FOOTBALL

Morning Buzz: 10 Things USC Needs To Fix To Beat Utah

Here are 10 things USC needs to fix before it plays Utah on Friday night.

1.) Help Kedon Slovis

All you hear from the coaches is how the offense does not need to change because a true freshman is at quarterback. But if he is getting passes deflected at the line or over the middle, try throwing more to the sidelines. Or even, dare we say, a screen pass.

2.) Stop the stupid penalties

John Baxter can’t coach a game without something new like the flying wedge penalty on a kick return. Then there was the personal foul in the fourth quarter on another kick return. Where is the accountability?

3.) Be creative at running back

Way back in the early 1970’s, the Miami Dolphins had 238-pound Larry Csonka as the starting tailback and then brought on Mercury Morris and Jim Kiick for speed.

USC could employ a similar approach with Markese Stepp, Vavae Malepeai and Stephen Carr but it would require Graham Harrell to think about something besides pro wrestling.

4.) Tackle more in practice

The defense is supposed to be simpler but looks the same as last season. So does the poor tackling. Is USC tackling enough in practices? Of course not.

5.) Be more disciplined

I never bought the lip service from Clay Helton that there was a new culture with more discipline. Especially when I hear a starter was late for a pre-game meeting at Utah and still started. C’mon!

6.) Rotate more at wide receiver

It’s great USC a trio of top receivers but what is wrong with playing freshman Drake London more?

7.) Fix Palaie Gaoteote

If you asked me before the season for a new impact player, I would have picked Gaoteote. The coaches really did want to have him wear No. 55 last season. But they have made him a non-entity, first by making him play weakside linebacker instead of his natural middle position.

Is he unable to handle the middle? It took Rey Maualuga more than a year to get the position down. But Clancy Pendergast knows everything so he moved Gaoteote.

Remember this is the coaching staff that saw no value in Oluwole Betiku and he now leads the nation in sacks at Illinois.

8.) Coach the offensive line

The line was a mess at BYU and here comes Utah with an excellent defensive line. I cautioned all offseason about offensive line coach Tim Drevno and now USC can’t even handle a three-man pass rush.

I doubt Drevno is too thrilled right trying to adjust his methods to the Air Raid offense. But in the meantime, he better figure out a way to help center Brett Neilon.

9.) Find a Plan B

Harrell looked woefully short of answers last weekend when BYU contained the Air Raid. This is an offense costing USC around $1 million but it doesn’t have an alternate idea when it struggles?

10.) Beware adversity

The mental state of the team is always fragile when you have a non-leader like Helton in charge. So when things sour, even briefly, you have to make sure it doesn’t turn into a full tailspin. That is why a home game like Friday is so important. It gives USC a chance for some good news before playing Washington and Notre Dame. If Helton doesn’t blow it.

49 thoughts on “Morning Buzz: 10 Things USC Needs To Fix To Beat Utah”

  1. I wish you’d lay off the center….what’s he done so bad to single him out? Nothing….that dude from BYU was 6’4 321…5th year senior. Who knows what that means in BYU TIME! You said yourself, Slovis hasn’t really been hit, yet, Let’s hope that continues as the USC needs no more qb drama….the team also outrushed BYU in their stadium….that’s not bad…..don’t think that’s enough to single him out…..SURE, he and all the other offensive lineman can, and hopefully will improve. But, they’re better than last year….

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    2. You ask, why single him out, it’s rather obvious, he got punked not once, but throughout the whole game. Then you complain about the size of the nose tackle, you remind me of some of the Pop Warner parents I had to deal with…you’re comical…do you think that’s the only 6’4 or 6’3 nose with energy he’ll face this year.
      In spite of all the good things and reasonings you envision…they still lost.

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      1. You forgot the age difference….does that happen in Pop Warner lol? Do you punk your players after starting 4 games?

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    3. Number 11 on the list is the intangible of each player bringing their best, and making the guys around them even better.

      That is what happened in ’16 after the Utah game.

      We saw this in the Stanford game. That Trojan team had fire.

      The Trojan team that showed up for Fresno and BYU did not have fire.

      If they can find the fire that turns 11 guys into a really cohesive team, then they will win.

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      1. 67 –Helton needs to give some version of this pep talk right before the game — “I’ve done this enough to know that I can’t get any of you to play to potential —so I’m not asking you to do it for me! I’m asking you to do it for a much bigger reason than that. I’m asking each of you to go out there and uphold the integrity of the Star System itself! All of you 5 Stars —you need to play like 5 Stars! Well, maybe not the full 5 —but within one tenth of the full 5 —that’s not asking too much, is it? And all of you 4 stars —you all need to play like 4 Stars —- or, again, somewhere in that range, right? Let’s try not to dip lower than 10 or 15% beneath 4 Stars at any point during the game —except maybe the 4th quarter —when you’re understandably tired and it’s excusable to play more like 3 Stars……”
        #…FightOn…MostOfTheTime…Please….
        #…TheStarSystemIsDependingOnYou…

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    4. Sadly, USC will be manhandled at the line if scrimmage, on both sides of the ball, by Utah. Utah will win the game going away and the curse of Pudly will remain alive and well.

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  2. First off…many over the years have lambasted Scooter for his cynical approach in reporting SC football, in some instances he was overly snarky.
    On the other hand he brought to light some glaring issues that needed to be addressed.

    Having stated that, it appears now, that the ebullient luster has dissipated from Trojan Football, many others in the press, national and media have looked beyond the hyperbole and hubris regurgitated from the SID and now with focused scrutiny are now exposing the dysfunctional behavior of Helton and his assistants.

    Ryan Kartje’ most recent article to some degree addresses this deflection, excuses and perhaps outright lies that permeates this entire coaching staff.

    So much was reported by the media regarding Lynn Swann’ misadventures Dr. Folt had no choice but to terminate him, will she ignore the the media, press and fans exasperated with Clay Helton gathered with torches and pitchforks surrounding the University ?

    https://www.latimes.com/sports/usc/story/2019-09-18/usc-football-special-teams-john-baxter-struggles-clay-helton-utah

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      4. Notice the turnover category….the qb list 3-0….in the meantime, USC did our rush BYU by 40 yards…that’s 4 first downs! USC had a higher average per rush 3.8, compared to BYU’s 3.3….? Any answers for that, Pop?

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      5. The quarterback lost 3 turnovers, the team out rushed BYU? Where’s your case? I know, you saw him get beat and get to the qb and cause a fumble…sucked! But, the stats don’t make your case or Scott’s!

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      6. Says here, Kedon Slovis was sacked 2 times for -10 yards!!!!!….case dismissed…but, each game is a new adventure….lol….

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  4. I’m with Scott 100% on Baxter. He is a complete waste of horse sh flesh it. I thought wow he flew halfway around the world to find a kicker who is an old age expro football player. I thought there was method to the madness but I have yet to see it. The guy is kicking 12 yards short of promised (36 feet) we could have gotten those results from a walkon punter and saved the airfare.
    Add to that the number of stupid penalties Jumbo John has dropped on us and you begin to see what’s wrong with his picture.

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      1. karma —Outkicking the coverage IS Baxter’s stated FEAR. I say let’s start kicking it 60 yards and see how things work out……
        #…BetchaItWorksJustFine….
        #…[WhichIsWhyYouFrickingRecruitedHimInTheFirstPlace]….

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  5. How about USC just takes what the defense gives them for once. Because BYU was weak against the run, and couldn’t stop Markese Steep, but Bozo Helton, and his Hillbilly sidekick, Graham Harrell continued to pass the ball. There are so many similarities between Bozo Helton, and Steve Sarkisian, that it’s frightening 😬

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    1. Not sure what game your were watching. We ran the ball 45 times and passed 34. Unfortunately, most were stuffed at the LOS because or our crappy line.

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  6. My ten changes for USC football

    1. Fire Helton and the staff. Repeat this nine more times.

    No confidence, no understanding of football, lost all the time.

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      1. Jack Del Rio was one of the more engaging, smart and funny guys I knew at USC..he was a catcher, as well….Jeff Brown, a football captain linebacker was on that team too…..Jack reminded me a little of Paul Bunyan….that’s something, in the midst of the Big Unit and Mark McGuire, also on that team….lol…

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      4. Jack Del Rio behind the USC tradition is better then Lane Kiffin, Steve Sarkisian, and Bozo Helton all mixed together. I know Del Rio is no Urban Meyer, but I believe he gets it .

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      9. @ fan boy
        Del Rio would be an upgrade over Gomer, but it would just be so typical of USC to hire another ex USC player, asst, etc instead of doing an honest national search

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      10. Makes no difference to me, really. I’ve said my peace here….but, when you disparage a guy I’ve watched for decades, you short change him a little……it would be more interesting to hear you call out some of your experiences at USC…I’m sure there’s a lot! It’s that kinda party…mix it up a little….

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  7. 1. How do you help him when your head coach throws him under the bus after the loss ” We lost because we had 3 turnovers, they had none ” ” The play in OT was the right call, if you make the correct read you find the open man ” Thanks Gomer
    2. This will never end, Gomer will never fire his butt buddy Ted Baxter who may have hit senility street
    3. The RB ” coach ” in all of his years of coaching, has coached RB’s for 3 years, at Texas Tech. He’s in an offense that doesn’t like to run, his boss loves the other RB’s more than Stepp and running a heavy back to loosen up the D would mean no throwing the ball all over the place, where’s the fun in that ?
    4. Tackle more in practice ? USC is lucky if they are in pads one day a week before the game, this is the same goof who had them in TENNIS SHOES in practice this fall.
    5. Discipline is a word Gomer in not familiar with, like making a player sit for breaking team rules before the game.
    6. Maybe London’s dad needs to get on Twitter and blast Gomer for not playing his kid, worked for Pittman, and does Gomer even know London is on the team ?
    7. Good luck with getting Clancy to change anything, Gaoteote might want to hit the transfer portal before Clancy ruins his career
    8. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA, the OL coach thinks recruiting 0-1-2-3 stars is the master plan to greatness, you want him to coach what he has now up ?
    9. There is no ” B Plan ” with this Mickey Mouse offense, it’s pass to the open WR and if there isn’t an open WR, throw it anyway. The defense gives you a 3 man front, PASS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    10. According to Gomer this team is built for adversity. Well of course they are, they have him as their head coach.

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  8. This assessment is largely on the mark – if only anyone other than Coach O over the past decade were in position at USC and willing to conduct such a self-assessment or listen to an outside consultant.

    The comparison to the 72-73 Dolphins is particularly apt (although Wolf incorrectly refers to Csonka as a tailback – he was the fullback, Kiick was his initially quicker and better pass-catching sidekick, then Morris came along and eventually forced Shula’s hand in putting a speedier athlete on the field)…

    Where the comparison ends…pretty sure you can guess…

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    1. James, exactly right. It was Kiick and Sconka. What was their nickname? Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid? But Morris was way to valuable to leave on the bench.

      In the Trojan backfield, Stepp is the biggest AND the fastest. His acceleration past the LOS is remarkable, at least on the runs we have seen of him.

      I don’t think there has been a guy here with that size and speed since LenDale.

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      1. ’67

        Exactly right and I had the same thought (we’ve discussed it here before) – he could just as easily have referred to White, Bush and Dennis…as you’ve been emphasizing recently, Stepp – like Lendale – is a big Csonka type back with Morris like acceleration.

        Watching the NFL Films Super Bowl champion documentaries (which I’ve referred to previously as providing interesting insight on Lynn Swann with the Steelers) of the 1972-73 Dolphins (using the participants as narrators – in this case to include Csonka and Morris) is still of tremendous value – the way they describe how hard the practices were, how efficient with time and oversight Shula was as well as how demanding and detailed he was, how the line play set up everything else they did (Manny Fernandez and those HOF O linemen), and how they built the perfect season on the ashes of a bitter SB loss to Dallas…in the documentary I have they go into Shula’s use of those running backs, and how he resisted putting Morris in for a long time, but eventually was compelled to realize that, what was best for the team, was to put the game-changing fast (when I was a kid I didn’t realize his real name was Eugene and that “Mercury” was a nickname…for a reason) Morris in.

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      2. James, post of the day about “efficiency of practice.” Every great HC is able to deliver that. Pat Riley with the Lakers, Shula with the Dolphins, Lasorda with the Dodgers. It is really just that. There is a very specific purpose to practice and the best leaders knew exactly what to do with practice.

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      3. ’67

        I’ve read/heard accounts that that was a big part of how Pete sold his approach to the players in 2001-02…and I believe it wholeheartedly…professional players frequently talk about how players either believe in what a coach is selling or not…the players know (just like they say the players know who the best and/or most deserving players are – and what a coach does with playing time has a huge psychological impact on the team)…an efficient use of their time not only provides structure, it signals both that the coach respects the players (doesn’t waste their time), but also has expectations (coming prepared to play)…

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