Casey and defensive line are gaining recognition

Sophomore nose tackle Jurrell Casey was named Pac-10 defensive player of the week before practice Monday, after playing an integral role in Saturday’s win against Notre Dame and helping the nation’s top team in sacks continue its dominance on the line.

USC leads the nation with 4.33 sacks per game, and the defensive line is well ahead of coach Pete Carroll’s expectations.

Honored · Jurrell Casey was named Pac-10 player of the week. - Dieuwertje Kast | Daily Trojan

“This has been the most active we have been [at defensive line] this early in the year,” Carroll said. “There are a lot of guys that have sacks, a lot of guys making plays.”

The Trojans’ production has come despite a knee injury to junior tackle Christian Tupou. He has been replaced on the line by sophomore Armond Armstead, whose natural position is at end.

“We’re missing a warrior in Tupou. Without him in there, this is the situation that’s best for the team now,” defensive line coach Jethro Franklin said. “I was glad to see Armond play so much, but he can improve on it.”

In addition to Armstead and Casey, the emergence of redshirt freshman defensive ends Nick Perry, who has eight sacks, and Wes Horton allow the Trojans to focus on other aspects on defense, despite rushing only four against the Fighting Irish Saturday.

“It’s a great benefit when you can just rush with four guys. We were able to turn our focus to other things, like [Irish wide receiver] Golden Tate,” Carroll said. “It gives you more choices”

But despite the success, there are other areas in which Franklin insists upon improvement for the unit, which also ranks second in the nation with 9.33 tackles for loss per game. Against the Irish, three separate members of Franklin’s line were flagged for personal fouls.

“We realize that we can’t play that way, to have an offsides is bad enough, but to have three guys on your unit have personal fouls, you can’t do that,” Franklin said. “You just have to keep a cool head. We learn from it, talk about it, pay the price and move on.”

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Redshirt junior fullback Stanley Havili sat out of practice Monday, after he suffered a dislocated shoulder during the third quarter of the Trojan’s victory over Notre Dame Saturday.

Carroll described Havili on Monday as “sore” and said the fullback would have an MRI done Tuesday to see the extent of the damage. To Havili, however, the injury is nothing new, and nothing to be worried about.

“[The shoulder] used to come out all the time in high school, then I had surgery on it, but I’m not worried about it,” Havili said. “[In high school] I played the next game, every time.”

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A picture portraying sophomore tight end Blake Ayles making obscene gestures behind fans during pregame warm ups at Notre Dame made the rounds on the Internet after being posted early Monday morning on the popular sports blog Deadspin.com.

Ayles, who has six receptions this season, was apologetic after practice Monday.

“I’m sorry to the Notre Dame team, sorry to the program. I was just caught up in the moment,” Ayles said.

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The Trojans are once again preparing for Oregon State, after the Beavers handed the Trojans their only loss of last season. Preparing for running back Jaquizz Rodgers is among the priorities.

“Rodgers is the most productive runner in the history of Texas high school football,” Carroll said. “That’s kind of hard to simulate.”

“Rogers is a heck of a back; he’s Barry Sanders-ish,” Franklin added.