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Sunday Buzz: USC-Utah State Analysis

I don’t want to say last night was glorified scrimmage but . . . last night was a glorified scrimmage.

That’s not to say good things cannot be accomplished. It just means USC players were not exactly getting pushed against a clearly inferior opponent.

Did we learn anything? No. 2 tailback Quinten Joyner had some flashes. Backup QB Jayden Maiava showed he would be comfortable if he needed to take over the offense.

The linebackers made plays and defensive line looked strong for the second straight game.

There was a play where Miller Moss nearly had a pick six but the ball went through the Utah State player’s fingers. I said last week that it feels like Moss has a pick-six moment in him each game but so far it hasn’t happened

Otherwise, Moss enjoyed a strong performance.

A lot of people played and got some experience, which is a good thing heading into the Michigan game.

BEAR ALEXANDER

Would it have been if the defensive tackle actually transferred last spring? He didn’t really get into the game until the reserves and freshmen were inserted in the second half.

Whatever he is doing in practices is not impressing the coaches. Lincoln Riley tried to say he is inexperienced but this is his third year of college. At this point, do you think Georgia coaches have a “told-you-so attitude” about Alexander?

The hype is so real that even last night there were tweets like this that claimed Alexander is a starter. Gavin Meyer has started the first two games.

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  • One other thing: The power blackout was an embarrassment. Imagine if USC played Penn State or Nebraska last night and this happened? It would have been a disaster.

Can’t blame it on the Coliseum commission or someone else. USC runs the Coliseum. It’s on them.

  • USC received a commitment from outside linebacker Ty Jackson of Loxahatchee, Fla. He is rated the No. 1 linebacker by On3. Rivals rates him the No. 16 outside linebacker.

28 thoughts on “Sunday Buzz: USC-Utah State Analysis”

  2. Moss also got picked on a bubble screen. Don’t like the play. Cornerbacks have learned to defend it much better by playing tighter and blowing up the play before the second receiver can make a block. USC defends the play well too.

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      2. “Bear, I don’t like how Lincoln is treating you…. have you ever thought about being a beautiful middle aged woman’s “pool boy”…..?

        #”TheDesignationIsKindaAMisnomer….

        #….InTheSenseItDoesn’tReallyInvolveAPool”

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  4. So On3 has Jackson as the No. 1 linebacker but he is No. 16 on Rivals. That’s a big difference. Any clue as to why? Is he considered too small for a linebacker by Rivals? Too slow to move to safety? Heard the kid is a tackling machine.

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    1. Saw some video of him. He’ll have to get bigger to play OLB, he is fast and hits like a truck, could be a Safety in college

      He also has to sign, long way to go

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  5. Probably would have never thunk it at the beginning of the season, but it is likely USC goes into “The Big House” favored to beat Michigan. The running game looked good, and it seems almost everyone suited up was able to get some real game experience.

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    1. ….and not to be outdone the USAToday coaches poll
      1. GA
      2, OH St.
      3. TX
      4. AL
      5. MS
      6. OR
      7. PA St.
      8. MO
      9. TN
      10. UT
      11. USC

      defeat MI 2 weeks hence and, save for PA St., looks like we’ll be off to the races

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      1. It would certainly seem so —-but you never know when a Nebraska or a Wisconsin is gonna rise to the occasion & play over their heads for an hour……

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  7. how’bout a brown out…the heat wave arrived and the electric grid over heated too

    I thought SC dominated a decent team, not a good team ,just decent. Moss made a couple unwise throws,and I don’t know why he does not see them that way…I did.

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    1. Miller is listed at 6’2″, he might be closer to 6’…

      The good news is that he is just 3 starts in, so hopefully additional upside to decision making with more experience.

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  8. Harvey Hyde made note of the change to be seen last night by what he witnessed in years past – players uniforms overall identical. Defense squads when offense replaced them, gathered into three separate groups – linemen, secondary back field – each in a ‘tent’ with their coaches to go over what they just saw and what to prepare for next series.

    Compare that with Grinch’s desperate emotional gesticulations all to no avail i.e. players looking elsewhere or way back Poindexter to Clancy Prendergast’s ‘whatever’ under Gollee Heltonska Chevrolet.

    Riley manned up and also is using his running backs and has finally ‘broken’ from Leach’s ‘…one offense to find them and in the chaos bind them…’ mindset.

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  9. So Oregon in No. 6 in one poll and No. 9 in another. Exactly what have they done in the last two games to warrant that rating.

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  10. Pingback: USC Morning Buzz: I’m Back From Michigan With Plenty To Say – InsideUSC with Scott Wolf

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