LOS ANGELES — He has been around this program longer than most, Jeff Byers officially becoming a University of Southern California Trojan in the summer of 2004, when Matt Barkley was 13 years old.

So it was with considerable perspective Tuesday that Byers summed up his team’s current state.
“We’ve lost three games,” the offensive lineman explained, “big, stinking deal.”
He’s correct, of course, but correct doesn’t matter when we’re being paid to hyperventilate at the keyboard and there are 10,000 bloggers focused on whether Barkley is better handing off to his right or his left.
Everything USC football is a big deal. (And, this season, a stinking one, too.) But let’s face it, once the Trojans lost a game — during a fall in which six teams remain undefeated — they were toast.
Now, two more losses later, they’re burnt toast.
This was not the year to lose en route to trying to win anything of consequence, particularly a national championship. The “B” in BCS has stood for boring, the only hint of computer chaos involving who’s No. 2.
What USC has been missing in 2009 isn’t much of a mystery, either. Consider this: What’s the biggest single-play highlight for the Trojans this season?
Damian Williams turning a short pass into 75 yards of open-field insanity at Arizona State? His first punt return for touchdown, at Cal? His second, against Oregon State?
OK, how about something not involving Damian Williams.
There have been big plays (Taylor Mays’ tone-setting interception in Berkeley). There have been signature plays (Mays chasing down Jahvid Best in the same game). There have been collections of plays (the final drive at Ohio State, the final stop at Notre Dame).
But, when it comes to producing SportsCenter plays, the sort of plays made by playmakers, there really haven’t been many plays at all.
This runs contrary to USC’s recent history, when a guy such as Reggie Bush could create a stadium buzz just stretching his quads.
Joe McKnight is shifty and swift but not Bush spectacular. Ronald Johnson had eight touchdown receptions a year ago, returned as a constant deep threat and then broke his collarbone in August.
Chris Galippo could be Brian Cushing, just not yet.
And this is no minor statistic: Last season, USC had 19 interceptions. This year, the Trojans have six.
Where they typically are acrobatic, these Trojans have been average. Where they usually inspire awe, these Trojans have inspired shrugs. Where they traditionally are timely, these Trojans have been off just a tick.
“It’s us players putting this stuff on the field,” Byers said. “On offense, there just hasn’t been any rhythm. We’ve had a lot of third-and-longs this year. We’ve had turnovers at terrible times. We just haven’t been coming through.”
When’s the best time for a football player to come through? On third down. USC, at 34.17 percent, ranks 100th in the country in converting third downs.
That’s worse than Ball State, which has one victory this season, and worse than Eastern Michigan, which has none.
That’s also a spot behind UCLA, a convenient fact during a week that ends with the Trojans and Bruins sharing the same field and agenda.
It’s funny how this game works, college football a place where Charlie Weis can be a gigantic genius one season and a fat, unemployed dude the next. Coaches can do a lot, but they can’t play.
Pete Carroll was portrayed as a much better leader when he had the previous Heisman Trophy winner handing off to the next Heisman Trophy winner.
And look at UCLA and its offensive coordinator, Norm Chow. The brilliance he displayed at USC is the same brilliance that produced four touchdowns during one five-game stretch for the Bruins this fall.
The connection between Carroll and Chow today is the freshman quarterback, which goes a long way in explaining two offenses that have repeatedly bogged down.
Barkley might win the Heisman at some point, but it won’t be this year. As the season has progressed,
USC’s offense has proven more and more adept at spreading the field — horizontally.
The Trojans are quite accomplished now at throwing the ball 15 yards sideways and 3 yards forward.
As much as he has publicly gushed about Barkley — so much so that he has stunted the freshman’s growth — Carroll continues to display little faith in his quarterback’s arm or accuracy or both.
Being conservative doesn’t mesh with being big-play. For now, USC is stuck as the former.
That should change someday, the flying circus rolling back into the Coliseum and the flood of highlights resuming.
Until then, the Trojans will continue searching for their playmakers, those special individuals every team needs in order to make a season.