LA Times called the past weekend “freakish,” after starting quarterbacks from cross-town rivals USC & UCLA sustained injuries before the 2008 football season. USC’s Mark Sanchez, a redshirt junior who has been preparing for his first year as a starter, dislocated his kneecap on Friday during warm-ups. Ben Olson, the 25-year-old UCLA senior, suffered a broken foot the day after. Sanchez and Olson’s departure from the field begs the question: Who will replace them? USC only had to choose from a lineup of the best recruits in the country, while UCLA had a bit more trouble replacing not only Olson, but injured backup Patrick Cowan as well.

Currently, the QBs set to start for the LA teams are Mitch Mustain for USC and Kevin Craft for UCLA. Here’s what to expect:

Mitch Mustain (USC): As the freshman starting QB for the Arkansas Razorbacks, Mustain shouldn’t have much difficulty stepping into the shoes of Sanchez. His willingness to transfer to USC from Arkansas shows great faith and loyalty in the Trojans. The only thing separating him from Sanchez is a felony for sexual assault—they don’t call him ‘dirty Sanchez’ for nothing. With past quarterbacks Booty and Sanchez, USC fans have high expectations for Mustain (whose name isn't as catchy as his predecessors).

Kevin Craft (UCLA): The latest addition to the UCLA team (having arrived in April), Craft should thank his lucky stars he was picked for the starting spot over the two other candidates: redshirt freshman Chris Forcier and redshirt junior Osaar Rasshan. Possibly chosen for his seniority, Craft is still 3 years younger than the much older and wiser QB Ben Olson. Craft has much to learn from the 25-year-old married man who arguably sacrificed his freshman year career at BYU for a 2-year mission in Canada.