QUARTERBACK
Yet another game where Kedon Slovis did not look like himself. Or what he was supposed to be this season. Do people still really think there is not some issue with him? And why can’t he play like he does in the fourth quarter all the time?
Grade: C+
TAILBACK
UCLA was geared to the pass and couldn’t tackle. So it was nice to see USC finally recognize that and Vavae Malepeai was able to rush for 110 yards.
Grade: B
WIDE RECEIVERS
Another game where Drake London showed why he deserves more chances. The tight ends were targeted five times (three catches) so that’s progress.
Grade: B+
OFFENSIVE LINE
They were at full strength which really doesn’t mean much. They had real problems facing a four-man front, including two holding penalties and constant pressure on Slovis. If USC didn’t pull out the last-minute victory, their weaknesses would be a bigger issue.
Grade: D+
DEFENSIVE LINE
Drake Jackson had five tackles but a few came when UCLA inexplicably refused to have any try to block him. It was Marlon Tuipulotu’s quietest game of the season (one tackle) but his brother (Tuli) was busy (nine tackles).
Grade: D+
LINEBACKERS
Got burned on the 69-yard TD to tight end Greg Dulcich and missed some sacks. Not a night to remember but that applies to the entire defense.
Grade: D
DEFENSIVE BACKS
People seem to overlook UCLA completed 30 of 36 passes. Or that Talanoa Hufanga took a bad angle on the first touchdown. Or that there was an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
Grade: D-
SPECIAL TEAMS
Gary Bryant’s kick return set up the game-winning touchdown and USC seemed ready for UCLA’s horrific attempt to fake a punt.
Grade: B
COACHING
What took longer? Todd Orlando getting his defenses ready to line up for a quick-pace offense or Graham Harrell refusing to recognize UCLA was soft against the run? Clay Helton didn’t have to do too much until he fell in the end zone.
Grade: F
InsideUSC with Scott Wolf 
The reports that USC had a run play called inside the 10 yard line at the end of the game with no timeouts would justify the ‘F’ grade for coaching.
The fact that Slovis audibled out of that and threw the game winning TD to St. Brown with 16 seconds left would bump the QB grade up to a ‘B-‘ or maybe even a ‘B’.
#CallingARunPlayWithNoTimeoutsThereIsAHeadScratcher
#Luckily,ItDidn’tMatter
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That girl Kedon Slovis, when she’s on her period…it must affect her throwing motion.
Is Slovis birth control pill she takes approved by the NCAA seeing how it’s the same PED that Manny Ramirez used to take.
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Cogent.
My recollection is that if the run play had not produced a TD, there would have been time to clock the ball and still set up for a FG for the win.
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Scottie, Clay’s moment of comic relief at the end of the game might push the coaching grade into D- territory.
But that would make it the same grade as that of the secondary, which includes Hufanga, whom everyone in the world of college football grades as the best defensive player last week, and an All-American, including Urbie. You might want to regrade a few of these…
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The defense gave up 549 yards to a mediocre team.
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I think DTR and Felton are good FB players and the Chipper knows how to run the FB and produce cheap yardage. He is a master at the cheap fast-paced TD. However, I agree that giving up 550-570 yards of total O is inexplicable. USC had a few short fields, but I think UCLA had to go the length of the gridiron for most of their TD’s. Orlando made ’em work for it.
I see this as an improvement over prior seasons where our D was always working against a short field.
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I’m glad that our bud Jake said that. But why isn’t our absolutely worthless A. D. saying that?
#WhichSideIsHeOn?
#Hasn’tDoneONEThingToHelpTheProgramYet
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It seems he is on the Folt-Caruso side. Not the right side.
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He sure has made a positive difference since he got here, hasn’t he? Made no serious effort to get Urban (Helton is more firmly entrenched than ever). Made NO effort to reduce salaries as a result of the reduced schedule. Hasn’t once done anything to curb Larry Scott’s ruinous leadership…..
#ButHeAnnouncedHe’sOn”RighteousSocialJustice”Path
#[CuzWordsAreCheap]….
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We all hoped that Bohn would be an agent of change.
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Bohn is already updating his resume….
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He himself needs to be changed…..
#IDon’tMeanThatInThe”Diaper”Sense
#ThatWouldBePetty
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The University he left is doing well in CFB and has done well in hoops. He likely gets some credit for this.
It’s a bigger sports stage in Los Angeles. The dysfunctional Pac 12 and Left Coast Bias are difficult for anyone but a sleeze like Larry Scott to maneuver.
Trojan Hoops and FB are trending better with a few “tweeks.” Hard to make a major change in Head Coaches with positive trending and no “recent” scandal (Tony Bland not-withstanding).
Give Bohn another year.
Folt? Well, now we have something to talk about.
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Didn’t Bohn have something to do with getting some new coaches in to replace the retards and over-the-hillers? But after that I think he took off for Maui (at least in his day-dreams).
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True. Forgot about some of the changes in staff (beneath the level of Head Coach, that is). But I can’t understand why Bohn is staying SO quiet on USC having to play a rested team on what —for us —is a short week.
#WeHaveHad3GutlessA.D.’sInARow
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Michael.
We’re Trojans. We don’t whine. We are a private school. We don’t play to the craven urges of the public purse. The World expects more of us (than anyone else in Pac-land) and we expect more of ourselves.
Yes, it’s a short week for us and we had an emotional, adrenaline draining game on a Saturday Night. Our lads don’t have to travel. It’s only half-way through an average season, and teenagers recover reasonably well. There is no excuse for not whipping Duck ass this weekend.
A Friday night game?–it’s because Larry Scott is a weak, unsuccessful, non-leader. He is afraid to put his product up on Saturday versus the rest of American sports.
Get rid of Larry before Pres Folt, AD Bohn, or even HC CH.
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Coach Clay Helton.
#AKA,NoProbationTrojanNation
#GoodBehaviourDemandsSacrifice
#EveryoneGoes2Heaven
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#Clay&OsaMasinaHuggingInHeaven
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I think Osa is getting plenty of huggin elsewhere.
#aintheaven
#maybehellonEarth
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