FOOTBALL

A Key USC Stat Has Changed Dramatically

One thing I wrote about several times was how hard it would be for USC to replicate last year’s turnover margin, which was +1.5 for the season.

Let’s check USC’s turnover margin through seven games:

2022 +15

2023 -1

It was always sort of an articifical stat last season because the Trojans had miraculous luck with only two lost fumbles in 14 games. But the defense also intercepted 19 passes. So far this season, the defense has four interceptions in seven games.

And remember how much we were told the defense would be better this season?

22 thoughts on “A Key USC Stat Has Changed Dramatically”

  2. No sadder proof can be given by a man of his own littleness
    than his incessant cry against men of greater value than he

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      1. Well, for starters Wiley went to 3 “Final-4s” albeit losing them
        And then he turned around the Ton-o-Hel ‘Great Pumpkin’ in one season

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  3. It is true that last year’s defensive ‘take-aways’ would not be replicated
    That was a remarkable sequence of events

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  4. Last season was definitely an anomaly as far as turnover margin. That being said, there is nothing like getting embarrassed to realize that you have some serious issues that need to be corrected. The one thing that has come out of the N.D. debacle is the fact that many of the analysts/pundits have stated that USC was not ready to play, and it sure as hell looked like it. That is all on CLR and nobody else. I fully expect USC to come out and play much better against Utah than they did against ND. Utah will be a mirror image of ND as far as their offense, but they could also be a nightmare for the USC offensive line to deal with.

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    1. But 162 doesn’t think his team has any problems or did you miss his whiney BS about how the defense was fine

      SC may be flat as shit Saturday, Utah is physical and you just saw how SC did against a physical team

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    2. 100% correct- their defensive scheme will bother CW all game long- and more than likely- he’ll get hurt trying to extend plays because the O line is crap. They should play better- but LR’s stubbornness to allow CW to always want the home run versus methodically taking teams apart may prevent that.

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  5. SC was not ready to play, huh, well 3 quick interceptions by Celeb sealed its fate

    But never fear the UHA game is near sans its fine quarterback with SC a 5-point fav

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  6. And let us not forget SC was an underdog at Notre Dame, it figured they would lose to an ‘Up against the Wall” ND team coupled with the usual vagrancies of that stadium whenever SC appears

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  7. Hello , fans , how about the nuckel heads for west virginia who tried catching that lob pass by houston ! both dark skin types instead of just batting the ball down ! i guess there are many of these in sports the simple reason for that there just dumb and ignorant and easy to make fools ! the drunken bumb coach of houston enjoyed that fluke play ! What garbage that game was !!!! Regards , E.

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  8. It’s not complicated. If you review tape for let’s say the last 10 cfb national champions, the formula is quite clear. Yes a solid, productive offense, based on a power running game and efficient even advanced passing game. Some misdirection to throw off the scouting reports. A hard hitting fundamentally sound defense. Gap control, downhill linebackers, a few perfected and highly practiced coverages. Of course it takes good to great players. How? You demonstrate to the “high school” kids you’re competent, balanced, and not single focused. You disallow discussions in the recruits living rooms by competing coaches that you’re a gimmick coach who is more Texas Tech than Georgia. If LR turns this season into a development season, one whereas it’s not only the players who become more focused, but for LR to prove he’s transformative, not the second coming of the Pirate sitting in a blue blood program. Yes, we need better assistant coaches. AD Jen, time to do your job and earn your keep.

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  9. Really It’s not complicated. If you review tape for let’s say the last 10 cfb national champions, the formula is quite clear. Yes a solid, productive offense, based on a power running game and efficient even advanced passing game. Some misdirection to throw off the scouting reports. A hard hitting fundamentally sound defense. Gap control, downhill linebackers, a few perfected and highly practiced coverages. Of course it takes good to great players. How? You demonstrate to the “high school” kids you’re competent, balanced, and not single focused. You disallow discussions in the recruits living rooms by competing coaches that you’re a gimmick coach who is more Texas Tech than Georgia. If LR turns this season into a development season, one whereas it’s not only the players who become more focused, but for LR to prove he’s transformative, not the second coming of the Pirate sitting in a blue blood program. Yes, we need better assistant coaches. AD Jen, time to do your job and earn your keep.

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  10. What the hell was the deal with Caleb and Riley using up every last second on every play? They allowed ND to substitute at will…and keep fresh legs on the field at all times. A high school coach knows better.

    To counteract the rush they should have played fast and taken what ND would give them (i.e. a two minute offense). At least doing that-they’d have a chance to tire out the ND defense. The one time they did that the ND coach had to call a time out-or be offsides.

    This would work, if the offensive line could block anyone. Which also didn’t happen.

    The University of Slow play Calling is a dumpster fire right now.

    I have to remind myself, it’s only a game…

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