Orange County Register

Matt Barkley spent the bye-weekend with friends and family in Orange County, celebrated his grandfather’s birthday and tried to forget three rough weeks that have seen the USC freshman quarterback’s stock drop dramatically and the Trojans’ dominance of the Pac-10 come to an abrupt end.

“Not really worried about the past,” Barkley said after the Trojans’ practice Tuesday night. “Can’t change it.”

Not that Barkley was totally able to get away from football.

“You can’t really not think about this time of season,” Barkley said.

Whether Barkley can bounce back after a series of poor performances is one of the major story lines this week leading up to No. 24 USC and UCLA meeting Saturday night at the Coliseum.

Barkley said he goes into his first game with the Bruins physically and mentally recharged after the Trojans’ off week.

“It was awesome,” Barkley said of the bye-week. “I feel fresh, the arm feels strong.”

The bye-week followed a three game stretch in which the former Mater Dei High star went from being mentioned as a possible Heisman Trophy candidate to being dubbed by some fans as the “Boy Blunder.”

In his last three games, Barkley has five interceptions and four TD passes for a passing efficiency rating of 103.05. Barkley threw three interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown, and also had a fumble in Stanford’s 55-21 demolition of USC against a Cardinal defense that entered the game last in the Pac-10 in both interceptions (3) and take-aways (9).

Barkley admits to getting “sloppy” “here and there.” Free of focusing on a game plan, Barkley spent the last week working on fundamentals.

“I felt like I got back to basics, what I was taught,” Barkley said.

While Barkley regrouped, Trojan coach Pete Carroll and USC have been busy trying to spin a season that has fallen well short of Carroll’s often over-the-top hype of Barkley.

He is one of only two Pac-10 quarterbacks with 10 interceptions this season. The other, Washington’s Jake Locker, has also thrown for 17 TDs. Barkley has 11 TDs. And now in UCLA, he faces one of the nation’s most opportunistic secondaries.

The Bruins have 17 interceptions this season, five in their last three games, while giving up 14 touchdowns. Rahim Moore leads the nation in interceptions (.82 per game). He has also broken up seven passes.

And there’s cornerback Alterraun Verner. Verner returned an interception 68 yards for a TD against Arizona State. He has returned four picks for TDs in his career, one shy of the Pac-10 and NCAA career record set by California’s Deltha O’Neal (1996-99).

“They’re good and they’ve got a ton of picks,” Barkley said. “They get after the ball.

“It’s not that tough mentally,” Barkley continued referring to preparing for the Bruin scheme. “We’re just going to have to be on our stuff.

“Their secondary is impressive but they are beatable at times.”

More from USC blog:

• USC football: Williams ready for Bruins
• USC football: Williams better than expected
• USC football: Taylor Mays, All-American optimist
• Reading between the hash marks: Rick Neuheisel
• USC football: RoJo tries to recapture his mojo
• USC football: Passing game struggling … or is it?
• USC football: If there’s a Williams, there’s a way
• USC football: Williams still uncertain for UCLA
• Is USC-UCLA bigger than a bowl game?

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