Top Reasons Why No One Should Want to Play USC in 2008 - Part 2 - DEFENSE -Everson Griffen

Why No One Should Want to Play the Trojans in 2008 - Defense - Part 1: Everson Griffen

It's cliche, but there's really no other way to say it. This guy is a quarterback's nightmare.

Not too many of USC's talented recruits get to play their freshman year, let alone make an impact. Griffen was one of those exceptional few last year, and he proved he was worthy. As a true freshman he played in all 13 games. In those 13 games, Griffen tallied 5.5 TFL's (all of them sacks), 2 FF, 1 FR, and 2 deflections. Here are some of the accolades decorating his Royal Badness after the 2007 season:

* 2007 Sporting News Freshman All-American first team
* Football Writers Freshman All-American first team
* Rivals.com Freshman All-American first team
* Scout.com Freshman All-American first team
* Collegefootballnews.com Freshman All-American second team
* Sporting News Pac-10 Defensive Freshman of the Year
* All-Pac-10 honorable mention pick.

Now, take a good look at him folks...
































Griffen is 6' 3.5", 270 lbs, and what do you think he should run the 40 in? 4.8, 4.7? 4.65 would be plenty quick, right? Dude runs the forty in 4.46! Forgive the crudeness, but that's enough to make the toughest quarterback's butt pucker!

This is what Coach Carrol had to say about him: "He's fast, really fast at getting to the quarterback."
-Notice how Pete corrects himself: "he's fast, REALLY FAST..."

So, we know he's a freakish combination of size, strength, and speed (incidentally, his nickname is "the freak"). That's intimidating in and of itself. Beyond this though, why should he be feared more than other (if there are any right now) freak-diculous D-ends?

Well, to be quite honest, some of his saturday religious-beliefs scare me a little bit too. Listen to one of the ways he thinks about heaven -when asked about making sacks:

"I don't know how to explain it, because it's the greatest feeling in the world. When you're coming off the edge and the quarterback doesn't see you, it's like a free shot to heaven."

"Oh... ye opposing quarterbacks of the 2008 Trojans, say thine prayers before we meeteth! For mine beastlyness hath been awakened, and thou standeth in the way of my 2008 National Championship ring!"
-Book of Griffen 1:1