Mater Dei quarterback Matt Barkley began his senior season with four interceptions in a nationally televised prime-time game against Carson.

Not long after Veterans Stadium in Long Beach had been emptied of spectators on that Sept. 3 evening, the Internet was buzzing about Barkley’s performance.

Some went so far as to say that the 2007 Gatorade national player of the year and future USC quarterback was all hype.

Not so fast.

Barkley put up all-world and all-county numbers last season. He set a county record for passing yards (3,560) and he tossed 35 touchdowns as a junior.

More impressive was his interception total: 10 … in 11 games.

So far this season he has nine interceptions ... in four games.

That is a lot of for so early in the season, and he'll need to avoid adding to that total tonight as he leads No. 3 Mater Dei into a showdown with No. 5 Edison at Orange Coast College.

But does that make him overrated?

I’ve attended all four of Mater Dei's games this season, and he is the same Barkley that we saw in 2007.

He still has the strong, cannon for a right arm -- it might be stronger than last season. He's  physically bigger and stronger than he was last season, and he is still the leader that he’s been since he first stepped under center as a freshman.

The problem has been his timing. He is working with a new group of receivers, and his offensive line had been without junior Chris Ward until last week. That has forced him to take a lot more risks than he did last season.

That’s the risk he’s willing to take in order for his team to win.

Overrated? I don’t think so.

Contact the writer: dcalhoun@ocregister.com