USC coach Pete Carroll admitted he cannot really predict how the Trojans will play today against Virginia.
Asked if USC is ready for a game after three weeks of practices, Carroll said: "Honestly, I don't see that. I don't see signs of it. I don't know that I ever do."
Carroll said his main concern is whether the Trojans will avoid beating themselves with mistakes.
"We have to take care of ourselves,"
Carroll said. "One of the hardest decisions for coaches is how much (preparation) is enough. I always thought that was the most difficult aspect of it."
"We've been pretty good at it over the years. We have to execute really well and put together a good game."
He also said he is curious to see how some of the new starters, especially along the offensive line, play in their first game.
"We have a lot of young guys,"
Carroll said. "We don't know the composure of the young guys."
Among the true freshmen, tight end Blake Ayles and defensive end Malik Jackson probably have the best chance of playing against Virginia. Several other freshmen, like safety Drew McAllister, will play special teams.
Last chance: Senior wide receiver Patrick Turner has never quite lived up his hype coming out of high school, but Carroll said that is not unusual.
"I don't know that anyone ever lives up to the hype when they come here,"
Carroll said.
But he also defended Turner.
"He's really comfortable with everything, he feels really comfortable with his role,"
Carroll said. "The guys he followed (Mike Williams, Dwayne Jarrett) had extraordinary years the first couple years."
One-year wonders: Carroll and Virginia coach Al Groh have one thing in common: They both coached the New York Jets for a season. Carroll was fired after the 1994 season, while Groh coached the Jets in 2000 before he resigned and went to Virginia.
Carroll and Groh crossed paths several times. Carroll was defensive coordinator at North Carolina State in the early 1980s when Groh coached at Wake Forest. In 1991, Groh was the New York Giants' defensive coordinator while Carroll held a similar job with the Jets. And Groh was a Jets assistant in the late 1990s when Carroll coached the New England Patriots.
"If you looked at the stuff that we did when I was in New England, it looks a lot similar, a lot like what we are doing right now, and he looks a lot like what he did at the Jets and New England,"
Carroll said. "It's got a little flavor of the AFC East matchup here."
Health check: None of USC's starters are injured or ruled out of the game. Cornerback Shareece Wright said his strained abdomen feels fine and he is expected to start.
