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USC Morning Buzz: Who Didn’t Cover Tight End More Important Than Who Did

USC defensive coordinator Alex Grinch said Wednesday he used mixed coverages for defending Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid, who had 16 receptions for 234 yards.

Sometimes, Grinch played zone, sometimes man-to-man defense and he said there were times he had a safety and linebacker both cover the tight end.

But here’s the thing: Kincaid is 6-foot-4, 240 pounds. So why didn’t USC have 6-6 linebacker Eric Gentry covering Kincaid?

Here is who tackled Kincaid Saturday night in chronological order.

  • Max Williams
  • Ralen Goforth/Calen Bullock
  • Tyrone Taleni
  • Nick Figueroa
  • Calen Bullock
  • Shane Lee
  • Max Williams
  • Mekhi Blackmon
  • Calen Bullock
  • On the last play of the third quarter, Eric Gentry.
  • Tuasivi Nomura
  • Jaylin Smith
  • Tuasivi Nomura/Shane Lee
  • Calen Bullock/Tuasivi Nomura.

Gentry is USC’s most athletic linebacker. So why didn’t he cover Kincaid before getting hurt in the fourth quarter? Lee has had problems covering people this season but he was covering Kincaid throughout the game. Williams is 5-9 but he was covering Kincaid.

It took until the last play of the third quarter for Gentry to tackle Kincaid?

It just seems like putting the 6-6 guy on the big tight end makes sense.

60 thoughts on “USC Morning Buzz: Who Didn’t Cover Tight End More Important Than Who Did”

      2. So, GT–took ten years off your life?
        110-10=100. Still pretty good, I think!

        This Saturday is a bye-week. Good for us!
        I usually don’t have a bourbon toast without a Trojan win, but
        I think I shall enjoy a nice small batch bourbon toast to George the Tirebiter!

        Liked by 2 people

    3. DOES EVERYONE KNOW HOW WE GOT THE-NAME TROJANS ??

      TRUE STORY

      IN 1912 A COUPLE OF SPORTSWRITERS WERE WATCHING US PLAY

      ONE SAID TO THE OTHER
      LOOK AT THEM THEYRE SO SMALL
      SO UNDERSIZED
      BUT THEY FIGHT
      THEY FIGHT LIKE TROJANS!!

      AND THE NAME STUCK FOREVERMORE !!!

      Liked by 3 people

      Reply

      1. HEY MICHAEL
        YOU ARE
        THE GLUE THAT HOLDS THIS BOARD TOGETHER
        WHEN WE POST AND GET A REPLY FROM YOU AT LEAST WE KNOW SOMEONE HAS READ OUR POST !!!!

        Liked by 2 people

      2. TIREBITER, FYI, the Greeks royally kicked Troy’s ass. As a result, the Greeks executed the Trojan male military population and sold the women and children into slavery.

        Like

      6. Dear Owns,
        Actually, after the Trojans leave Troy, they are led by the Trojan hero Aeneas [who is protected by Venus herself] to victory after victory after victory….etc., etc. …..
        #….UntilAeneasFoundsRomeByKillingADimwittedBear

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Yippie!!! It’s here for Chips taking, and I hope he’s rough, because that’s how I like it , GEORGIE 😃

        Like

  3. OFF TOPIC
    BUT
    IVE BEEN WATCHING A MOVIE ABOUT VAMPIRES
    SO DO VAMPIRES REALLY EXIST ???

    I HAD A FRIEND. ED RYAN. WHO SPENT HIS WHOLE LIFE DIGGING UP BODIES FROM THEIR GRAVES AND THEN DRIVING A WOODEN STAKE RIGHT THRU THEIR HEARTS !!

    HE GRADUATED FROM UCLA TOO !!!!!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Not sure about vampires, but I have wondered if Cartaphilus is still wandering the earth.

      A new series on SyFy, Reginald the Vampire, is worth a watch.

      Like

      Reply

      1. Scott: “In all fairness what I’m doing is more like Monday Morning Defensive Coordinating…..

        Like

    2. Bye weeks always tough at Inside USC.

      Still, Mr Wolf brought up some good data.
      Expect our remaining opponents to watch the Wazzu and Beaver film and scheme against our offense. Likewise expect them to watch Utah tape and scheme their TE offense. ND and UCLA have always had great TE play, and both will test Grinch.

      Zona, BUffs, Cal. Get healthy and play like Trojans in November!

      Liked by 2 people

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  5. While Gentry was not covering Kincaid he was making tackles on the run game. What a dipshit Wolf. Had you given just a little thought to isolating the middle linebacker on one single player you would have realized that a dumb decision that would have been. Now why they didn’t go with the nickel or dime package and key on the TE was beyond comprehension.

    Liked by 3 people

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    1. That happened with 48 Seconds Left on the game Clock…Grinch should have told his Defense to Let UTAH Score early to get the football back with at least 2 minutes left in the football game…. So USC Offense could get into Field Goal Range or a Winning Touchdown. The Grinch FFF up

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. I was thinking this also.

        I also told my wife that Kyle was gonna go for two.

        Was this a Grinch mistake or did Riles tell Grinch to try to stop Utah?
        Letting a team score a TD is likely a HC decision?

        Like

    3. I think you may have something there…..
      Slight Modification: Slow them down a little before they score …and get 2 stops per game —we’ll win the shootout….
      #OnlyProblem:ItDidn’tWorkInSaltLakeThanksToONEBadCall

      Liked by 1 person

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  9. EdG’s bin in englund sortin out there economik mess. Ed tol there pryme ministur to resign, said shje culd tak her talunts to westwood and becume prezinent of ucla, tol her ucla use hir help.

    Liked by 2 people

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    1. Missus Ed,
      I take it you’re aware Ed’s been advising not only Liz but Joe, Nancy & Gavin for several years….
      #….PartOfHis”GrandPlan”ToHumilateTheGlobalists

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  10. Wolf: It just seems like putting the 6-6 guy on the big tight end makes sense.

    One of Wolf’s most logical comments of the year. (not many to choose from)

    Liked by 1 person

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  11. I think I addressed this topic a few threads ago, but Utah had a single long reception to Money Parks–45 yards–on a prayer pass. Vele, the other WR, had a single 20 yd reception. IMSRM? Two chunk plays. Otherwise, we kept the ball in front of our DB’s and FORCED UTAH to go on long drives. I think Kincaid may have had a single 20 yd reception.

    We stuffed the run game most of the night. We spied on their QB, who is a good runner, and kept him in check with the scramble FOR THE MOST PART. A better pass rush would have helped.

    Anyway, nice data on the Utah TE situation.
    We will be griping about TE coverage vs ND and UCLA.
    For the Grinch haters (I’m not one of them), you have an item to watch when we play our two rivals.

    Liked by 2 people

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  12. Wolf is fixated on the past again. SMH. Going nickel coverage creates a problem with run fits on early downs since Utah runs a 2 tight end offense. Utah struggled to run the ball so play-action pass was used often on 1st and 2nd down. The real issue was Utah found answers to USC questions but USC struggled to find answers from the Utah coaching staff. That’s more concerning because UCLA is a better coached team than Utah. McCutchin wasn’t trusted to guard Kincaid and there is a lack of linebackers who can play man coverage including Gentry who lacks quickness in man to man. The solution? Play bigger linemen, go six db’s and blitz five every now and then for USC.

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  13. The Grinch FFF up. Not seeing USC Defense getting Tired worn down with 4 minutes and 27 seconds left in the football game and Utah at USC 25 yard line think ing USC would make a Huge Stop never would happen plus Utah would have gone on a 4th down also so the Grinch let FFF innnnn UTAH run the game Clock down to 48 seconds So USC Offense Did not have enough time ending up at the 45 yard line to lose by 1 ff inn point

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  14. There is plenty of problems to go around. I have noticed that Max Williams does a terrible job of putting himself in the right place to make a tackle. But even Calen Bullock looked pretty bad in the game. In particular I noticed on the 2 point conversion, Calen was sitting back in the end zone when Rising starting running for the goal line. Calen needed to break on the ball carrier and hit him a couple yards behind the goal line.

    This defense is filled with personnel holes. Some of the problem must be coaching, because USC has alot of decent talent that just doesnt get up to speed. Have they developed any of their recruits/transfers from the past – Raesjon Davis? Korey Foreman? Prophet Brown? Julien Simon? Bryson Shaw? Xamarion Gordon? These were all solid recruits.

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  15. Questions SUCCster’s; how many ranked FB Teams have the bozos tomato cans defeated:

    1) Zip
    2) Zero
    3) O fer
    4) Goose egg

    #Cue: Freddy Chopin’s Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 35

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  18. So, USC playing in high elevation, was supposed to play as hard as Utah all game long? Of the 22 transfers/true freshmen who are in the 2-deep depth chart who played against Utah . . . 7 have experience playing at Utah and if you include Foreman, that’s 23 players who played at Utah for the first time in their lives.

    It’s remarkable that they had a chance to win the game until the refs decided to interject themselves in the game. I won’t even discuss how USC got a timeout back during the final series. . . there’s not enough drugs in the world to deal with that madness.

    Liked by 3 people

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  19. Give him credit. Shane Lee gives you 150% on every play. He may be a football captain but he really does hurt you on pass defense. As long as he is in there, the other team is going to running these wheel routes to the running back and SL simply does not get to the outside fast enough to cover them. I’d use him on potential running plays but not on pass plays.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Lee runs around like he’s pulling a trailer. I’m sure Bama identified the trailer.

      His scraping off-tackle is very questionable…..IMO, Goforth is a better all-round player

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  20. Ghost of me has been relegated to moderation. 4 posts are still awaiting moderation on a blog that doesn’t have a moderator. This is bogus and most likely an attempt to stop him from posting. He said have a nice life.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      1. Did you say caca or anus or dildo? You didn’t?! Well hurry up and say them!
        #They’llGetYouBackOnASAP

        Like

  21. I don’t know who should have been covering the TE it should been Gentry dropping back in the zone or cover him one on one Could have used another safety come down in the box and at him. Grinch doesn’t have a plan other than hope the DL can get pressure on Qb or have Gentry drop into a zone and make the Qb throw over or around him. Now they are praising Foreman to motivate him to play better. I hope he can turn the corner, but I really believe he needs mental health counseling. Please tell him your not at Corona Centintel anymore. Caleb give him referral to one of your non profit mental health partners.

    Liked by 1 person

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