<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=290 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width="100%" colSpan=2>Oklahoma trash talk motivates USC </TD></TR><TR><TD class=smtext2 width="100%" colSpan=2>Ryan Stetson...</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Rarely do you hear an unbeaten team being described as “average,” but that’s exactly what Oklahoma Sooners defensive end Larry Birdine has dubbed the No. 1 USC Trojans.
"(The Trojans are) an average team besides Reggie Bush," Birdine told reporters before Oklahoma arrived in Florida. "I feel like they're, I'd say, a 11/2-man team. I want to respect them just because I have to play them, but then I watch them on tape and everything, and I realize that they're an average team."
Birdine didn’t stop there either, narrowing his sights on USC's Heisman Trophy winner, Matt Leinart. <LINK type=text/css rel=stylesheet src="/STYLES/base.css"><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=220 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=gradblue> More Stories</TD></TR><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 width="100%" bgColor=#999999 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width="100%" bgColor=#999999 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=smtext2 vAlign=top bgColor=#ffffff height=19>• Oklahoma State RB declares for NFL draft</TD></TR><TR><TD class=smtext2 vAlign=top bgColor=#ffffff height=19>• Utah's Smith to announce whether he'll enter draft</TD></TR><TR><TD class=smtext2 vAlign=top bgColor=#ffffff height=19>• O.J. going to the Orange Bowl to cheer for Trojans</TD></TR><TR><TD class=smtext2 vAlign=top bgColor=#ffffff height=19>• Weis names nine assistants for Notre Dame</TD></TR><TR><TD class=smtext2 vAlign=top bgColor=#ffffff height=19>• Cal QB Rodgers enters NFL draft</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD><TR></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
"He's definitely overrated,” Birdine, who has seven sacks and 11 tackles for a loss, added. “He's a good quarterback, but he's not a Heisman-winning quarterback. We feel like if we take Reggie Bush out of the game, we're going to win."
The books have Oklahoma pegged as a 1-point underdog for Tuesday’s Orange Bowl.
Since arriving in Florida, Sooners officials have done a pretty good job keeping Birdine gagged, but the 6-foot-5 sophomore managed to shake loose to give the Trojans more bulletin board material Sunday.
"That's part of the game," he said of his previous comments about USC. "If they needed what I said to motivate them, then they've already lost. They should be high. This is for the national championship. It's a football game. Go out there and have fun and play to the best of your ability."
"If I can get into their head, I can get to their body. I'm going to speak my mind, but I want to go out there and back it up."
For their part, the Trojans have avoided the temptation of getting into a war of words with Birdine and the Sooners. "He's entitled to say whatever he wants. He has his opinions," Leinart said. "I really could care less what he has to say or really anybody. That really had no effect on our team. It's just a guy talking. I just kind of laughed.
Rarely do you hear an unbeaten team being described as “average,” but that’s exactly what Oklahoma Sooners defensive end Larry Birdine has dubbed the No. 1 USC Trojans.
"(The Trojans are) an average team besides Reggie Bush," Birdine told reporters before Oklahoma arrived in Florida. "I feel like they're, I'd say, a 11/2-man team. I want to respect them just because I have to play them, but then I watch them on tape and everything, and I realize that they're an average team."
Birdine didn’t stop there either, narrowing his sights on USC's Heisman Trophy winner, Matt Leinart. <LINK type=text/css rel=stylesheet src="/STYLES/base.css"><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=220 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=gradblue> More Stories</TD></TR><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 width="100%" bgColor=#999999 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width="100%" bgColor=#999999 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=smtext2 vAlign=top bgColor=#ffffff height=19>• Oklahoma State RB declares for NFL draft</TD></TR><TR><TD class=smtext2 vAlign=top bgColor=#ffffff height=19>• Utah's Smith to announce whether he'll enter draft</TD></TR><TR><TD class=smtext2 vAlign=top bgColor=#ffffff height=19>• O.J. going to the Orange Bowl to cheer for Trojans</TD></TR><TR><TD class=smtext2 vAlign=top bgColor=#ffffff height=19>• Weis names nine assistants for Notre Dame</TD></TR><TR><TD class=smtext2 vAlign=top bgColor=#ffffff height=19>• Cal QB Rodgers enters NFL draft</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD><TR></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
"He's definitely overrated,” Birdine, who has seven sacks and 11 tackles for a loss, added. “He's a good quarterback, but he's not a Heisman-winning quarterback. We feel like if we take Reggie Bush out of the game, we're going to win."
The books have Oklahoma pegged as a 1-point underdog for Tuesday’s Orange Bowl.
Since arriving in Florida, Sooners officials have done a pretty good job keeping Birdine gagged, but the 6-foot-5 sophomore managed to shake loose to give the Trojans more bulletin board material Sunday.
"That's part of the game," he said of his previous comments about USC. "If they needed what I said to motivate them, then they've already lost. They should be high. This is for the national championship. It's a football game. Go out there and have fun and play to the best of your ability."
"If I can get into their head, I can get to their body. I'm going to speak my mind, but I want to go out there and back it up."
For their part, the Trojans have avoided the temptation of getting into a war of words with Birdine and the Sooners. "He's entitled to say whatever he wants. He has his opinions," Leinart said. "I really could care less what he has to say or really anybody. That really had no effect on our team. It's just a guy talking. I just kind of laughed.
