FOOTBALL

USC Full Of Uncertainty For Second Signing Day

I know there are only a handful of defensive recruits still out there from the Class of 2020 but how much does it hurt USC that it does not have a defensive coordinator?

More importantly, do the recruits know some of the position coaches might be fired by a new coordinator?

There is a lot of uncertainty regarding USC coaching on the defensive side. And it’s hard to see at the moment how it helps recruiting.

For example, four-star linebacker Brennon Scott of Dallas has taken an official visit but would he pick USC over Kansas or Arkansas in the current climate?

24 thoughts on “USC Full Of Uncertainty For Second Signing Day”

    1. Wilcox seems to be doing OK @ Cal. But that’s totally why Helton fired him. Helton’s not going to let them hire anyone good. Helton is afraid of having a replacement for himself on staff. Hell, that’s how he got his start at USC in the first place! Kiffin hired Helton b/c he thought they’d never dispose of him if he had a staff full of morons. Unfortunately Lane underestimated Pat Haden. He didn’t realize the alcohol addled mind of Haden would do so something as dumb as firing him on an LAX tarmac that it’s become a meme.

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    2. At 68 it’s a gamble but I’d say currently at $11M Pete Carroll who is the 2nd highest paid coach in american sports behind Bill Belichick’s $12M we put an end to this coma like nightmare and just forgive ol’ Pete making him the highest paid with $13M with a guarentee of $15M if Bill or another coach surpass him and give him full control for 4 years to drop us off at the top of CFB again.
      You know what?
      While we’re at it make him the Athletic Director too.
      #PeteUKindOfOweSCAGoodByeKiss

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      1. Sam —I love you — but I’m fairly sure Pete never wants to set foot on USC’s campus again…..
        #AndOneLookAtFolt&BohnWouldClinchIt….

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      2. I think he’s done coaching if he wins a super bowl this season. He was desperate to win one after he threw the game away vs Belichick. He couldn’t get back there so I would imagine he’s all in for that title and will call it quits.

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  2. I doubt he would pick Kansas or Arkansas – or USC – when he also has offers from LSU, Georgia, Oklahoma, and many others.

    And I am sure that recruiters from other schools are making sure that he knows that SC is without a DC, etc. etc.

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  3. Scott —Every point you’ve raised seems pretty valid to me. It would seem USC is screwing itself yet again by not comprehending the need to REPLACE the Coordinator they fired ASAP. But remember we now have somebody here who only wants to hear from people with 24/7 access to Heritage Hall. People like Dan Weber. So I’m not sure which way to lean on this one. Who do I take seriously? The guy who’s called it right on Kiffin, Callaway, Sark, Baxter, Browne and Helton? Or someone like Dan Weber —armed with all his misused “access”—who thinks everything’s fine?

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  4. I can no longer take what Dan Weber says seriously anymore. A few examples: DW says the strength and conditioning should be greatly improved (Wrong) He claims the air raid runs the ball more than it gets credit for (Wrong) or at least they still do not run it enough. DW claims Ben Griffiths was going to constantly flip the field with his cannon for a leg (Wrong). But here is the biggest reason i come to this site and will always come to this site. 2015 the USC offense was very bland under Kessler so i came to Scottys blog and a saw a bunch of people clamoring for a freshman named Sam Darnold to play instead of Kessler or Max Brown. DW, Ryan and Keely all wanted Browne to get a shot because of his big arm and he was the number 1 QB in the nation coming out of high school. They never even mentioned Darnold. Instead we only got 2 years out of the best QB to come to USC since Carson Palmer because 1st round talents only stay 3 years anyway. So i do not care if some people want to come on this blog and start calling out how many sources you have compared to Scott or the rest of us on this blog because like Michael Guarino stated Scott and all the OG bloggers on this blog have been correct many more times than they have been wrong!
    #realfansnotjustfanboys

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    1. Megatron — You really have to wonder what these guys with all the “access” are seeing. Scott picked up on Browne’s immobility before he was even named starter. On the other hand, Weber was so orgasmic with the guy he was predicting an unbeaten season (just like he did when J. T. was named starter). Yes, Scott loses patience with people before it’s politic to go public on it (Folt and Bohn, for example) —but he usually turns out to be right. I’m a big USC fan from way back —-but, crap, I don’t want to be told that we’ve made leaps and bounds in strength and conditioning when we haven’t, or the defense “is the best in years” (Dan Weber on last year’s defense!) or our punter will be the difference maker in close games (well, depending on how you look at it, Weber might have been right on that one —in ways I’m too merciful to get into) or that the o-line has “finally come together!” If saying shit like that is how you get and keep access what good is access?
      #GrowSomeBallsWeber

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  5. So something that hurt being a fan and long time supporter of USC football, living out in the desert and living and breathing SC football. I was really praying and hoping for Gomer to get fired because I will not mention any names but there was a 5 star tailback in AZ that grew up a Trojan fan and his DREAM school from a young age was SC. He along with many other blue chip recruits were waiting to the very end to see what USC was going to do with Urban Meyer or remain irrelevant by keeping Gomer Helton. I met the kid several times and know many people who are close to the young man. Pretty sure he would have changed his mind and sign with SC had they made the change. And now we get to see all of these west coast blue chippers sign with Texas, Georgia , ASU and Oregon. Shame on you Bohn and Folt. We will continue to be irrelevant as long as Gomer is kept.😡👎🏼👎🏼

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  6. Why would any decent DC take the USC job? I suppose if they think there is a chance they could replace Clay or use the USC job to “springboard” to a HC job or to a better run program … but with Clay as HC, USC will never win big, so the motivation has to primarily be with improving the defense just enough to cash bigger checks (e.g. Graham Harrell after one season) … and the move on.

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    1. NK:
      All of the above. Nice analysis.
      Throw in–with proper leadership and a with recruiting “hotbed” in lovely So Cal–you are always one move away from being nationally prominent
      at a University that has a 60 year history of being nationally prominent.

      I think USC was pretty good back in the roarin’ 20’s also, but I wasn’t around back then so I do not know if we were “nationally” prominent.

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    1. Our guys on defense wouldn’t be the right audience for Rocky. We need the defensive equivalent of Harrell — young, enthusiastic and full of new ideas. In other words, the anti-pendergast.
      #It’sTime

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      1. P. S.
        The new D.C. should have been hired ALREADY. Everything USC does —recruit, hire, coach, practice, play in big games —is a joke now.

        Liked by 2 people

    2. Rocky did a great job with SDSU.
      Hard rushing offense and tough minded defense.
      Heck, I recall watching him at UNewMexico (where coaches go to die) and he kept a moribund school at close to 50%!

      It is vexing to me that he no longer wants to be HC, but is interviewing for DC jobs. I’ve heard he might even want to be DC at SDSU?
      What up?

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    1. Nice thought, 67. Saw 2 double rainbows walking on the beach yesterday. Lots of white sand and clear water (grew up in Los Angeles and didn’t even know you could see the sand under the water until I got here)….and met plenty of kind people (and that IS the same as I found in Los Angeles).

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      1. MG
        I hate to beat a dead horse( well not really) but look at the DC bigger picture.
        Harrell puts the ball up too much resulting in move the chains(stop the clock) or completion(stop the clock). Either way it doesn’t eat the clock & the offense can get it done or not but it doesn’t take much time.
        SC defense on the field more than they’d like. As the season progresses, the D is more beat up & ineffective. Results: Holiday Bowl 49 points. DC looks bad on his resume. IMO, firing Pendergasp was not a good move. He was not the whole problem.
        Between a loozer scenario like that, working with your favorite coach & needing to recruit, you get the perfect storm of not being able to find a terrific DC.
        I’d be interested in SC’s time of possession as the season went on. My ‘guess’ is that the D was on the field more at the end of the season.
        #WhyILuvCoachHelton

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Academy Award for Funniest Hashtag….
        (Although maybe it should have been phrased in ‘school essay’ prose:
        “Why I Love Coach Helton By Trojan 67”)…..

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      3. 67,
        btw —check out Pete’s remarks in 2005 explaining how he planned to use a defense that would be on the field more cuz of the quick strike potential of Matt, Lendale, Reggie, Jarrett, Steve Smith, Etc —it went something like “It’s up to Sedrick Ellis, Lawrence Jackson, Darnell Bing and Keith Rivers to make sure nobody on the other side is feeling too good by the second quarter.”
        #WishWeHadSomeBigHitters

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      4. Nice, MG. Enjoy every day.

        Thoughts of a Lani Kai beach vacation for me and my family this year.
        You just closed the deal.

        Liked by 1 person

      5. Cal, Global, MG, and everyone else following this logic:

        If we really want some insight into this gripe, look at number of defensive plays (and other items like D-line substitution, etc) and not time of possession. TOP is irrelevant, as it doesn’t take into account if a team waits to 1 sec on the play clock to snap or plays “hurry up” and snaps every 10-15 seconds and w/o regard for the play clock. TOP is an old stat. Finally, a college FB game now takes about 3hr 20 to 3hr 30 min to complete, due to all the inane TV time outs. These obese linemen get a lot of rest between plays.* Alex Grinch put up a stout defense in his one year with Wazzu (and yes, he split wisely thereafter).

        I agree 100% that having a stout run game that controls the LOS and smashes the hell out of the opponent is imperative, and I think USC will get there again quite soon. My lil sister (a ballet and dance “star” and PharmD/MBA from USC) notes that the strength and conditioning of the USC FB players is deplorable. She is right. (and she’s been watching FB since 1969.)

        *Bruce Mathews was about 10% body fat (via underwater weighing) when he was an All American pulling guard in 1982. Dude was ripped. As I watched him in the pros, he had obv put on more weight for all the noted NFL reasons.

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  9. Why is the SC football program a joke? Look at LSU, they are organized and on the ball. Coach O was on the Petros show a couple days ago and he said he modeled after Pete Carroll. He says practices start at the same time every day. Yet, we got clowns at SC. SC used to be a Titan in football, now it is a joke.

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