Where Have All The Interceptions Gone?

USC had a banner season in terms of turnovers with 19 interceptions last season.

But here’s a conundrum. Even though there is more passing than ever in college football, the interception totals are nothing compared to USC defenses in the mid-1970’s.

  • Two-time All-American Dennis Thurman intercepted passes in seven straight games. And 13 overall in his career. He was a consensus All-American in 1976 and unanimous All-American in 1977.
  • Safety Charles Phillips intercepted 13 passes in his career and was an All-American in 1974.
  • Safety Artimus Parker intercepted a school-record 20 passes and was an All-American in 1973.
  • The great Ronnie Lott led the nation with 8 interceptions in 1980 and had 14 in his career.
  • Defensive back Danny Reece, an all-Pac-8 player in 1974 and 1975, had 18 career interceptions.
  • Dennis Smith, another USC great, wasn’t an All-American (somehow) but had 16 career interceptions.

If you look at the career USC interception leaders, of the top 26 players, the only one from the past 25 years on the list is Dion Bailey, whose last season was 2014.

I asked a Pac-12 coach why no one in the past 20 years makes the list?

“I don’t know, maybe it’s because of social media,” he said. “There’s more fear of failure today because of social media. The players in the past didn’t have to deal with it.”

27 thoughts on “Where Have All The Interceptions Gone?

  1. Lincoln Riley and I had a conversation about interceptions last night. I gave him some advice, because I’m knowledgeable about everything that has to do with college football, just ask me.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Do you have any experience with stinky dildos socal’s old lady is about to throw her dildo away because it reminds her of the blog idiot’s rotten asshole any help should be passed on to socal

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      1. #…….I’mHereToChewPeopleOut…#…SoStopBeingAFakeImposterOrLawyerJohnAndMyselfWillChewYouOut😜

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      2. Fake Gabby has experience with straightjackets and shock treatments. Sadly only a frontal lobotomy can reduce her danger to society.

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  2. my scotty is such a village idiot when it comes to football just like my little bitch socal he fails to realize the majority of passes in college football at the D1 level are outside the hash marks to keep the ball away from defenders and when the QB is in the shotgun the ball comes out quick with less pressure in his face and more time to make an accurate pass it’s really pathetic that we have such a dunce managing this blog

    Any “real” coach could have explained this to my scotty

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    1. Wait a minute….. I’m a imposter too.. lol 😂 I’m amazed at how stupid I am, I should go Jack off to EdG’s picture just to relieve some stress

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      1. according to Michael i have to take counter punches to be able to post on Scotty’s shit show I had no idea what they were called I thought it was socal or fake gabby tapping me I see why his old lady took his balls away

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      2. It’s a waste of to try to help Fake Gabby. Joe Walsh was inspired by his encounter with Fake Gabby to make this album:

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  3. She might be little, but she did a great job of pushing that drunken fool Gabby out of the shot!

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  4. That was a pretty cool move by that cute commentator

    Well, all those SC players named above were All-Americans and
    ball-thieves, and the Trojans have not had that kind of caliber player in recent years. Social media and the fear of failure has nothing to do with it

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  5. QB’s are significantly better now. It’s not even close. It has zero to do with social media, that’s stupid. QB’s go to camps when they are 10, they play 7 on 7, regular seasons, and train year round. There’s your answer.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Thank you Mrs, and don’t forget the athletic ability of receivers is probably greater now than 40-50 years ago. With better training, coaching, and year round programs they never stop training.

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  6. A Pac 12 coach is blaming a change in the way the game is played because of social media?

    This is a coach? “Hey, coach, why is scoring up in college football?”
    Pac-12 Coach: “I dunno. Social media?”

    Jebus H. Christ. That is an aggressively stupid comment.

    I guess what they say is true: Those who can’t do, teach. Those who can’t teach, coach.

    Liked by 1 person

  7. Maybe the athletes are better at wide receiver than cornerbacks and safeties? More five receivers out and mobile quarterbacks as well? Social media?

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  8. Scooter,

    DB coaching is not as good right now at SC. qb’s are much more accurate than past year, pass rush from SC is not good. that puts pressue on the qb to throw bad balls. Quality of athletic db’s are not in SC’s backfield right now. just a few reasons.

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