They are that good.

This week we've looked at a lot of great teams with noticeable weaknesses. We talked about the exodus of talent on LSU's offense and Florida and Michigan's defenses (and the non-existence of Texas' pass defense). But there's no real weakness about USC. Let's try to find one.

Quarterback: John David Booty is a legitimate Heisman candidate. He's coming off his first year as a starter, so expect his impressive numbers from last year to improve (67.1% completions, 3,347 yards, 29 TDs, 9 INTs).

Running back: The top four guys on USC's depth chart could start at almost any school in the country. I guess Pete Carroll has to spread the wealth, but I hope he gives senior Chauncey Washington 200 carries and lets guys like C.J. Gable and Emmanuel Moody step in as needed. This was the policy last year, for the most part, and it worked well. With all the talent through the air, USC won't go bananas running the ball, but they should strive for more. While this isn't the strength of the offense, it's anything but a hindrance.

Wide receiver: You would think there is cause for concern now that Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith are gone, but there's none at all. Patrick Turner, David Ausberry and Vidal Hazelton have enough talent to induce a Keith Jackson cranial explosion. His head really might explode watching these three play.

Tight end: Fred Davis, a senior, has plenty of experience. Any team would be happy to have him as a tight end. He had 38 catches last year and is a fantastic blocker.

Offensive line: Sam Baker is on the same page as Jake Long, who we discussed just yesterday. He's a two-time All-American, that is until this year's over. Then he'll be a three-time All-American. Overall, the line has experience and versatility. Drew Radovich will start at right tackle, but can slide back to guard and dominate just as well. If Jeff Byers can stay healthy, we'll be likening him to Sam Baker at this time next year.

Defensive line: Sedrick Ellis is a bad motha-shut yo mouth. Seriously, the Trojans' nose tackle is a returning All-American will set the tone for the seven guys playing behind him. The dude has a V-12 for a motor. Ends Lawrence Jackson and Kyle Moore are just big guys to have rushing a quarterback (both stand over 6'5"). The first 2:05 of the video are pointless, but the last 3 minutes are worth it.

Linebacker: This is the best trio in the country. There might be some better duos, but you won't find a linebacking corps this good. Keith Rivers, Rey Maualuga and Brian Cushing all bring pain.

Defensive backs: Taylor Mays dressed for his first game as a Southern California Trojan last year in the season opener. He watched Josh Pinkard injure himself, stepped in and dominated one of the toughest positions to play on the field for the rest of the season. The experience gained last year can only make him better, which is scary to think about. What will also make him better is playing with a veteran group consistent of returning starters at corner in Cary Harris and Terrell Thomas and returning strong safety Kevin Ellison. You getting the drift here? They're strong everywhere.

Kicker: The guy's last name is Buehler.

I rest my case. It's all set up for a lot of hardware to be brought through the security gates at LAX. This team is nasty.

Player I would shred you with on NCAA Football 2008: Patrick Turner

80s theme song: "For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)" … AC/DC (1981)

Save the date: Sept. 15 at Nebraska … this is a very important test.