More into focus

By Jordan Moore on November 17, 2009 9:31 AM | No Comments

After a week of extra attention, third downs will again be getting the royal treatment during the bye.

The Trojans spent double the usual amount of time on third downs during last week's practices, and USC coaches are planning to do the same again this week as they hope to create more third-down success on game days.

The defense is holding opponents to a third-down conversion rate of 37 percent, the country's 43rd-best mark. But on Saturday against Stanford, the Trojans allowed successful conversions on 8 of 11 third-down opportunities (73 percent), including one particular back-breaker late in the game.

The offense, even after a 6-for-12 effort on Saturday, is limping along with the nation's 100th-ranked third-down rate of 34 percent. Last week's extra practice appeared to pay off against Stanford, so the coaches are prescribing more of the same ointment over the next several workouts in anticipation of the UCLA game.

"We've got to get better on third downs," Coach Carroll said during this morning's staff meeting. "Got to."

University Southern California Trojans

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