USC Night Thoughts

How much would Caleb Williams win the Heisman Trophy by if USC’s campaign was, “Have you seen his offensive line?”

  • Deion Sanders was hired by Colorado tonight. If you are a reader of this blog, you read that would happen four days ago.

I guarantee you there are Pac-12 schools shuddering over what Sanders might be able to accomplish. But not everyone is sure.

“It will either be fantastic or a disaster,” one Pac-12 coach told me.

  • USC vs. Tulane on Jan. 2 at the Cotton Bowl. Who’s in? Caleb? Anyone?
  • Should we just give Georgia the national title now?
  • Michigan vs. Ohio State in a College Football Playoff semifinal? Zzzzzzz.

100 thoughts on “USC Night Thoughts

  1. wolf: How much would Caleb Williams win the Heisman Trophy by if USC’s campaign was, “Have you seen his offensive line?”

    Comments like these are exactly why no one within the program will give you the time of day…..feel proud, you earned it!

    Liked by 1 person

      1. LJ…..wolf’s content/material over the years has been in a perpetual decline due to his bias towards all things related to USC. His new tagline of late is, “a coach called me”…..code word for, “who’s naive enough to believe me”……..Wolf deserted “fair and balanced” reporting many moons ago……(dark at the moon!)…His dick-ism never takes a break….just saying!

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      2. middle finger up you little troll……why not come out and talk some football….never mind, I forgot who I was talking to, the blog dunce!

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    1. Somethings are are earned in life. Some things are given. Scotty the Wolfman definitely earned his banishment from Usc. Fight on!

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    2. The O-line did a great job this year.
      About 1500 yards gained rushing with bruiser backs.
      Prior to Friday night, very few sacks.

      Caleb had ample time all year. If he scrambled, it was after read#1,#2,#3 were covered and he chose to go “all Mahomes” on the opponent.

      If one looks at the USC NFL draft over the past 4 years, it has been Big O linemen and WR. Nuthin’ else.

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Recruiting just got a lot harder for teams not named Colorado, especially in the West and South. And football out West just got a lot more interesting. #PrimeTime ups the numbers or the PAC 12 media deal and gives the LA schools something to think about, and yet more reasons to nix that Big 10 movement.

    Deion is pretty socially conservative, glad that didn’t nix his selection. They say our new commish was very supportive.

    While for our sake, I don’t want to see CU set up shop in California like they did in the 80s and 90s, if you want to keep the athletic success of the Conference of Champions, you want to be in the conference with this guy leading Colorado, no matter how it turns out. Having a rising wave of national attention helps all ships.

    2023 will be very interesting in the PAC 12.

    Liked by 2 people

      1. Very, very different characters, profiles. They aren’t on the same planet. Sanders is unique- and super star and athletic and cultural legend, and he has a following including among young athletes that’s probably unequalled for any college coach. He’s done almost as much of what seems impossible as a coach in that context as he did as an NFL and MLB player and icon. Not to be disrespectful but Herm was just Herm.

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    1. Dude, Deion is unproven at the power 5 level…..Slow down on the kool-aid…..the guy has a big ego and personality, and rubs some the wrong way, will it be about the program or self-gratification…..He’s the shiny new object that can tarnish in a hurry…..

      Liked by 3 people

      1. I might add that if they are trying for name recognition, they might be a tad too late unless he’s also a video game piece. Even I have to look up neon Dion to see when he last played. 1989 is before college kids were born.

        Liked by 3 people

      2. Lol A shiny new object??? LOOL Put the scotch down.

        Deion Sanders has been a super star and cultural icon with all the receipts for decades.

        He’s your favorite player’s favorite player, flying in from the World Series hitting homeruns and stealing bases and making ridic grabs, off the chopper to score in play-offs and win Super Bowls playing offense and defense and special teams, scoring on on punt returns, kick returns, rushes, receptions, INTs, and locking down the best WRs in history and being generally thought of as the best CB in history… Then making hilarious top 100 records, and showing up to do MLB and NFL commentary and having a reality show about his family in Texas as they start a couple of high schools and win Texas state HS fb championships, go on to turn a school 99% of people haven’t heard of into a household name, and have ESPN covering it with a reality show and family show, as the team goes from barely a win to two back to back championships and a perfect season…

        He not only knows the game, he knows media, he knows fundraising, he knows how to bring attention to a program, he knows how to recruit.

        It’s not about speculation of wins and losses because really, at CU he’s gonna be given a long, long runway to make something happen and remold the program for obvious reasons– and none of that will diminish his image because the expectations are so low.

        The two major parts of building a program that we can see without speculation is whether the person can bring eyeballs, top talent and money to a program.

        He’s pulled 4 and 5 star players to the equivalent facilities of a third world mission school, then raised millions of dollars to upgrade the facilities, and brought more media attention than most P5 schools, NFL attention, crowds and fan following with an renovated and sold out stadium…

        He’s gonna pull some recruits. Beside the fact that he’s got two 4 star recruits in his sons, a 5 star in a kid he mentors and a few other 4 star players that came to JSU who likely come with him… before he even recruits he has upgraded Colorado. The announcement had their ticket offices swarmed by itself.

        He brings his show, gets attention, hits the recruiting and pulls a dozen or two high 3, 4 and 5 stars from the West, USC is affected– that’s like with every thing else. If that’s happening in the context of the P12, it’s good, with the buzz, possibly a net benefit. With us playing in the cornfields and Rustbelt, that’s another story.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. You lost me after the first sentence……Here’s some friendly advice, your rant would be better served on a CU blog. ….

        Come back in a year and we will readdress Deion….thanks

        PS….I hope “prime time” didn’t overpay for your PR work

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    2. From here in Colorado (since 1988,) just another set up for failure.
      CU FB–never any good.
      Lousy student body.
      Lousy Admin.
      Lousy fan base.
      Lousy alumni.

      They actually think they are a FB school with “heritage.”

      Next time you are in CO, hang out on Pearl Street or campus and see if you think this is where a So Cal CFB recruit wants to spend 4 years.

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      1. He just landed a 5 star guy and several 4 stars are coming in from the portal, and apparently Hunter, the 5 star guy he managed to get to go to JSU is following him, and ESPN has a new program about him and CU,,, Lots can change has changed, and that was in a half day.

        You were around when they won a NC, a Heisman, and had 10+ top 5 finishes, mostly with California kids…

        Their boosters definitely shell out. Colorado had the same 5 yr attendance record as the Utes despite a sh!t team, so I dunno.

        I’ve never been a Buffs fan though I recall as a kid them being fun to watch, less annoying than Nebraska.

        Anyway they definitely are in the spotlight, trending and interesting now with their hire… wish them the best, except vs SC.

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      2. It’s a violation for a student to speak to a coach from a different school before they enter the Transfer Portal, they are permitted to speak to student-athletes and alumni of other schools at any time to gain a better understanding of the prospective program.

        The transfer portal is closed. So either you’re lying or the school is committing recruiting violations…..which one is it?

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      3. The kids in the portal are his kids– he can talk to his own players and sons. The other 5* kid that announced did so on his own. Get a life.

        You’re sounding like a catty knobchewer and a jealous, hating, emotional loser. Maybe that’s just how the interwebz is making you sound or you’re having a bad day… I’m not with either of those things bruh, so keep it moving and don’t engage if that’s you’re thing. Respectfully. .

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      4. stop the lying, you got caught…..so that makes you the loser….. And why would I or any supporter of Trojan football be jealous of Deion? Go troll the CU blog, you might get a little respect.

        PS…. you only won a ” split” natty because of an official’s error……extra down or you would have lost the game

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      5. further interesting, because I see any talk of the portal transfer…. which was the premise of my post……nice try!….. go troll a CU blog……

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      6. seems you like to embellish!!!!…. I did a fact check on your so-called 10+ top 5 finishes”…… records indicate only 4 top 5 finishes over the last 35 seasons from 1988 to 2023….. another lie!

        Prior to 1988, your last top-25 ranking was in 1978

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      7. First I said stop talking to me you creep.

        Secondly, this was about recruiting and attention, and that Colorado has some history of winning– they were a far better program than us during the 80s ad 90s up to the overreaction to a recruiting scandal of early 2000s, something that USC can understand.

        And correction, that was top 25 since the 80s, that would be an obvious typo because no team has done that except maybe Bama– You like to lie,- you said the past 30 years to not include the #1 national championship in 1991 (AP), the #4 or #3 in 1989 (depending on whose ranking). That recognized Natty is just as many as we’ve had in the same period of time. And we have just 1 more Heisman, and 28 conference championships.

        The transfers I mentioned, once again, are on his team, and he stated that they would be coming with him, didn’t mention the names but since they are his players, and in at least two instances his literal son, he can mention them all he wants, or did you just become the NCAA? You seem just the type of high strung, catty, “see I gotcha” and “those people are bad, breaking the ruuules” type that would put in a call if something were against some rules, so I’m glad it’s not. Living around you must be joy… lol

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      8. Now go along. I said I don’t dig what you’re about, don’t wanna talk to you. Respectfully.

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      9. dude…..this is a USC blog, no one gives a shit what Deion or CU football has done over the last 40 years…..and trying to compare USC to CU is FUCKING ridiculous.

        Now practice what you preach: “Now go along. I said I don’t dig what you’re about, don’t wanna talk to you. Respectfully”

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      10. I said move along. It’s not just now, you stay on your period. I’ve told you before many times and you stay on my ****, which is embarrassing. The man got 2 five stars coming in and 4 stars from the jump, and all the buzz. If you think that’s going to stop and not affect USC or the conference or recruiting why does that bother you? And Idgaf what you say this blog is about or what someone posts, it’s not your blog. You can kick rocks and move on if you don’t like it instead of getting into your feelings and bleeding from your t**t… in fact I’ve asked you to move on and ignore me like a dozen times- I’m not into that.

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      11. I’m not going to ignore someone who continues to lie about an irrelevant football program and uses lies to compare it to USC…. You sound like a total dipshit, and no one has embraced your lame-ass Deion comments

        Once again, go troll a CU site if you don’t want your feelings hurt…..real simple

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      12. “I’m not going to ignore someone who continues to lie about an irrelevant football program and uses lies to compare it to USC”

        You don’t even know wtf you’re on about you catty gobbler.

        The topic in Wolf’s post about Deion Sanders and the effects to recruiting and spotlight in the PAC 12 and how that affects USC. I pointed out all the relevant facts. You started talking about CU, I pointed out a bunch of facts, one of which was an obvious typo and I pointed that out too, though it was irrelevant.

        You went on about some of your personal shit about living in a place that you hate (I’m pretty sure it’s because you actually hate yourself, thus the way you post and care about what other people are thinking and saying).

        You are a complete fckn loser. Gabby from the boards right? Fat, bald, ugly, stupid, angry at the world, no life, and obvs someone that no one wants to be around- you obvs get that a lot.

        It’s a sports site, not an ersatz life, but hint: if you go to sports bar or alum party or fraternity alum function, or old teammates thing, it’s all fun, some razzing and analysis and opinions, but the sports part, etc. isn’t some shit anyone seriously cares about or is so fckn angry like you are. That’s me trying to help and not just tell you to put a rag in your v*g.

        You come here like it was your life– I see notices of you trying to talk to me from yrs ago, despite me making it clear I don’t want to engage you– largely because I wouldn’t want your energy to wear off… sometimes i miss stuff from people i do like a lot but no, not you. I don’t engage your attempts bc #1 I don’t like you at all, #2 I have a life so I’m not around for months at a time #3 Well there is no #3 I just don’t like you. So stop embarrassing yourself by trying to engage someone who tells you that You can tell e to go eff myself before you get, but at least have some self respect. Now shoo!

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      13. It’s really really creepy that you know so much about me! Any who!….. you sound like the typical mental midget with a low football IQ…..I debunked your lies, and it’s spiking your narcissism…..HAHAHA!!!!

        Once again, for the 5th time, go troll a CU blog where people will embrace your Deion opinions. Wipe the drool and move on!

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      14. Me: “You’re fat, bald, dumb, ugly, unlikable, a loser no one wants to be around, and has no life…”

        You: “It’s really really creepy that you know so much about me ”

        Said seriously and accurately.

        And why do speak like comic book for slow learning kids? Is it dementia?? A disability or disorder?

        Maybe your obsession with me and is a cry for help, the only engagement you’ve gotten, outlet for anger at yourself, your existence? I don’t want you to finally do the right thing by the world and top yourself– I’d feel awful! Okay, not awful, but definitely some a twinge of guilt.

        I I’m pretty sure you’re a roach of person, a true survivor no matter how grotesque and pointless your existence, grossing people out. Tougher stuff than I admittedly– I couldn’t go through what you go through. Maybe that’s narcissistic, who knows? It’s my fault. Take care!

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      15. I have no fucking idea what you’re trying to communicate. Your sentence structure and grammar are very poor. I must ask, is English your second language, or perhaps you have a better excuse?

        I have been slapping you around like a pinata, but the lack of gray matter, between your ears, fails to comprehend the impact of what’s crushing your fragile ego.

        Dude, YOU’RE A FUCKING STALKER!!!!

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  3. I want an update on Caleb’s injury. Are we back to the “Addison Strategy”? “He’s coming along. It’ll be a game time decision whether he’s ready for January 1st.”

    Liked by 1 person

      1. If the Cotton Bowl is 2nd tier [which is news to advertisers] I’d really hate to think what tier you’d label the bowl the bruins play in…
        #DoNumbersGoThatHigh?

        Liked by 4 people

      2. Ha!
        “UCLA announces entire new series of Imaginary Numbers!”
        “World Scientists Condemn UCLA for Crimes against Nature!”

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    1. If it’s not part of the playoff it’s a second tier bowl. The CFP killed off the relevancy of all the other bowls not named Rose (could be bias)

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  4. Weren’t SC supposed to be 9-3 this year? Deon is gonna Deon. He’ll abandon Colorado as well. No linemen, no glory. Glad for them but D1 is a meat grinder, Prime is right about how coaches get hired but the buffaloes want to pay the price.

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Lincoln is a lot like Chip Kelly when it comes to game strategy. They both are offensive genius’s and they both think that they can win a NC by outscoring their opponent in each game. Lincoln Riley has been a HC for 6 years now. In 2017 Oklahoma was 57th in defense. In 2018, they were 108th. In 2019, they were 25th. In 2020, they were 29th. But 2020 doesn’t really count because it was a covid year and half the teams had half their players out because they were covid positive. In 2021, they were 70th. In 2022, they were 105th. Obviously, LR doesn’t have the mindset to go out and get a DC who can put together a top 10 defense.Maybe this season will convince him that you can’t win a NC with just offense. Clay Helton couldn’t go out and get a really great DC. He just didn’t have the clout. No great coach is going to want to come to SC and play under a coach that is continually on the hot seat. But LR has the ability to get a really great DC. Hopefully, if Grench can’t, at least, get that defense in the top 15, then LR will decide to move on and get somebody else.

    Liked by 3 people

  6. In the last 2 years, Grench’s defenses have been 70th and 105th. That doesn’t make it. I can make excuses for the offensive line. They were banged up and got more banged up during the game, in many cases, playing out of position. But you can make no excuses for the defense. They were full strength. They just weren’t prepared to play this game. We lost twice to Utah and I put the blame for those 2 losses on the defense. In 2 games, Utah scored 90 points against us. That’s 45 points a game. You’re asking too much of the offense against a really good Utah defense. Twenty five missed tackles in this game!!!!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. There’s a reason why 4 times as many guys have gotten injured on offense as have gotten injured on defense…
      #ALotOfTheDefensivePlayersAren’tPlayingWhatWeCall”Football”

      Liked by 1 person

  7. You do need a good defense to win an NC. Just look at the last 11 NC’s:
    2021   Georgia         # 2(in total defense)
    2020    Alabama       # 32
    2019    LSU              # 31
    2018    Clemson       # 4
    2017    Alabama       # 2
    2016    Clemson       # 9
    2015    Alabama       # 2
    2014    Ohio State    #15
    2013    Florida State # 3
    2012    Alabama       # 1
    2011    Alabama       # 1
    Out of those 11, 9 of them were in the top 15 defensively. Eight of them were in the top 10. Seven were in  the top 4. Only 2019 LSU and 2020 Alabama were # 31 and # 32 and both those teams had great offenses. Sometimes when your offense is really great, you team gets so far ahead that the defense starts playing prevent rubber band defense and you start putting in your subs on defense. None of them were 70th or 105th like Grench’s defenses in the last 2 years.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. None of those coaches inherited Donte Williams and Orlando’s players….. lets give Grinch another year [even though it’s gonna be harder than hell for him to convince first rate D-lineman and corners USC is the place to be]….

      Liked by 5 people

      1. I’m not trying to defend Grench. The defense wasn’t good this year and, for the amount of money he is making, he has to be accountable. If you measure defense by the amount of yards given up per game(which is the best way to measure it):
        Last year under Todd Orlando, SC was ranked # 87 in the nation
        This year under Alex Grench, SC was rated # 102 in the nation
        If LR wants to go out and get another DC, I’m not going to complain.
        I just don’t think that he will and I’m not going to complain about that either.
        But if he brings him back and we have another disasterous season on defense and then he brings him back for a 3rd season then myself and thousands of other SC fans will be complaining. Count on it.

        Liked by 1 person

  8. InsideUSCPoll: If it was one on one coverage with a buffalo and Prime Time, would you throw to that side of the field?

    #TheyAlwaysSaidPrimeTimeCouldShutDownAnEntireSideOfAField

    #WhatIfYourQBCouldn’tHitTheSideOfAHouse…Err,Buffalo?

    #YouHeardItHereFirst,ThePre-GameBuffaloRunIsGoingToBeComparedToPrimeTime’s40TimesOnTheTelecasts

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  9. On second thought, the powers that be just might keep TCU at No. 3 to play Michigan, and move up probably Ohio St to No.4 to play Georgia, thus avoiding another
    Michigan-Ohio St game and treating TCU as the best 1-loss team remaining in the field

    Liked by 1 person

      1. I think Charles’ point is that Bohn is lucky Riley fell in his lap….he couldn’t recruit a first magnitude coach on his own in a million years….

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    1. Deion is not making it any secret he wants Grinch…. and is prepared to do whatever it takes to get him….even if it means paying him out of his own salary…
      #…Well,ThatIsMyDream

      Liked by 1 person

    2. He’ll be a great recruiter. The black players want to play under him. But whether he is a great coach or not is still debatable. Sometimes coaches really look good when coaching at the lower level schools. That’s because these smaller level schools are in leagues that don’t have a lot of good coaches so they don’t have a lot of competition. But when they move up to the big leagues they find themselves going against really good coaches and many times they don’t do that well.
      I remember Steve Alford, the basketball coach at UCLA. His first year at Manchester, he was 30-1. He had some great years at Manchester and Southeast Missouri State. But then he came to Iowa and he didn’t do so well. The he went down a notch and took the job at New Mexico and he did well again. Then he took the job at UCLA and he didn’t do well at all.

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  10. With all his money and “fame” I would not trade places with ‘Celeb,’
    — You can have all the hanger-ons your best friends
    Until you lose

    And then some start calling you out as being homosexual
    To which “Who cares?” but still used as a slur to damage reputation

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It’s amazing that’s still the “go to” comment when men insult each other.
      I have two things to say to you, John. First, your instincts are really keen — you sensed that Utah game was gonna be ‘a bridge too far’ when the rest of us we’re talking about how many points we’d win by.
      [In my own defense, I was gonna be happy with a 1 point victory]. Secondly, I feel for Caleb today. If you watched him carefully in interviews [even before the Utah loss] he seemed to be carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders all season long. Prosecutors look for little ‘tells’ like not looking people in the eyes. I wish Caleb would realize the great majority of us appreciate him, don’t give a flying crap about his personal life and want him to be “okay” whether he wins or loses games. [And I wish Riley would take charge of Caleb the same way he takes charge of the rest of the offense– Riley is too good a coach to have left Caleb in a game in which he was getting creamed on every play that wasn’t a handoff]…..

      Liked by 2 people

  11. I don’t understand how you guys out there are ripping on USC after this one game. All of you are Trojan fans from way back in the 50s 60s except for George he goes further back. If Williams doesn’t get hurt, the Trojans win, and you guys know that. It’s all about the home field, otherwise, how do you explain the Oregon Utah game? Oregon won 20-17. Oregon’s defense isn’t any good either they give up 386 total yards on defense, USC gives up 415 that’s only 29 yards difference. One thing I agree with you guys is he should have pulled Williams out in the second half for sure and tried Mills. you can’t let a player no matter who it is tell you what to do, you are there to win a game, and William should have pulled himself out, knowing he couldn’t help them anymore. Utah knew he was hurt, and they just teed off on him..

    Liked by 3 people

    1. In the Pac 12 Championship game USC gave up something like 550 yards to Utah [I think we got a little over 400]. Just saying. You’re totally right, though: If Williams doesn’t get injured –we win.
      #SureWishWilliamsSlidAfterGettingTheFirstDown…
      #…That60YardRunTurnedOutToBe50YardsTooManyForHim…
      #[There’sAReasonWhyMostQB’sSlideAfterGettingTheFirstDown]

      Like

      1. Even if Caleb doesn’t get hurt and we win the game, that was an embarrassing effort from the defense. Can you picture what that D would look like going up against the “road-graders” from Georgia?…….

        Liked by 1 person

    2. Raul,

      I think it is just frustration on how SC lost. Give people about a week and after recruiting on Dec 6., to determine if people are bandwagnoers or not. I got pissed off about the loss. I still am. But I will come back around. It will take a few days. I will always cheer for the Trojans

      Liked by 2 people

  12. Scooter,

    Get up to date, SC is playing in the men’s water polo cham;sionship at 3 PM on ESPNU against the stikinking Cal bears. Tbhis is the only time they take a bath.

    Liked by 3 people

  13. I hope that Riley doesnt cling to the idea that the Pac-12 championship was close, so he doesnt need to fundamentally re-think his approach as a coach. He is a brilliant QB coach and identifies and develops incredible talent at that position. But honestly, his teams have not been stellar in any other area. Even his offensive lines were not great at OK every year.

    Can you imagine a head coach like Whittingham with USC’s recruiting advantages, with Caleb Williams as QB? That is what Riley needs to aspire to. Not just being Lincoln Riley, but creating a team culture and discipline and toughness like Utah, with better athletes and incredible QBs. Oh, and great, tough defenses. That would be a formula that dominates every year.

    USC is going to lose some incredibly valuable starters this year on the offensive and defensive lines, and they dont have players that can be developed to replace them. Mason Murphy should be much farther along if he was going to step up next year. And why isnt Foreman doing more than he is?

    I have noticed that when Riley or Hensen talk about the offensive line, they talk about working together as a unit. Real important, but it appeared to me that all the problems on the o-line are individual beats, not missed assignments. Our guys were getting pushed around or too slow to be in position. That isnt about team building, that is individual execution.

    Tackling in space is also about individual performance. There seems to be a theme here. I hope Riley is able to look at himself and his coaches critically and not get defensive about making changes.

    Liked by 1 person

      1. We need for Riley to go into a meeting with Grinch and Grinch to come out the door afterward with a black eye like like the one Kiffin got at the Sun Bowl…

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      1. Gabby –my guess is gametv is saying SOME of our guys lack “toughness” since a lot of the fails are purely individual [great —but not only—example is #7 setting up to make the tackle …and then putting his hands out instead of body slamming Utah’s receiver]. I guess the implicit premise is that USC’s defensive coaches let players get away with this in practice.
        On the other hand nobody can claim that Caleb and Shaw lack “want to” —they were wiping blood onto their uniforms while getting ready for the next play.

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      2. Just wanted to make a distinction between a great head coach/assistant having his team mentally and physically prepared to play, and a player not making the play in the given situation.

        The coach(s) can put their players in the best situation to be successful(which overall Riley and Grinch have succeeded at)…but they can’t make the plays on the field. Perception is often quick to blame coaching when a player’s ability is being exposed.

        Liked by 1 person

      1. By losing USC has made a mess of the playoffs….
        #WeCouldaDoneTheWorldOfFootballAFavorByWinning

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    1. Let me get this straight, in your opinion, an undefeated TCU should have been left out of the CFP in place of Ohio St, had USC won……real head-scratcher there!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Not an undefeated TCU. The one loss TCU they are today. Two one loss non-conference champions named TCU and Ohio State. Guaranteed TCU would have got screwed like they did in 2014.

        Like

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