FOOTBALL

Morning Buzz: USC Promoted Great Season Until It Had Enough

One thing about USC: Something is important . . . until it is not.

USC constantly spun the unimpressive 2020 season performances as a player and coaching triumph . . . until it lost to Oregon.

Suddenly, there were injury concerns, COVID-19 fears and the issue of letting players spend Christmas with their families.

All valid concerns. And I say this as someone who consistently said I had no problem with the Pac-12 taking the fall off. It did not matter to me if college football was played.

It was USC that pushed — and credited itself — for getting the Pac-12 to play football. The weekly USC football press release mentions the players’ letter to Gavin Newsom as a watershed event.

USC seemed more than ready before the Oregon game to go to the College Football Playoff or Fiesta Bowl if called upon. Remember how Mike Bohn said last week it was “frustrating” USC was ranked No. 13 in the College Football Playoff?

But everything changed when it became the Alamo Bowl. I don’t care if USC plays in the Alamo Bowl but it looks like the Trojans packed it in and took their toys home when they lost Friday.

I said yesterday I didn’t doubt Bohn and Clay Helton let the players decide. But I’ve heard from several USC sources to be more skeptical about that. They believe it was driven more by the loss of Kedon Slovis, Amon-Ra St. Brown and loss of playing on New Year’s Day.

They believe USC saved itself from potential embarrassment of losing to Texas in San Antonio.

“At the end of the day, remember the year of adaptability requires that there is no giving in and whatever we have to show up with we will show up with and our guys will be extremely fired up for that,” Oregon coach Mario Cristobal said Sunday.

I think Helton would have said the same thing if USC won Friday. But it didn’t.

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40 thoughts on “Morning Buzz: USC Promoted Great Season Until It Had Enough”

  1. This is exactly why I said from the get go that opting out of playing in a bowl game was a chickenshit move by USC. This is like the little league parent/coach who thinks his kid is the star pitcher but only lets him face the bottom half of the lineup, and then runs his mouth about how great his kid is. But when the top of the lineup comes up his kid has reached his “pitch limit” or his arm is “tender”, and he takes him out.
    In the grand scheme of things, this entire debacle falls at the feet of Mike Bohn, because he’s the one who signed off on this. Imagine, USC has to protect Clay Helton from getting embarrassed again. If this is not a sign that USC needs to get rid of this buffoon then nothing is. Again, this whole scenario is truly pathetic.

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  2. One wonders what effect all this Helton-bashing has on recruiting and on the kids coming in to the SC football program. It can’t help, and the fact is that all the b-tching in the Trojan world will not stop Helton from coming back in 2021, and perhaps even 2022 and 2023.

    Ever heard of ‘blowin’ in the wind’? Well, whatever turns you on.

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      1. gt —As I’ve told my buddy John — it’s impossible to lay off Clay. I realize it probably hurts recruiting [btw, I think Clay USED this fact to his advantage with Swann —“Golly, with all the criticism out there I’m losing recruits —I bet an extension of my contract would sure settle things down”]. But there is great beauty in telling the truth: Helton is barely average at everything except self promotion.
        The fact is our criticism here on this blog doesn’t move the needle. Clay isn’t going anywhere. The BEST we can hope for is Harrell threatening to quit unless he gets to bring in his own O-Line coach. That one change could bring big results.
        #AndIt’sTheMostWeCanHopeFor…
        #AndWeProbablyWon’tEvenGetThat

        Liked by 2 people

      2. “Top-10” and not one top offensive lineman. If SC cannot bring in a Top-4 class like Alabama, Ohio St, Clemson, and ugh ND, then Troy will always be merely looking through the window into the toy store.

        Liked by 2 people

      4. Yeah, we’ll see where Helton’s 3rd rate coaching gets that, “recently minted top 10 recruiting class”.

        In his last 11 games vs teams with a .500 record or better Helton is 2 – 9.

        gotroll22 and the other Helton Humper anti-reality freaks are delusional.

        LOL!

        OH MY SIDE HURTS FROM LAUGHING SO MUCH!

        AHA HA HA HA HA HA!

        gotroll22 still trying to make a case for the buffoon Helton is priceless!

        Damn!

        Like

      5. LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

        I defend free speech and the right to criticize Hugs here and you claim I’m defending Hugs?

        LOL!

        OH MY SIDE HURTS FROM LAUGHING SO MUCH!

        AHA HA HA HA HA HA!

        Liked by 1 person

    2. Respect ya, buddy. But I don’t think there’s any way around criticizing Clay…
      #I’vePromisedMyselfNotTo……..
      #ButICan’tKeepThePromiseForMoreThanOneDay….

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    3. For now, I think Drevno-bashing is the more appropriate mode of operation for us–the faithful. I think Bohn and Orlando should be meeting to figure out whom to call to replace Drevno on December 26, 2020.
      HC CH will be the USC FB coach for 2021. Like it or not.*

      If indeed Bohn lead the firings and hirings for the 2020 season after the Holiday Bowl purge, he made some good adjustments. At nearly every position group, we are lead by a solid CFB coach. The exception seems to be O-line. Also, elevating Chris Claiborne (CC) to LB coach seems wise for the DC. I think GoForth, Mauga, and the Drake can be a formidable bunch next year, and maybe CC can help elevate their play. Chris had a nice career in the NFL. Orlando did not.

      I cannot recall the last time USC was “signficantly” positive on the Turnover stat: I think we were plus 5 in half a season vs 3.5 good teams and 2.5 bad teams.

      I agree with Wolcott. Keep griping about the HC if it makes you happy.
      I’ve been watching this game for 50 years–I recall when Bobby Bowden was a perennial loser at FSU and made some of the most stupid in-game decisions.
      I’m not sure he was ever a good coach. I think he had great assistants and great talent from the state of FLA. If USC loses to BYU in 2021, goes 9-3 (or worse) or gets blown out at any time, then time for Bohn to do his job.

      *Happy to eat my words if a splashy hire were to happen. As if?

      Liked by 3 people

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    1. I’ve seen Goofus throw a football. Goofus is no athlete.
      #WhenPeteThrewTheBallBeforeGames…
      #HeLookedLikeAManThrowingAFootball…
      #HeltonLooksLikeAn8YearOldGirl
      #QB’sMustLaughTheirAssesOffWhenHe”Coaches”Them….

      Liked by 1 person

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      2. True. My daughter knew how to throw a better spiral when she was 8.
        #AndI’dRatherTossTheBallWithHerCuzSheCouldCatchToo
        #HaveYouEverWatchedHeltonInWarmUps?
        #HeStrainsToThrowOver25Yards…
        #…AndDropsEveryOtherBallThrownBackAtHim…

        Liked by 1 person

    2. KInda tough to get a picture of a guy who threw 87 passes in his career.

      Did you know Gomer threw more interceptions than touchdowns ? 4 int’s 1 TD, no wonder every QB he “coaches” gets worse

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  4. “Theater” is the best word for it. Or “charade.” Whatever it is stinks to high heaven, and does not represent what championship football is based on: a desire to compete, anywhere, versus anyone, anytime. What USC football attitude, discipline, and culture is becoming is anathema to its tradition. And it’s boosters are taking note…

    Liked by 4 people

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    1. “And it’s boosters are taking note…”?

      LMFAO!

      C.L. Max Nikias doesn’t give two shits if Trojan boosters, former Trojan players, Trojan alumni or Trojan football fans are “taking note”, he has deliberately and blatantly orchestrated the demise of Trojan football and that has been his intention ever since he took over in 2010.

      Nikias hated the fact that Trojan football was more highly regarded than academics at USC. The bullshit NCAA sanctions worked out great for Nikias, it gave him an excuse to undermine the football program by leaving it in the hands of a pill popping drunk and a know nothing 3rd rate coach who used to be the pill popping drunks errand boy.

      There isn’t anything Folt and Bohn can do when it comes to Trojan football, they’re paid to take the heat for the shit show dumpster fire that Trojan football has become and they’re paid really well.

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      1. Above, you forgot to mention the insular, insolent son-of-an-NFL has been coach who regularly underachieved. FKNA “Bubblescreen vato.*”

        *a loose reference to one of my favorite movies of all time–Bubble Boy.

        Liked by 2 people

  5. There was a proposed bowl game match-up for USC to play San Jose St. ( 7 – 0 )in the Arizona bowl New Years Eve and USC declined.

    USC declined because Bohn and Helton know USC would have lost and a loss vs the Spartans would have further exposed Helton as the fraud that he is.

    A loss to San Jose St. would have led to even more questions about why USC has put up with incompetent Clay Helton for as long as they have.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. I always hate like fuck to agree with you —- but when you’re right, you’re right. It’s a sad day when you look at the A. P. Poll and see SAN JOSE STATE ahead of USC and you know they deserve to be there. There is no way USC (without Slovis) could beat San Jose State. Why? Because our “Quarterback” Coach scared off all our backup quarterbacks except the one who, while being a very good athlete, can’t throw a football (and naturally was recruited by Clay cuz he doesn’t know shit about quarterbacks).

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      1. It’s fucking shameful and pathetic that USC has to duck, make excuses, do whatever it has to in order to avoid playing a San Jose St. team that has nowhere near the talent that the Trojans have in order to prolong the career of the incompetent buffoon they put in charge of keeping the program mediocre.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Not to mention SJSU had to practice at Humboldt St before the season started, came to Boise and found out that the game was cancelled and then couldn’t go back to SJ because Santa Clara County said nyet. They flew to Hawaii to play a home game, played and stayed in Vegas so they could play and still went undefeated, can you imagine USC under the current USC administration doing this

        Liked by 3 people

  6. bonehead missed the chance to fire the “we are VERY CLOSE” hellton last year as a replacement new head coach could bring in his own preferred assistants to replace all hellton’s useless ones. now if bonehead keeps the snake hellton again but only fire and replace harrell and drevno then when hellton is later fired the new coach would be relatively bound with the existing ones on fresh contracts unless they get paid off again. so hellton should be fired now as in any case changing assistants is useless when you have a lame duck at the top. case in point have you seen any disciplinary improvement even after the changes.

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  7. When all is said and done, Helton is still collecting a bomber check as the bozo FB Head Coach while 99% of the Blog Clownster’s are whining like starving, mistreated curs.

    #Those who can, do; those that can’t, snivel, snivel, snivel.
    #DoesbozoFBdeserveasofterschedule?

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    1. You need practice on your hashtag capitalizations, my dear friend….
      #ThisOneWasHarderThanShitToRead
      #Signed:ASniveling,Whining,Starving,MistreatedCur
      #[HolyFuck:That’sWayMoreMeanAdjectivesThanUsual]….

      Liked by 2 people

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  8. For the past few years on various blogs and Facebook I have been promoting the idea (which isn’t new) that USC go independent at least in football. However I hate to say we are no longer the elite team that we need to be in order to get independent matches. If we were to follow my advice (and believe me when I say my wife never does). We’d play a homecoming games every week because homecoming is a game the home team likes to win.
    In fact Covina high school played three homecoming games in 1972 on their own home field because it was turned into the “District Field “ and the other two schools wanted a cream puff.

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    1. USC is working to become independent of all sports Truman. I thought we agreed to just post “Fire Helton” and move on. And Blowin’ in the Wind was a song in 1962 when I was seven.
      “How many games must Helton lose before they tell him he’s canned?
      And how many arms must a quarterback break before he plays in the sand?
      What will it take for Bohn to wise up and hire a real man?
      The answer my friends is blowin’ in the wins
      The answer is blowin’ in the wins.

      Liked by 2 people

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    2. USC go independent?

      Yeah, they’re going to give up a bunch of gimme wins (or what used to be or should be gimme wins) for Clay in the weak PAC 12…that’s not going to happen.

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      1. I want to see Alabama, Notre Dame, Clemson, Ohio State, Georgia and Florida on next year’s revised schedule…
        #Yeah….ThatShouldDoIt…
        #82-3,42-7, 74-10,55-0,49-0,35-17…
        #ByeBye,Clay,NiceKnowingYa

        Liked by 2 people

  9. INSANE OLD SHIITE. nothing is go to Get Better UNTIL gomer HE’LL Ton is FIRED. The USC players do Not deserve this B.S. also Need to FIRE the Offensive line Coach dumbodrevno…. Against Oregon slovis throws 3 interceptions. Offensive Line does Not Block Making slovis throw Bad Passes and USC loses By 7 points. 7 points 1 touchdown. Plus 1 punt blocked running in to the kicker stupid p enaltys… making ORGAN Look like the a great football team. THERE NOT… remember He’ll Ton had Usc play Stupid and lose by ONly 7 points 1 touchdown

    Liked by 1 person

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