Matt Barkley rolled to the right, couldn't find anyone open and threw the ball out of bounds. The USC quarterback didn't hide his annoyance immediately after the play, scolding a walk-on receiver who had run an incorrect route.
Offensive breakdowns have left Barkley frustrated at times this spring. He's entering his third season and knows his stuff. Others, meanwhile, aren't as advanced.
With the Trojans lacking experience at several spots, how Barkley channels those frustrations could determine how well he performs in 2011.
"You want him to be aggressive, but you want him to be very intelligent in how he's being aggressive,"
USC coach Lane Kiffin said Tuesday. "What happens is, when guys get frustrated – whether it's because of them playing poorly, the players around them playing poorly or the score at that time – guys tend to make more errors. That's what you have to fight through."
"He's had an issue with that since he's been here. It's something we think we improved on last year ... and hopefully we'll improve on it in Year 3."
Barkley (Mater Dei High) said the main source of his frustration is that spring camp is almost over and players are repeating the same mistakes.
"I'm at the point where I know what's going on and know my reads, and then someone else messes up and it throws me off,"
Barkley said. "But it's important to just keep your cool and realize that these are young guys, and you have to kind of coach them. I was probably the same way when I was younger."
SPRING GAME NOT ON TV
Kiffin said cultural differences are the main reason some schools' spring football games are televised and the Trojans' isn't.
"We had 51,000 at Tennessee for our first spring game, and there were 40,000 there two hours before for the walk,"
Kiffin said. "If you look at the games being telecast on the bigger networks, I think you're going to find basically the Big 12 or the SEC."
ESPN has broadcast or is broadcasting five games this spring, and four are from those conferences: Alabama, Arkansas, LSU and Texas. The lone exception is Oregon.
KSPN/710 will have live radio coverage of USC's spring game, which begins at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Coliseum. Additionally, Fox Sports Net is planning a recap show with highlights, and USC's website will conduct a live chat.
Admission to the game is $10, as is parking. Kids 12 and under are free.
USC drew about 15,000 fans to last year's spring game. The SEC and Big 12 schools listed above each drew at least 25,000 this year, including 92,310 for Alabama.
NOTES
Sophomore receiver Markeith Ambles' troubles continued as he was late for morning meetings and did not practice, instead spending the session running on a side field. ... Cornerback Tony Burnett did not practice after spraining his left ankle Saturday. He described himself as a day to day and plans to be back for the spring game. ... Safety Demetrius Wright also was out because of a sprained ankle. ... Former USC receiver Keary Colbert, attempting an NFL comeback, worked out with the team.
