Booty has the tools to take himself, USC a long way
USC quarterback John David Booty entered 2006 with an incredibly tall order: He had to follow in the enormous footsteps of Matt Leinart, whom some consider to be the greatest QB in college football history. Leinart did amass a 37-2 record in three years as the starter for USC, after all, and win two national championships and a Heisman Trophy.
Despite the pressure heaped on him from both Trojans fans and the media, John David Booty held up well last season. The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder completed just under 62 percent of his passes for 3,347 yards, 29 touchdowns and only nine interceptions. Unfortunately for the Shreveport, La., native, though, USC lost two games and, for the first time in three years, didn't enter January with a chance to at least earn a share of the national championship. Instead, John David Booty & Co. settled for a 32-18 thrashing of Michigan -- which many thought should have been playing in the BCS title game -- in Rose Bowl.
Entering his senior season, similar pressure is being placed on John David Booty, a fifth-year senior. The question is, Can the 22-year-old live up to it? If the answer is yes, it will likely mean that USC, currently ranked No. 1 by many preseason pundits, will be playing in the BCS championship game and that John David Booty will be in the running for the Heisman (his two predecessors, Leinart and Carson Palmer, both won it).
John David Booty will be hurt by the key losses of his two best receivers from last year -- Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith -- for sure, but keep in mind that the Trojans, thanks to head coach Pete Carroll and his staff, have essentially become the New England Patriots of college football. It's seemingly a matter of interchangeable parts at most positions.
To fill the shoes of Dwayne Jarrett and Smith, respectively, John David Booty -- who spent some time during the offseason working in the shotgun in Steve Sarkisian's offense -- will have promising targets in 6-5, 230-pound sophomore receiver Patrick Turner (29 catches, 272 yards last year) and senior tight end Fred Davis (6-4, 245), who grabbed 38 of the QB's passes in '06 for an impressive 352 yards and three touchdowns. If those two play to their potential, there's no doubt John David Booty and the passing game won't miss a beat.
Of course, it also helps a signal-caller's cause when he has a superb running game. Leinart, who benefited from the incredible Reggie Bush and bruising touchdown machine LenDale White, can attest to that. Last year, John David Booty wasn't necessarily aided by a high-end ground attack. This season, though, the belief in Southern California is that the backfield will once again return to its elite ways of the not-so-distant past.
Currently, seven of the RBs on the Trojans' roster were former blue-chippers coming from high school, including über-talented sophomore C.J. Gable, a 6-1, 190-pounder who runs with both speed and power. As a freshman last year, Gable, 19, amassed 434 yards on the ground, but his per-carry average was a so-so 3.9. Seldom do true freshmen make huge differences, however. However, with a year of experience under his belt, Gable should become a big-time running threat in the Pac-10 this season.
If that doesn't happen, John David Booty and the offense could be buoyed by a bevy of other backs that includes another sophomore, Emmanuel Moody (459 yards last year), and senior Chauncey Washington (744 yards, nine touchdowns in '06).
There's no question that John David Booty has what could potentially be an elite supporting cast. Of course, that's without even mentioning arguably the best offensive tackle in the nation, Sam Baker, a two-time All-American.
Should things fall into place the way they're supposed to -- which isn't always a guarantee, obviously -- John David Booty could be accepting the Heisman in December. Better yet for both the QB and his teammates, the Trojans may very well line up next Jan. 8 in New Orleans with a chance to earn USC's third national championship in five years.
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