FOOTBALL

USC-Wisconsin Report Card

QUARTERBACK

Miller Moss had a poor first half with an interception and fumble but rebounded with a strong second half and even showed moxie on the touchdown run. He’s going to need better protection against Minnesota.

Grade: B-

RUNNING BACKS

After an encouraging performance against a physical Michigan defense, the running game was below average against Wisconsin. For USC’s sake, this better be an aberration.

Grade: C-

WIDE RECEIVER

Usually, the ball gets spread around pretty evenly but Ja’Kobi Lane was targeted 13 times against Wisconsin. Imagine if Duce Robinson got half that many opportunities in a game.

Grade: B

OFFENSIVE LINE

Elijah Paige and Alani Noa remained in the starting lineup and struggled for the second straight week. Lincoln Riley decided against the new lineup he used in the second half against Michigan with Tobias Raymond at tackle.

Grade: D+

DEFENSIVE LINE

Did they miss Bear Alexander? OK, that was a rhetorical question. Devan Thompkins got more time without Alexander but Kobe Pepe led the linemen with four tackles.

Grade: B-

LINEBACKER

Eric Gentry had a quieter game than against Michigan and Mason Cobb had two tackles before that pinball interception pick six at the end of the game. Easton Mascarenas-Arnold had one tackle. Pretty forgettable day overall against a vanilla offense.

Grade: C-

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Wisconsin had a backup QB but that didn’t stop the Badgers from throwing a 63-yard TD pass. In fact, receivers were open but the QB was often throwing behind the receiver.

Grade: C+

SPECIAL TEAMS

It’s become frustrating to watch Zacariah Branch return punts. It looks like no one is advising him — or are they afraid to tell him what to do? Either way, it’s been sub-par this season. The potential remains, of course, but when will we see it?

Grade: C

COACHING

One job of the coaching staff is to have the team ready to play four quarters. Can you imagine what the score might have been at halftime if USC played a good team with a real offense? The Trojans have sleep-walked through the first half the past two weeks. That’s on Sir Lincoln of Riley.

Grade: D+

27 thoughts on “USC-Wisconsin Report Card”

  3. Overall GPA of about a 2.0 No grade inflation at “Inside USC”.

    Moss was 30/45, 311 yards, 3 TD, one pick. Just a B-?

    I wonder what the grades are at “Inside Wisconsin”?

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    1. Check them out, 67. The “Inside Wisconsin” site [or whatever it’s actually called] reported today that only 9% of Wisconsin fans want to keep the present coaching staff.

      #ThatDidn’tTakeLong

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  4. Moss has his moments when he doesn’t make the smartest throws but the poor guy is constantly getting smacked. If Riley and Hanson don’t fix the OL or make some adjustments, it’s hello Maiava. At least Maiava can move and is a a threat to run.

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      1. Look at the current OL recruits for next year, not exactly inspiring. Jen is going to have to have another come to Jesus meeting with Riley about his OL coach and maybe a special teams coach.

        The question is… why does she have to do this ?

        Is he not smart enough to see that his OL is awful and his OL coach can’t recruit athletic players instead of tubs of goo ?

        Is he blind to the fact that he has a real threat on kick offs and punts who seems to be totally lost ?

        Does he not know that you can have ELEVEN players on the field for PAT’s, FG, punts ?

        Liked by 2 people

      2. He is a smart QB coach — who was smart enough to [finally!] get a smart d-coordinator.

        As for the rest:

        The answer to the “does he know his O-Line Coach is awful?” is “he thinks the results are just fine.”

        The answer to the “blind” question is “yes.”

        The answer to the “does he know about 11 players being okay on PAT’s & FG’s?” is “apparently not.”

        #He’sGrowing….

        #…ButSlowly

        #[AtLeastHe’sNotHelton—WhoIsInTalksW/GrahamHarrellToday]

        Liked by 1 person

  5. USC travels several thousand more miles to play games this season than any other team in the Big Ten…….that wear & tear is bound to show up at some point…..

    #….HopeIt’sNotThisWeekend….

    #….ItWouldSpoilTheBigShowdownWithPennState

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      1. True. NFL players do –and they’re older.

        #I’dStillLikeItIfWeWeren’tTheBigTeamW/MostTravelMiles

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      2. There is strong evidence that mood and cognition are adversely affected by jet lag. Some measures of individual and team performance are adversely affected as well.- Lee, etal.

        Liked by 1 person

      1. Good point —UCLA is putting in a ton of miles [and when they get to where they’re going ….. it’s Beaver Stadium, home of the Penn State Nittany Lions]……

        #USC-3rdMostDifficultScheduleInCountry

        #UCLA –2ndMostDifficultScheduleInCountry

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  6. How can Wisconsin fans be so fickle about Coach Fickell, he’s only been there for one season and 4 games. I guess Badgers’ fans expected him to bring over his Cincy magic

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    1. He garnered ntl’ interest when he got the Bobcats into the playoffs 3 years ago. ‘The Princess’ wooed him as did USC for head coach. His wife didn’t want to re-locate to So. California nor the pressure of So. Bend – he chose WI. He has the ability but one has to wonder his selecting Alex Grinch then again maybe Coach Fickell saw or knows something else.

      WI isn’t known to be a power house which is what may have enticed him to begin with – the challenge of transforming into such.

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  7. Paige and Noa on SC’s offensive line got replaced in the Michigan second half but were back to first-string with Wisconsin. Unfortunately SC will only go as far as those two take them

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  8. Scooter,

    I agree with mostly what you said. I did see one glamour of hope when Wisconsin had the ball on 4th and 1 and they had a two fullbacks and a te in the backfield and SC read the play and stopped them by having them lose a yard. Now, that was a GRADE A+ play by the defense. They looked good on that one.

    Scooter,

    NO mention of the perfect hit by #7 on defense. It was a perfect picutre tackle. Another GRADE A+ play.

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  9. Scott Wolf. I don’t get your grading. Typical college “intellectual” standards.

    The defensive line gets a “C” in a loss but one scrub made four tackles and they get a B- ? Huh? They made more tackles for loss against a BETTER OFFENSE!!! ON THE ROAD WITH AN INEPT HEAD COACH!!! NO TACKLES FOR LOSS AGAINST THE BADGERS!!!!

    Just stop with the suspect commentary and be more knowledgeable. That’s all I ask. A “C” grade would have been appropriate.

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  10. Scottie, why are you only able to see the negative and not the positive? Probably for the same reason that you call Lincoln “Sir Riley,” and you called Pete Carroll “Ceasar.” Do you know how insecure you seem to your readers?

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