USC put an end to the thought that Michigan deserved a rematch with Ohio State. At halftime, the score was tied 3-3, but the Trojans stormed to victory with a huge offensive second half, led by junior QB John David Booty. USC spread the Michigan defense out, as Booty threw for four touchdowns, two to stud WR Dwayne Jarrett. Chad Henne was not that bad in defeat, but this game might have been for #1 for the start of next season, and USC’s performance was probably convincing enough.
College: USC
Conference: Pacific 10
Columnist: Sam Maxwell
Name # Ht Wt Speed Pos Class Game Notes
Dwayne Jarrett 8 6' 5.0" 210 4.45 WR 2008
Ran good routes and showed off great hands. Had a couple of very nice catches. Showed good body control and hand-eye coordination. Is not as physical as you’d like but gets it done nonetheless. On his second touchdown, he outran the entire Michigan secondary to the endzone. Finished with 11 catches for 205 yards and two touchdowns.
GRADE: very positive
Sam Baker 79 6' 5.0" 305 0.00 OT 2008
Did a good job, especially in the second half, of pass-protection. Was not beat until the very end of the game. Did not excel as a run-blocker but showed potential. Baker will return for his senior season.
GRADE: neutral
Lawrence Jackson 96 6' 5.0" 265 0.00 DE 2008
Had a nice game, wreaking havoc as a pass-rusher, even though he did not finish with an official sack. Also showed good athleticism, with an interception in the second half. Needs to develop more pass-rush moves, but showed great potential. Could add some bulk to improve his ability to stop the run.
GRADE: positive
Oscar Lua 45 6' 0.5" 240 0.00 LB 2007
Has not started this year because of stud LB Rey Maualuga. When he was in, showed good instincts and tackling ability. Probably a second-day pick, as sitting behind the extremely talented Maualuga is nothing to be ashamed of.
GRADE: neutral
Dallas Sartz 42 6' 4.0" 240 0.00 LB 2007
Was effective when blitzing. Showed good recognition skills, and was solid in pursuit. Decent speed, but was more impressive with his instincts, and his ability to get to the QB. Finished with one sack.
GRADE: positive
Steve Smith 2 5' 11.5" 195 0.00 WR 2007
Dwayne Jarrett stole the show, but Smith quietly had an excellent game as well. Catches the ball with his hands. Runs good routes. Will go over the middle to make a tough grab. Looks like an ideal NFL slot receiver, and he and LSU’s Dwayne Bowe are two of the most overlooked players in the draft. Probably won’t last to the middle of the second round. Finished with seven catches, 108 yards, and a touchdown.
GRADE: positive
Brandon Hancock 40 6' 1.0" 230 0.00 FB 2007
DNP.
Fred Davis 83 6' 4.0" 245 0.00 TE 2008
Made a spectacular one-handed catch, setting up a USC touchdown in the second half. Showed great potential as a receiving threat. Not dominating as a blocker, but has the frame to develop into a force in the run-game. Needs to work on his route running and benefits from playing with great wide-outs. Could be a top TE prospect in 2008. Finished with three catches for 39 yards.
GRADE: positive
Jeff Byers 53 6' 3.0" 300 0.00 OG 2008
DNP.
Ryan Kalil 67 6' 3.0" 285 0.00 C 2007
Was not very good in the run-game. Pass-protection was good, and kept Booty off the ground in the second half. Struggled with Branch at times.
GRADE: slightly negative
Sedrick Ellis 49 0' 0.0" 0 0.00 DT 2008
Was arguably the best defensive player on the field. Caused problems all over the place, and was excellent in pursuit as well as a pass-rusher. Relentless, showing a good motor, and was extremely quick for a man his size. His speed is clearly a huge plus. Finished with one sack, and could be a top DT for 2008.
GRADE: very positive
Josh Pinkard 0' 0.0" 0 0.00 S 2008
DNP.
Ryan Powdrell 37 6' 0.0" 250 4.70 FB 2007
DNP.
JohnDavid Booty 10 6' 3.0" 200 4.65 QB 2008
Booty played a great game. He struggled at times in the first half, but when his protection was there, he was accurate and aggressive. Made a lot of good decisions, and utilized his weapons beautifully. Really looked like he was improving as the game went on, and shredded a pretty good Michigan defense. Final stats were 27 of 45 for 391 yards and four touchdowns.
GRADE: very positive
Keith Rivers 55 0' 0.0" 0 0.00 LB 2008
Looked like a stud LB prospect. Took good angles and showed good athleticism in the running-game. Closed to the ball-carrier very well, and looks to be a top LB prospect in 2008.
GRADE: positive
College: Michigan
Conference: Big 10
Columnist: Adam Davis
Name # Ht Wt Speed Pos Class Game Notes
Leon Hall 29 5' 11.0" 196 4.48 CB 2007
Even while QB John David Booty shredded the Michigan secondary, Hall did not look terrible. Booty was clearly looking to pick on Morgan Trent, and stayed away from Hall as much as he could. Hall showed excellent speed on one play where he ran down a USC receiver, saving a touchdown. Was physical as a tackler.
GRADE: neutral
Steve Breaston 15 6' 1.0" 178 4.40 WR 2007
Was very good in the loss. Breaston didn’t do much returning kicks, but we all know that he’s talented with the ball in his hands. Looked solid as a receiver. Doesn’t have great size, and will need to bulk up in the pro’s, but showed good hands and toughness. He scored a touchdown at the end of the game, but did not celebrate, and seemed to only care about winning the game. Showed very good speed, and will likely be regarded as a potential slot WR/return man in the NFL. Finished with seven catches for 115 yards and a touchdown.
GRADE: positive
Jake Long 77 6' 7.0" 330 5.30 OT 2008
Long has all the tools, but was not particularly good in this one. Did a decent job protecting on some plays, but struggled on others. Showed a good mean streak in the running-game but also whiffed on a couple of plays. Has good size and adequate quickness, but another year at Michigan is probably what’s best for him to reach his potential.
GRADE: neutral
Tyler Ecker 89 6' 6.0" 251 4.80 TE 2007
Really had a good game in defeat. Showed little in terms of blocking, but showed very good potential as a receiver. Henne looked for him early and often, and he had six catches for 78 yards. Henne was comfortable giving him the ball, and looked for him a lot. Has good size, and would probably be worth a second-day pick because of his receiving ability.
GRADE: slightly positive
Chad Henne 7 6' 2.0" 226 5.00 QB 2008
Struggled at times with the USC pass-rush. However, he felt the pressure, and showed guts still playing hard until the final gun. His accuracy wasn’t great, but also wasn’t horrible, and he did not look that bad even though the score made Michigan look like they got killed. Final stats were 26 of 41 for 309 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
GRADE: slightly positive
Mike Hart 20 5' 9.0" 193 4.60 HB 2008
Had a long of just 11 yards. Struggled all game with a solid USC front-seven. Never really got his legs going. Showed catching ability, but had -2 yards receiving to go along with just 47 yards on 17 carries. Will benefit from another year at Michigan.
GRADE: negative
Alan Branch 80 6' 6.0" 325 5.00 DT 2008
Branch had another solid game, and looks like the premier defensive tackle in the draft. Has great size and moves well inside. Like in the Ohio State game, showed the knack for being in the right place at the right time. Played with good leverage. Very disruptive in stopping the run. A definite first round pick.
GRADE: neutral
LaMarr Woodley 56 6' 2.0" 274 4.70 DE 2007
Finished with one sack at the very end of the game but was not particularly effective as a pass-rusher. Showed a couple of moves, but Booty delivered the ball before he could get to him. Was not great in run-support and probably projects better as OLB in a 3-4 than a 4-3 DE.
GRADE: slightly negative
David Harris 45 6' 2.0" 251 4.70 LB 2007
Played a great game in defeat. Seemed like he was all over the field. Played sideline to sideline showing good speed. Instinctive and smart, like any good MLB is. Blitzed a few times, and showed decent coverage capabilities when he didn’t. Solid player with the potential to be a starting MLB in the NFL.
GRADE: positive
Prescott Burgess 6 6' 3.0" 243 4.80 LB 2007
Failed to impress. Was not as effective as Shawn Crable off the edge. Made his tackles down the field, and was not constantly around the ball as Harris was. Did not show great closing speed and is probably limited in terms of potential.
GRADE: negative
Willis Barringer 19 6' 0.0" 207 4.60 S 2007
Showed the ability to be a force in run defense but struggled mightily in coverage. Booty carved up the Michigan secondary and Barringer did not show great range at safety.
GRADE: negative
Mark Bihl 54 6' 4.2" 299 5.18 C 2007
Struggled at times with Sedrick Ellis. Was not very effective in the running-game. Was decent in pass-protection, but failed to stand out. Maybe has a shot to get drafted, but likely on day two if anything.
GRADE: negative
Jamar Adams 22 6' 1.3" 210 4.58 S 2008
Like Barringer, Adams was good near the line of scrimmage, which was one of the reasons USC spread out in the second half. He struggled in coverage as Booty carved the Michigan secondary up. A big-hitter, but lacks great range. Could improve his awareness and ball-skills with another year at Michigan.
GRADE: negative