Playing in a temporarily converted baseball stadium will create some unique logistical challenges for the Trojans in the 2009 Emerald Bowl.

First, with USC and Boston College sharing the same sideline at AT&T Park in San Francisco, the bench areas could be chaotic, especially with substitutions that will occur on the opposite side of the field. And because of the alteration, each team’s space in the bench area will be reduced from that at a normal football stadium.

The USC locker room setup will also be hairier than normal, as the San Francisco Giants’ clubhouse, which serves as the home team’s locker room, contains just 55 lockers, though it is a very spacious room. Most players will have to double up in the locker stalls to fit into the locker room.

Also, the coaches who typically go into the press box will instead be situated in a converted luxury suite along the left-field line of AT&T Park. They’ll have the option of sitting inside the suite or outside among the elements.

And lastly, the videotaping of the game for coaches’ film purposes will be a difficult mountain to climb relative to when the Trojans play at normal football stadiums, which feature specially constructed areas for filming. At AT&T Park, though, both the sideline and end zone cameras will be set up in the upper-deck stands, meaning there will be no electrical outlets and no cover from rain.

All in all, the Emerald Bowl is lining up to be an interesting logistical experience for many of the ancillary aspects of the Trojan football machine.