Point-Counterpoint Third and Long

Heading into December, USC\'s overwhelming offense was tops in the nation in third-down efficiency. After outlasting Pat Hill’s impressive Fresno State squad in November, the Trojans were converting on an amazing 54% of third downs. Having Reggie Bush doesn’t hurt. Pete Carroll’s explosive bunch was also No. 1 in turnover margin. It’s not hard to figure out why Matt Leinart and company keep rolling. The third-down efficiency rankings are filled with explosive offenses, including Texas, Notre Dame, Louisville, Fresno State, Auburn and Minnesota. Avoiding third-and-longs is the ultimate goal. Against Fresno State, USC converted 7 of 13 third downs with an average distance of less than five. But they also picked up first downs on third-and-10 and third-and-seven. No one wants to end up in third-and-long, but it happens. A false start here, a sack there, and suddenly, it’s