Orgeron Bringing Back Glimpses of the Trojans under Pete Carroll

Those who were around to witness it claim that USC football under Pete Carroll was everything that a Los Angeles sports team should be: fun, successful, and a spectacle. It would resemble the set of a "Hollywood movie", as hundreds would gather in and around Howard Jones Field to watch Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, and the rest of the star-studded Trojan cast practice on a daily basis. Then, practice was open to just about anyone, which eventually turned into practice being open to only the media, and finally closed to everyone under the last part of the Lane Kiffin regime.

Ed Orgeron has already channeled his inner Peter Carrol by re-opening practice to the media, allowing the media to report on injuries, and is also looking into having the public be able to view practice from the deck of Dedeaux Field. This may sounds like something very subtle, but it was the small things like practice availability that put Kififn on the hot seat, and is what makes Orgeron look like a hero that is attempting to restore the "good ole' days" of USC football. It does not stop here though.

In just a little under a week with Orgeron at the helm, practice has also suddenly become a lot more "fun" for players, something that Carroll was known for during his tenure at USC.

During their bye week, players gave those younger and redshirts players who don't get to play very much to get some action in practice, while being coached by the older, more experienced players in the first installment of the "Trojan Bowl", a practice Orgeron derived from the University of Miami.

The coaches handed their whistles to Cody Kessler, Silas Redd, George Uko, ,Hayes Pullard, and a variety of other players to coach their respective sides and it appeared as if everyone let out four year's worth of energy on the field with everyone jumping around, celebrating big plays, and even throwing around a few dance moves here in there. Team morale was also boosted following practice when the players were treated to a dinner from the world famous Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles. The practice before, the players were spoiled with cookies.

Once again, It's the little things like food that are already starting to make boost team morale. With this has come excitement, intensity, and a newly found energy level in practice that Orgeron promises will transfer to the Coliseum.

He has brought back two of three components that thrived under Carroll, in fun and a spectacle. However, the most important element of all, on-field success, is the one thing that we will have to wait and see if Orgeron and his players can carry out Thursday night against the Wildcats.

While Orgeron is not going to entirely be able to reincarnate Carroll, he has been doing his best to restore the practices that allowed for so much success during Carroll's years. The team seems to have responded to it all with great enthusiasm so far, but the Trojan faithful just hopes that this intensity will carry over to the remainder of the young season.