Is style cramping Trojans?

In routing Penn State in the Rose Bowl, USC mixed running plays with short passes to tight ends and running backs, mid-range throws to wideouts and a touchdown bomb to their fastest receiver.

It was a dynamic and diversified assault -- and an anomaly since the Trojans’ opener against Virginia four months ago.

Which is one reason why Oklahoma, Florida and Texas all passed USC in the polls.

Oklahoma, ranked No. 1 nationally in scoring, meets Florida and its No. 3-ranked scoring offense in the Bowl Championship Series title game on Thursday.

So does USC need to ramp up its offense to get back to the top of the polls?

Coach Pete Carroll doesn’t think so, and he doesn’t seem concerned that the Trojans will begin spring practice in a few months with a new offensive coordinator, new quarterbacks coach and, if Mark Sanchez opts to turn pro, a new quarterback.

And also, for the fourth time in Carroll’s tenure as head coach, a new person calling plays during games.

“I’m not looking for a bunch of big changes and stuff like that,” Carroll says. “I like that we have a great background and history in our style and what we do.”

The Trojans under Carroll have won two national championships, seven consecutive Pacific 10 Conference titles and played in seven consecutive BCS bowl games, winning six.

But USC is also competing for attention from pollsters in an era of high-scoring spread offenses. That might not bode well for the Trojans.

USC this season averaged 37.5 points a game. That’s about four fewer than their 2003 average when they won the Associated Press national title. It’s slightly less than the 38.2 they averaged during their run to the BCS title in 2004. And significantly less than the 49 points a game they scored in 2005 en route to the BCS title game, which they lost to Texas.

The Trojans have not averaged 40 points since.

They also have not been back to the BCS final.

Carroll cites the absence of Reggie Bush, a once-in-a-decade talent, as one reason for the slowdown. Or at least the perception of one.

“He was a difference-maker in spectacularly striking fashion,” Carroll says.

Oregon Coach Mike Bellotti acknowledges that USC might have been hurt this season by voters who fell in love with the scoring averages coming out of the Big 12 Conference.

“Would they be in the BCS game if they scored more points?” he asks. “Maybe.”

But Bellotti, whose team averaged 41.9 points yet lost to USC, 44-10, is not suggesting the Trojans change things dramatically.

“They do what they feel comfortable doing,” Bellotti says, “and they recruit to that style of offense.”

Oregon State Coach Mike Riley, whose team handed USC its only defeat, voted Florida first, Oklahoma second, USC third and Texas fourth in the final regular-season coaches’ poll.

Oklahoma can “kill you and score 62,” Riley says. “USC can kill you and it will be 27-3.”

This much is certain: The then-top-ranked Trojans’ September misstep at Oregon State -- not other teams’ scoring output or victory margins -- cost them a chance at playing for the national title.

“I wouldn’t say that anybody’s particular style gives them an advantage or disadvantage, I think it’s just the record, the bottom line,” says Blair Kerkhoff of the Kansas City Star, a voter in the Harris Interactive poll, which is part of the BCS formula. “It doesn’t matter how you win, you just have to win. You don’t lose in Corvallis.”

Analyst Jerry Palm, publisher of CollegeBCS.com, says the Trojans have all the talent they need to run whatever system on offense they choose. The problem is not physical.

“They take one week off a year,” Palm says. “That’s not offense. That’s not defense.

“That’s not respecting your opponent every week.”

USC’s 2009 schedule, including road games at Ohio State, Notre Dame, Washington, California, Oregon and Arizona State, looks more formidable than its 2008 slate.

With so many defensive starters departing, the offense will be expected to carry the load. And if Sanchez returns, it could be one of the nation’s best.

Regardless, don’t expect Carroll to budge from his philosophy.

“I just want to win,” he says.

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Spring forward or fall back

USC has some holes to fill before next season, the majority of them on a defense that was the nation’s top-ranked unit. An early look at the issues going into next season:

OFFENSE

If quarterback Mark Sanchez turns pro, Aaron Corp, Mitch Mustain and incoming freshman Matt Barkley will begin battling to replace him in the spring. If Sanchez returns, the offense must replace only one starting receiver. Travon Patterson, Brice Butler, Brandon Carswell and Jordan Cameron are among the contenders. The offensive line returns intact and will be stronger with the maturity of Tyron Smith and redshirts Matt Kalil and Khaled Holmes. Tailbacks Stafon Johnson, Joe McKnight, Marc Tyler, Allen Bradford and Curtis McNeal return, but C.J. Gable said after the Rose Bowl that he was still deciding whether to come back.

DEFENSE

Chris Galippo, Malcolm Smith and Michael Morgan are in line to become the starting linebackers. Everson Griffen is likely to start at one end spot and Armond Armstead at defensive tackle. Cornerback Shareece Wright is expected to return from a neck injury and start opposite Kevin Thomas. T.J. Bryant also will move into the rotation. Will Harris played well in place of injured Kevin Ellison and is in line to start at strong safety. Drew McAllister could be the free safety if Taylor Mays leaves, as expected, for the NFL. If Josh Pinkard is granted a sixth year, he could play cornerback or safety.

SPECIAL TEAMS

The Trojans will have a new kicker and punter. Joe Houston and Jordan Congdon are the returning kickers on the roster, Bill O’Malley the returning punter. The Trojans have received a commitment from junior college kicker Jake Harfman, who is a placekicker and punter.

-- Gary Klein