USC 2008 Starting Linebackers, Question of the Week

This season, the strong-side and middle linebacker spots are no-brainers. Barring injury during Fall camp, two potential All-Americans and first round NFL draft picks have a lock on those two spots. Of course, I’m talking about Brian Cushing and Rey Maualuga respectively.

Yes, there will be competition as usual. But both Cushing and Maualuga thrive on competition. Bring it on. The more, the better. There is no need to list their statistics. Suffice it to say that both are on the Chuck Bednarick and Bronco Nagurski Watch Lists.

But the real battle—a war, actually—during Fall camp will be for the starting weak-side linebacking spot between Luther Brown (No. 1 on the depth chart) and Kuluka Maiava (currently No. 2)

So, the question of the week for all USC fans on Bleacher Report and beyond: Who do you think will win the starting weak-side linebacking spot?

I will give my answer further on, but for now here are the stats.

Luther Brown is a 6'2", 235 lbs. redshirt junior from Lakewood, CA. He has been a backup linebacker and a special teams standout for the past two seasons. In 2007, he appeared in all 13 games and had 25 tackles.

He missed some of the 2007 spring practice with a left shoulder sprain and had to redshirt in 2005, his freshman year, due to back surgery.

Kaluka Maiava is a 6'0", 230 lbs. senior from Wailuku, HI. He had surgery on his thumb and wrist after the 2007 season and saw only limited action in this year’s Spring practice.

Like Luther Brown, Maiava was a backup linebacker and special teams player in 2007 and 2008. He appeared in all 13 games last season and had 44 tackles, including 4 1/2 for losses of 18 yards including two sacks that accounted for 11 yards in losses. He also had two pass blocks and one forced fumble. He started the Arizona State game at weak side linebacker.

But will Maiava start the Virgina game on the weak side or will Luther Brown? That is this week’s Trojan Challenge.

Others on the depth chart include Mike Morgan and walk-on Nick Garratt behind Brian Cushing, Chris Galippo, Uona Kaveinga, and walk-on Dan Deckas behind Rey Maualuga, and Malcolm Smith and Jordan Campbell behind Brown and Maiava.

Mike Morgan is a 6'4", 220 lbs. redshirt sophomore from Dallas. Last year, he played backup linebacker and was on special teams and saw action in all but the UCLA game. He had nine tackles.

Chris Galippo is a 6'2", 255 lbs. redshirt freshman from Corona and Servite High School. Galippo got into the first three games last season as a backup linebacker and special teams player before suffering a herniated disk that required surgery.

He had eight tackles. If the back is sufficiently healed and Galippo is good to go, he could see considerable action as a backup in 2008 and will definitely be in the mix in 2009 when Cushing, Maualuga and Maiva are gone.

Uona Kaveinga is a 6'1", 235 lbs. freshman from Hawthorne and one of Pete Carroll’s pleasant Signing Day surprises. A Super Prep All-American, Prep Star All-American and an ESPN 150, Kaveinga had 147 tackles, 29 for losses and eight sacks playing for Leuzinger High School in Lawndale last year.

Working under linebackers coach Ken Norton, Kaveinga should see some game action this season and be in the thick of things next year when this year’s seniors begin playing on Sundays.

Malcolm Smith was a backup linebacker as a true freshman and one of the most exciting players on special teams. The 6'1", 225 lbs. sophomore from Taft High School is the younger brother of New York Giants wide receiver and former USC All-American Steve Smith.

In 2007, Smith appeared in all 13 games and had six tackles and a forced fumble and also ran back a fumble 31 yards against Nebraska. Coming off a good Spring practice, he will again be a key player on special teams and should compete for more playing time at linebacker.

Jordan Campbell was switched from fullback to linebacker just prior to Spring practice and had a sensational debut. The 5'11", 230 lbs. redshirt freshman played linebacker in his senior year at Norco, where he had 156 tackles, six sacks, one interception and one fumble recovery.

If his Fall camp is anything like his Spring drills, he should push both Maiava and Brown for playing time.

Depending on the game situation and the defensive alignment, Clay Matthews, Jr., as mentioned in last week’s front four analysis, will often be on the field as a stand up defensive end or drop back into a linebacking spot.

One other player that I unfortunately did not mention above is Maurice Simmons. The Super Prep All-American and Prep Star All-American got himself in trouble with the law last winter.

On Friday, Simmons testified at his own trial in Compton Superior Court, where he is charged with second-degree robbery, assault with a firearm and permitting a loaded firearm in his vehicle. The district attorney's office refused a plea bargain agreement, in which Simmons would plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge of allowing someone with a gun in his car, as reported in the Los Angeles Daily News.

So, good luck to Maurice, and I hope this has taught him a valuable lesson that will serve him in the future.

If you would like to comment on the Maurice Simmons situation or anything else USC, please go right ahead. With Fall camp beginning this Wednesday at 8:45 a.m. for returning players, let’s see some articles, camp reports, opinions and concerns.

Now my comment on this week’s Trojan Challenge: I feel that when Fall camp ends and the dust has settled Kuluka Maiava will emerge as the starting weak-side linebacker.

What are your feelings? And which one of the younger players will offer the greatest challenge to the incumbents and make his case for substantial playing time?