Calling All Seniors

One thing still rings true that I remember Lou Holtz saying during USC's back-to-back Outback Bowls,"Your seniors need to play the best football of their careers in order for you to have a successful season." While I think it could be fairly said that last season, USC's seniors as a group did not play the best football of their career, there were some seniors that performed very well.

Orus Lambert and Chris Tucker are perfect examples of a seniors playing their best football when it matters most. Lambert came to Carolina as a lightly recruited LB prospect from Jacksonville, FL. He was primarily a reserve and special teams player. Then, he is moved to DE and works himself into a starter. He also was SEC defensive lineman of the week twice. USC may not have won the Arkansas game had it not been for Lambert making a David Pollack-like interception on a screen pass at the end of the third quarter. On USC's first play from scrimmage after that, Blake Mitchell hooked up with Kenny McKinley on a 40 yard TD pass that was the difference in the game.

Chris Tucker arrived at USC from SW Dekalb HS in Atlanta, GA much the same as Lambert, without much celebration. He bounced around between the offensive and defensive lines, didn't really play well when on offense because his heart wasn't in it, but when Steve Spurrier came in, Tucker asked to move back to DT and worked his way into the starting lineup. Who will ever forget the play Tucker made against Florida that totally changed the momentum in that game and set up USC's first touchdown? Let's set the scene: USC won the toss and, as Spurrier has done all season, took the ball to begin the game. USC's offense went backwards on a sack and was three and out. After a shanked punt, Florida took over near mid-field. On third down, Leak tried to pass over the middle. The ball was tipped by MLB Dustin Lindsey and intercepted by Tucker. The 6'1 288 pound senior rumbled and stumbled from mid-field all the way down to the five yard-line, slipping and spinning his way out of would-be tacklers. Two plays later, Mike Davis scored from five yards out and USC had all the momentum it would need to defeat the Gators 30-22.

Two game-changing plays made by two seniors that had really had inconspicuous careers. That is a big reason why USC had a 7-4 regular season record and a trip to the Independence Bowl.

While USC does not have a big senior class this season, if USC is to build on the first season of the Steve Spurrier era, the senior class will need to lead the way. Players like Syvelle Newton, Chris White, Thomas Coleman, and Fred Bennett need to make big plays and provide leadership.

Perhaps Noah Whiteside will come back somehow and make plays like he did as a freshman in Oxford, Mississippi. What a bonus that would be.