FOOTBALL

USC Morning Buzz: Doubts Have Not Been Erased In Spring

I mentioned this a couple weeks ago but I think it’s going to be listed as a concern going into the fall.

A USC coach told me he’s been surprised in spring drills by the number of interceptions thrown by Kedon Slovis.

The expectations were unusually high for Slovis a year ago. And now he’s under intense scrutiny because of his inconsistent 2020 performance. But this spring, I’ve heard from multiple sources they were surprised at his interceptions.

Matt Barkley used to throw a lot of interceptions in practice so it’s not unheard of. But everything Slovis does also tends to be overmagnified because of the Air Raid. Let’s also be honest that he wasn’t overwhelming in the spring scrimmage.

Bottom line: The questions/doubts from 2020 were not snuffed out during spring practice.

33 thoughts on “USC Morning Buzz: Doubts Have Not Been Erased In Spring”

    2. I think Sark will have the ‘Horns scoring in bunches.
      His time with Saban will pay tremendous dividends.

      Best recruits in Texas will soon be staying at home (?).

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      1. I hope so, but sark will have to overcome his penchant for the bubble screen and his idea he’s the smartest guy ever to set foot on the football field.

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  2. Some interceptions? Within a 75% pass-oriented offense? To new receivers (or experienced receivers playing in new spots)?
    During spring when you’re experimenting? & trying anything and everything out?
    #I’mNotTooWorried
    #Let’sSeeWhereWeAreByTheStanfordGame

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    1. You are right Michael…. There is also the fact that not only does the defense know the plays by formation and personnel but they’re often told the play in advance.

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      1. I seem to recall hearing someplace that knowing the play that’s being run makes it a little easier for a corner to jump the route….

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      2. So true, Pudly76.

        I also think that Orlando’s pressure D produces such turnovers in the college game with less experienced O-linemen and RB’s failing to pick up the blitz and less savvy QB’s disoriented.

        Oregon brought pressure D in the Pac12 champ game and Slovis had some errant throws. (If I recall correctly, some of the INT’s in that game were tipped balls or WR mistakes).

        Slovis will be fine (if his shoulder is healthy), the Run game will be fine, and hopefully our D will be stout–despite the losses to the NFL.

        Liked by 2 people

      3. Bourbon — I think we’ll be fine, too. [I’m not sure what happened to Slovis in the first quarter of the Oregon game — he played like a head case —he can beat ’em this year if he just doesn’t let the game get too big for him].

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      4. That was the game where we didn’t know who we were playing until Tuesday night before a Friday game?? And I agree with Bourbon, at least one of the interceptions (1st thrown to Tyler Vaughns) should not have been caught but the receiver gave up on the play..IMO

        Liked by 1 person

    2. Hard to believe that ANOTHER QB is getting worse under Gomer, amazing.

      I’m still stunned that Dart chose USC, again, amazing

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  3. If only the blogger could get inside practice, then he could watch Slovis throw passes that require a fully rehabbed shoulder and elbow, and we would have some insight. But instead, we are left with “doubts aren’t erased” since he can’t get in.

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    1. It’s not that he can’t get in ‘67, it’s that he burnt down that bridge and demolished its foundation… there is much to repair and I get the sense scottie isn’t in that frame of mind. He would rather publish 15-20 more episodes of the homeless guy or poor cheerleader chronicles.

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      1. The regrets of Scottie’s life…or maybe this is not a regret, which case it means he is soooo bitter, which squares with the blog every day…

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Scott never burns a bridge — he nukes them [and then does a fly over in a copter armed with acid missiles]….
        #SportsWritersWillBeTellingStoriesAboutScottFor100Yrs

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      5. I guess that’s why he hired the “Unknown Student” to invade the practice. That guy hasn’t gotten enough press. We want to know who goofed?

        Liked by 2 people

      6. Yeah, Wolfie exposed USC in many ways, he didn’t suck Timmy T’s cock like the rest of them did and still do, this is why Gomer never gets asked a tough question.

        Can Wolf beat a dead horse ? Yes, but he also exposes them and that place hates him for it.

        Liked by 1 person

      7. Yeah, homophobic responses seem best suited to this topic.

        And yeah, only scottie criticizes the coaches, administrators and team.
        Yeah, right.

        Liked by 1 person

      8. I realize we have our differences over “The Scott”. You find his nonstop critiquing excessive (which I guess it is by definition) —while I enjoy it. But let me explain why I enjoy it. Until Scott came along all I read about Trojan practices was how perfectly everything was going. Several beat writers would do a pre-season “Prediction” piece in which USC would win ALL it’s games (two of these guys actually published imaginary scores —USC 28, Notre Dame 7). After a decade or two of this crap I began to get suspicious of their critical faculties. Then— along comes Scott…….

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      9. Excuse me while I scratch my head on this one. It has nothing to do with being overly critical. Has to do with getting pushed to the sideline while trying to convince everyone you’re still a player. And rather than try and get back in the game, he has embraced the imaginary friend/coach/player and lost all perspective that being there provides. It’s as wrong-headed as his board moderator who censors normal language yet let near pornographic language pass.

        Really doesn’t matter to me. He is what he is. But as is said, perception is reality.

        Liked by 2 people

      10. As George Clooney’s best friend tells him in The Descendents (after George tells the guy’s wife she’s been putting makeup on a corpse), “that was a little harsh.”

        Liked by 1 person

      11. P. S.
        What is wrong with our moderator letting tebow get by with the words “fuck you up the ass” and censoring me for mentioning the name of a foreign country?

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Pudly — I love & admire you—so I must ask: Is this a serious question?
      #They’llGetItWrongerThanWrong….
      #It’sWhatTheWokePac12DoesBest

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      1. I don’t think Slovis has ever been the same since that first season. I wish Daniels was back. I really do think that Dart is more mobile and has a better arm. I know that it’s early to say that but the only thing that he lacks is playing time. If Slovis got hurt and was out for the season, I don’t think that he would ever see the field again in a USC uniform.

        Liked by 1 person

  5. Forget Slovis, as long as Helton is there, there will always be doubt with the USC program. It was once feared, not San Jose St. challenges SC and they know they will beat them. How the might have fallen.

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  6. Slovis is ok. He’s about a B. He’s not gonna be the reason we win or lose this year.

    As always, the lines of scrimmage are what’s most important, and as always lately, we will be ok on D and sub-substandard on O. Until we can run the ball a yard or two when we really need it, we will be an average at best cfb team.

    I’ve seen us at Utah, at Texas, at just about everywhere, not able to run, especially in the big moments. Just dominated by the opponent. So much so that we resort to passing to gain a yard or two, or trying some hinky misdirection nonsense running plays. When we really just need to knock the defenders off the line and run them over. But we cannot, and we are afraid to try.

    Not the USC we’ve all lived and died for over the years.
    Not even close.

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    2. Point of Information: I’m actually glad that Helton grew afraid of running on 3rd and one last season. Every time —EVERY TIME— we handed the ball off, we got stuffed. It didn’t matter who the runner was —- the o-line couldn’t get that ONE yard push.
      #BetterToThrowFor5Yards….
      #…..”It’sWhoWeAre!”

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