FOOTBALL

USC Morning Buzz: Are Right Players Getting The Ball?

Lincoln Riley, the offensive genius, right?

How does Zacariah Branch get one touch on offense vs. Cal?

One thing I don’t understand the past 2 years is how the best players don’t get the ball enough in Riley’s offense? Jordan Addison wins the Biletnikoff Award with 100 receptions and catches 59 the following season at USC.

Now it’s obviously better to have balance. But how many times last season did it seem like the ball was going to Mario Williams? I’d have preferred more touches for Addison.

People keep saying Branch is a transformative player. So why he isn’t he getting more touches? He’s the breakaway threat in the offense. If he gets 10 touches, what are the odds he breaks one?

Maybe Cal was geared to stop Branch. So why not run some screens or reverses for Branch. Riley should be able to figure it out.

  • With the passing of Bob Knight, here’s a story: Former USC basketball Bob Boyd was close friends with Knight.

Many times, when I spoke to Boyd, he would relay that Knight was not fond of John Wooden.

“You know (Knight) says Wooden stole the Pyramid of Success from a high school coach in Indiana,” Boyd would often say.

50 thoughts on “USC Morning Buzz: Are Right Players Getting The Ball?”

  2. My wife who went to St. John’s in New York still laments how Lew Alcindor changed his mind about going to her school and instead went out West

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  3. The last time I paid any attention to Indiana ex-coach Bob Knight was when I read how some IU student rudely said, “Hello Knight,” and Knight then turned on the kid

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  4. Bobby Knight was referring to Wooden’s high-school coach at
    Martinsville, Indiana, Glenn M. Curtis. Glenn Curtis used what he called “A Ladder of Achievement” which was a ladder with six rungs on an old cardboard poster which he used to motivate his players to improve their play.

    Wooden incorporated five of the seven points from Curtis’ Ladder in his Pyramid of Success. A key difference between Wooden’s Pyramid and Curtis’ Ladder was their
    definition of success. Also Wooden wanted something “more comprehensive” and illustrative than Curtis’ ladder idea.

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    1. Wooden was a craven coward – proof was his successor Gene Bartow confronting Gilbert. Gilbert threatened his (Bartow’s) life. All knew Gilbert was a definite threat to anyone’s existence – he was a violent individual. Bartow goes to the other con artist JD Morgan who then acts the ‘mediator’ and the LA Times, CBS and the NCAA all denied any corruption but then all aimed, by Wooden’s pointing, at Tarkanian.

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  5. Knight confronted Wooden over the Sam Gilbert mess. Wooden purportedly told Knight he could not control Gilbert and that was not acceptable to Knight. He lost respect for Wooden. Say what you will about Knight’s cantankerous personality, he knew basketball and played by the rules. Only recruited real students and made sure his boys attended class and graduated. He also helped them throughout their lives and even assisted Landon Turner for years following his tragic auto accident that resulted in paralysis.

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    1. Knight once told his players this when they were going to play a team that Knight knew was cheating ” The men we play against tonight might drive better cars than you, but you’re better men than they are. “

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  6. Agree with Scott on Zachariah Branch. Reilly needs to have a whole set of plays designed to isolate him in space. Branch should get at least 10 touches a game. I thought he was perhaps waiting for the Notre Dame game to unveil his special offensive sets but that time has come and gone. Get your most explosive player the ball!

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  7. Scooter,

    We all know that Wooden was a bum coach until Gilbert started paying for the players. He had coached at ugly from the 40’s and was a medicore coach who did not win a thing until ’64 when the players were bought.

    I am hoping and prayng that Knight is throwing chairs at that maggot Wooden in heaven. Yes Knight could be abrasive, however he coached and taught with interegity.

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      5. asswipe, how could Wooden who said he taught his pro players, eer the ruins to tie their shoes and when asked about the new cars, the abortions, the apts, the new clothes, and money in their and his reply was, I don’t know, you can take that answer with you and have Nellie, his wife put on her strap on and drill you like she does to Johnny and both of you screaming, Nellie do it again.

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      6. What the fuck are you trying to say you senile sack of shit…go fuck yourself with your old lady’s rubber toy……don’t forget the KY!

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    2. A shame the Village Idiot didn’t have a decent upbringing. No one who did would find enjoyment in antagonizing people the way she does.

      It’s a shame she refuses to get the help she so desperately needs and so many have suggested. But she’ll lie about that, as usual.

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      1. This is an issue between you and Gabby. Stop bringing other names into it. If you are truly a “man” then you need to make the same perverted comments to his face. You talk the talk now walk the walk and meet him, or you need to call yourself a pussy who hides behind his keyboard. This has gone on far too long. Test Gabby and see if he’s actually a “wuss”.

        Go ahead, make up some more lame reasons to get out of it. You’re nothing but a little instigator, with the Napoleon complex…..embarrassing

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      2. I have never seen anyone on any blog —sports or political —go so far out of his way to alienate everyone else 24/7 than Zero Football IQ Charlie Bucket the UCLA Fan aka Cowardly Gabby/TebowObama. It’s like he is paid to come here.

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      4. I take great pleasure in slapping a limp-dick MAGAT around……feel special!

        I only fuck with the MAGATs …….dipshit……..

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      5. It was so fun destroying Zero Football IQ Charlie Bucket the UCLA Fan aka Cowardly Gabby/TebowObama last night. love the smell of napalmed Zero Football IQ Charlie Bucket the UCLA Fan aka Cowardly Gabby/TebowObama in the morning.

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      6. It was so fun destroying Zero Football IQ gotroy22 the UCLA Fan aka Cowardly Gabby/TebowObama last night. love the smell of napalmed Zero Football IQ gotroy22 the UCLA Fan aka Cowardly Gabby/TebowObama in the morning.

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      10. This is an issue between you and Gabby. Stop bringing other names into it. If you are truly a “man” then you need to make the same perverted comments to his face. You talk the talk now walk the walk and meet him, or you need to call yourself a pussy who hides behind his keyboard. This has gone on far too long. Test Gabby and see if he’s actually a “wuss”.

        Go ahead, make up some more lame reasons to get out of it. You’re nothing but a little instigator, with the Napoleon complex…..embarrassing

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    1. Little Lincoln?…… is that your old lady’s nickname for the pimple between your legs….ouch!…… you have to pee through it to find it…..same problem gotroll and slo pa-troll have

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      1. Zero Football IQ Charlie Bucket the UCLA Fan aka Cowardly Gabby/TebowObama, it’s nice when somebody resolves all doubt about their mental health & straight out declares they’re a sociopath….

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  9. Scooter,

    It seems that Riley is nothing but another Helton. He plays his favorites and then just keep going to them, even if they aren’t the best on the field. I am hoping that Riley takes the Raider job. Get a coach in here that knows how to run a team instead of being an ocordinator and pretending to be a head coach.

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      3. Budda,

        I think NE would be a better fit. The current coach has been there for so long. I think the owner would be enamored with Riley on what he could do for the qb. the owner misses Brady and he wants another qb like that and he will think riley can make one like Brady. Just a thought out there.

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      4. You senile troll one is going to hire Riley in the NFL……the shit you post is comical!

        Get a fresh diaper on and take your geritol

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      1. Here’s a simple solution, Zero Football IQ Charlie Bucket the UCLA Fan aka Cowardly Gabby/TebowObama, don’t read his posts, don’t respond to his posts, and take plow’s advice. Problem solved. Prove to yourself you have the inter-tolerance to not take the bait. Challenge yourself….I am watching!

        PS…You’re still my favorite circus act, …just saying!

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      2. Here’s a simple solution, Zero Football IQ gotroy22 the UCLA Fan aka Cowardly Gabby/TebowObama, don’t read his posts, don’t respond to his posts, and take plow’s advice. Problem solved. Prove to yourself you have the inter-tolerance to not take the bait. Challenge yourself….I am watching!

        PS…You’re still my favorite circus act, …just saying!

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  11. The reason blue states are blue is because they’re holding their breath waiting for a real candidate to appear. The reason red states are red is because they’re embarrassed that their candidate fell down a flight of stairs while asking what day of the week it was.
    Now can I talk about football?
    Riley uses players as decoys according to the amount of press the decoys receive before a game. First lull the opponent into believing the receiver is a decoy, then hit the receiver in the open field.
    As far as Mario Williams goes, he’s a decoy in the same way as a duck decoy. He has a wooden head and pillow feathers. When he catches the ball he runs the wrong way. When needs to catch the ball he drops it. When he needs to go out of bounds he heads towards the middle. I can understand why negative Scott loves the guy.

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  12. It seems both of the Riley brothers are having a difficult year. Not sure either one of them is a genius.

    Seems to me that half the coaches in the country could do better with these players. Marshawn is the player that they need to build an offense around. Give him 20 touches a game, including passes. He could have amazing stats if they used him right. Marshawn and Zach could combine for 30 touches a game and really stretch defenses.

    Throw Duce on the field and stretch it vertically a 3-5 times a game to keep defenses on their back foot.

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    1. Very good suggestions Gametv. This seems so obvious. Why Reilly is not doing it is a mystery. He called great games when he had Baker Mayfield at Oklahoma. That offense was unstoppable- always in rhythm and keeping the defense off balanced.

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