FOOTBALL

Morning Buzz: Does USC Really Need This Game?

Clay Helton offered another glimpse of his “yes man” side this week when he wouldn’t take a position on whether USC should have been declared Pac-12 champs when Washington was unable to play.

Helton said he was “a chain of command guy” and would defer to whatever Larry Scott decided. Just like he deferred to Coach Haden and Coach Bohn.

It reminded me of how USC coaches used to laugh when Helton was offensive coordinator under Lane Kiffin and Steve Sarkisian, and offer nothing more than “great call, coach” after each play.

  • Pete Carroll would have just played the Pac-12 title game this week too without complaining but here’s the difference: Carroll knew it was important to look like the best team in the nation and would get style points/national respect from his team’s performances.

Helton never does.

I remember being bored one year when USC was a heavy favorite against Arizona and asking Carroll what there was to play for?

“I want us to play a mistake-free game and when we get (Arizona) down, to keep our foot on the pedal and keep going,” Carroll said. “It doesn’t matter who we play, we need to show we can play at a high level for all four quarters.”

For several years, Helton-coached teams have opened up big leads on teams and then held on for dear life to win the game. He can’t get four clean quarters of football.

“I’m biased but do I believe we are a top-10 team? Yes,” Helton said Wednesday.

The problem is Helton’s teams don’t deliver top 10-looking performances. So when he says it, people just shrug.

56 thoughts on “Morning Buzz: Does USC Really Need This Game?”

  1. Btwn television and bowl revenue I think Helton needs this game and so does SC. And after last year’s debacle in the Coli, he needs to slap these quacks around to boost our recruiting…..I could go on, but the bottom line doesn’t change, he needs this game. And I bet Bohn thinks he NEEDS to win it too.

    Liked by 5 people

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    1. I agree with you directionally. It’d be great to kick Oregon’s ass and solidify our image as a returning national power.
      Here’s my complaint. NO ONE seems to be looking out for our PLAYERS. Bohn doesn’t argue that it’s unfair to have our guys play on so little rest. Ditto Helton. They talk tough about “anytime, anywhere” —but the players are the ones that need to strap up 3 times in 14 days.
      I’d like it if the two of them fought for a Sunday game. If it didn’t happen, it didn’t happen. But they haven’t done anything other than the usual. Rollover and take it.

      Liked by 5 people

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      1. I was speaking to the delay since Monday and I totally agree with you. The three games in thirteen days isn’t as unfair as the quacks being rested for 2 weeks and were probably preparing for us the entire time, I don’t think they were worried about playing the buffs, this was the game the quacks wanted.

        Liked by 4 people

      2. It’s hard to beat a very good team that’s rested and prepared.
        It can be done [through coaching] but I’ve seen how Clay sleepwalks into games like this. Remember how we crushed Stanford and squeaked by Texas in 2017? Lots of people worried that USC wouldn’t be ready for Washington State —and we weren’t. Then we had a super emotional 28-27 victory over Utah and went to South Bend to get creamed by Notre Dame. Pete would have gotten the team ready for those games — but Helton failed Big Time.
        That’s why I’m worried about this Championship game. We’ve got a very good, very rested opponent. We’re coming off a squeaker. And we’ve still got Helton.

        Liked by 2 people

      3. Look I’ve got great respect for Pete. BUT, he’s the same guy who lost to oregon st and the ruins one year keeping us out of the BCS that year and also lost to a 40+ pt underdog at home to stanfurd…jus sayin

        Liked by 4 people

      5. Now who’s making excuses… I’m not putting Pete down. Just pointing out that he was coaching and less prepared than he shoulda been. Won’t even talk about the blow out game vs furd..”what’s your deal”

        Liked by 1 person

      7. Chow was the assistant, Pete was the coach. Chow didn’t give up half a hundred to stanfurd because he was the OC…
        I get what you’re saying, but the HC is responsible for the game plans and execution and certainly the focus of the team, no?

        Like

      8. True. And a telling point, Pudly. But that doesn’t assuage my fears about Friday. If I remember correctly Notre Dame had an extra week to get ready for Helton in 2017 (kinda like Oregon this year). We had Sam. We had the receivers. But we came in SO flat after the Utah squeaker that —when Sam recovered the oversnapped ball on the first series and the refs turned it over to Notre Dame — Sam and team walked meekly to the sidelines without protesting…..
        #EndOfGameForAllPracticalPurposes…
        #USC14NotreDame49

        Liked by 3 people

      9. Wasn’t trying to make you feel better. Think what I’m saying is “keep your head down and powder dry” and any win Friday is a good win. But slapping them around some would most certainly be warmly received.
        Pluck a duck

        Liked by 2 people

      10. Ha! [You definitely achieved the intentions stated in your first sentence]….
        Completely Off Topic: Fed Ex —like so many monster corporations today —has given up on service. No one mans their phones —no one cares about lost packages.
        Welcome to the future of commerce.

        Liked by 1 person

      11. SUCC “…returning national power,” what a joke. With less luck, together with their joke Pac-12 cupcake FB schedule they might be 2 – 3.

        Once again, even with a panzer division for an O/L, SUCC can’t compete with a top 10 FB team.

        Like

  3. Oregon just out recruited you, a school in the middle of Oregon, a school with little academic reputation, where it rains the whole time you’re in school and is nowhere near anything, you think you might want to beat the hell out of them?

    Don’t win this game and Gomer will again be shown for the clown he is.

    Liked by 3 people

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  4. OMG I just had a revelation!
    If the voting machines were fixed, there would be no need to bring in phony ballots.
    The only logical conclusion is that both of those stories were complete bullshit, just like all the lawsuits.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Look at Charlie Bucket hijack my account. Only a Corrupt Lying bModerator can do that

      I love that Charlie Bucket was outed!

      BWWWWWWWWAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      Trojandude207
      1d ago
      Well this IS interesting. I am not sure if this site is for me anymore. Each email address used generates a unique symbol that represents the email address. One person on this page has 10 such symbols generated for his username. That is some next level trolling. And none of messages upon this thread has anything to do with the the purpose of the thread. It has developed into a prepubescent name calling.

      Liked by 3 people

      Reply

      1. gt, have you noticed how much more insecure the Biden people are now that the election is supposedly over? It’s like they don’t think it’s really over.
        #DoTheyKnowSomething?

        Liked by 3 people

      5. Truman
        10h ago
        I know this site has a moderator because I know posts disappear. Sadly in a day or so the important points of the post show up as new ideas from Scot (spelled wrong to avoid moderator interference) however you can see that the trojandude207 post is authentic. Each email generates a new avitar. Look at ‘Fuck You’ posts. At 2:24 am (post time) she has a golden avitar. At 3:35 am she has a lavender avatar. Finally at 3:58 am she has a red avitar. That’s 3 email addresses for one name. Can I get a troll call operator?

        Like

      6. MG, you’re goddamned right they’re insecure. With your expert legal opinion and me posting all the reliable election fraud “facts”, they know it’s only a matter of time before we get our reversal.

        Like

      7. Look at Charlie Bucket hijack my account. Only a Corrupt Lying Pervert Moderator can do that….

        I love that Charlie Bucket was outed!

        BWWWWWWWWAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

        Trojandude207 1d ago Well this IS interesting. I am not sure if this site is for me anymore. Each email address used generates a unique symbol that represents the email address. One person on this page has 10 such symbols generated for his username. That is some next level trolling. And none of messages upon this thread has anything to do with the the purpose of the thread. It has developed into a prepubescent name calling.

        Like

    1. Rut Roh, TO if the shot is kicked out of USC and you’re the top of the turd, I be happy to send you a roll of toilet paper. Don’t let the anal sphincter hit you on your way out.

      Liked by 4 people

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      1. You were so right about Charlie Bucket and his sock puppets like FU and senileobama….

        Truman
        10h ago
        I know this site has a moderator because I know posts disappear. Sadly in a day or so the important points of the post show up as new ideas from Scot (spelled wrong to avoid moderator interference) however you can see that the trojandude207 post is authentic. Each email generates a new avitar. Look at ‘Fuck You’ posts. At 2:24 am (post time) she has a golden avitar. At 3:35 am she has a lavender avatar. Finally at 3:58 am she has a red avitar. That’s 3 email addresses for one name. Can I get a troll call operator?

        Liked by 1 person

  6. Scooter,

    This game is important due to the preception that Oregon is the hot school that controls the conference. SC has to play to bring back the fact and thought that they are the conference’s flagship. Also, this game helps to determine if Helton knows what he is doing. So far the jury is saying that he doesn’t. He needs to win this game and the bowl game to give him credibilty and it will help with recruiting.

    Liked by 5 people

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  7. Every time I see that picture used for today’s post I realize that shows everything wrong with the current USC team. No, no, no, not just that it’s showing Helton, that is the lame in lament. It shows a fit and trim confident coach extending his hand to a “golly sergeant” flustered coach.
    If you look once you will notice the losing coach is not even wearing anything close to team colors. His coat hides more rolls than a bread isle at Costco. There’s a twinkle in his eye because he hopes he can get an autograph after the photoshoot. The trophy in front of him shows him a twisted figure eight, just enough wins in a thirteen-game season to justify his existence, not that football is at its pinnacle.
    Finally, the picture shows the winning coach sizing up his opponent. He is wondering how this guy stumbled into the room where he is. If he hears one more platitude, he’ll puke. And he longs to say, “I hear by your mouth, that you have read a lot of books on how to play foot football. Do you plan to bring any to the game to throw at us?”

    Liked by 5 people

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      1. Michael, when I worked in an all male setting, I found that we are often crude beings and one of the most crude coworkers used to say, “Don’t worry what can’t get up, can’t get out, when he saw an open zipper. I think that applies to Helton.

        Liked by 4 people

  8. Carroll made his program all about competition. He pushed the team to always strive to be the best in every thing they did, even the little things.

    The mantra was “Always Compete.”

    Helton has no clue about how to inspire a team for a full four quarters, let alone a full season.

    He’s dumb enough to think “Faith, Family, Football” is more appealing than “Always Compete.” That is why he’s a mediocre head coach who will never understand the USC football experience.

    #FireHelton

    Liked by 4 people

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  9. If USC cannot totally dominate a leftist weak ass conference led by a rainy hill billy team that wears yellow pants to disguise the stains…….how could anyone expect the national folks to select us for a playoff slot.
    Fact is…..our recruiting continues to slide……even this year. Aside from Foreman every position is getting recruits that are a notch or two below who they are replacing.
    Are our QB, LB, DL, OL, RB, DB or even WR in the top 100. This year…..if Foreman signed we got one recruit in the top 50. Three in the top 100. This includes Wright if he signs and a QB.
    Cristobal continues to eat our lunch……much less other national programs. Winning is a start to turning this around.
    If Helton can’t beat this O team that got beat by Oregon St and Cal……..and has lost several of their best players to opt out…….well…….it is what it it.

    Liked by 5 people

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  10. Let’s pull a Pete on the quackers – the talent is there and the players are motivated – drop the hammer on the quacks, and USC moves into the top 10.

    Liked by 4 people

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    1. I just hope they can get as jacked up as they need to be after last week’s roller coaster.
      They SHOULD be able to: It’s for All the Pac 12 marbles. If they aren’t it’s due to 2 things: (1) Bohn and Helton didn’t fight for a few more days breather before the Championship game (due to $$$) and (2) Helton doesn’t have the capacity to jack them up the way a Pete or a Sabin or a Meyer would.

      Liked by 3 people

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  11. We all know Helton is a foil. He has been one of the worst coaches in USC history. This year means absolutely NOTHING except that the universities need the revenue, television needs revenue, and the kids wanted to play, just to stay relevant so those that can get into the NFL, will. It’s all about the money. Let’s not fool ourselves here.

    Liked by 1 person

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    2. Joan, I think Helton would do well to purchase a few Der Wienerschnitzel franchises with his millions. He likes being around hot dog players. His game plans have less spice than their chili. On the field the players look as if they mustard and he is positively the wurst.
      Sorry I am in a weird mood today

      Liked by 4 people

      Reply

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