FOOTBALL

USC-Minnesota Report Card

QUARTERBACK

I really don’t get why the QB guru doesn’t see the need to install some packages with Jayden Maiava. This doesn’t mean you replace Miller Moss. It means you make the offense more dangerous by having a mobile QB who can run or pass in certain situations, instead of allowing defenses to just tee off on Moss, who is pretty much stuck in the pocket.

Grade: D+

RUNNING BACKS

Woody Marks is the offensive MVP. He runs the ball, he catches the ball and he blocks. Plus he is tough. Maybe it’s time to use him like Ricky Bell or Marcus Allen.

Grade: A-

WIDE RECEIVER

Are the receivers underachieving? Does Zacariah Branch not like being double-teamed? Is there just not enough time for the quarterback to find the receivers? The bottom line is there not enough production here.

Grade: C

OFFENSIVE LINE

I’m not buying the spin that the line only allowed five pressures during the game. The offensive line was often horrible and let’s be clear here: USC wasn’t playing Michigan! They did much better in the run game but that’s less impactful when you have the smug clown calling plays.

Grade: C-

DEFENSIVE LINE

The way Minnesota’s offensive line won the line of scrimmage was a textbook example of an offense playing with purpose and knowing more about what it wanted to do than the defensive front 7. And it started with the D-line.

Grade: D+

LINEBACKER

There were 25 tackles made by this group but how many were after good gains for Minnesota? They were also part of the 15 missed tackles.

Grade: C-

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Minnesota passed for only 169 yards but when it needed a pass play, it always got one. USC starts two seniors at corner and doesn’t have an interception from its secondary this season. That’s one reason USC is ranked 96th in turnover margin.

Grade: D

SPECIAL TEAMS

How about kicker Michael Lantz lining up for a 49-yard field goal and then he has to kick a 54-yarder because a false start?

But the real issue here is that Zacariah Branch doesn’t seem to know when to return a kick or punt. Teams are punting away from him. News flash. But he has returned seven punts this season and the longest return is 8 yards.

Grade: C-

COACHING

What does it take for the genius to get his team ready to play at the opening kickoff and not need a half to get going? Why is his playbook so conservative? If he doesn’t trust his line, receivers or QB, modify the plays. Why doesn’t the QB guru want to make the most out of the position with multiple looks?

And . . . will you be able to play against Big Boy football at any point this season?

USC has a false prophet at coach. Think back to all the offseason comments about change, hunger and new philsophy. Zzzzzz.

Grade: F

42 thoughts on “USC-Minnesota Report Card”

  1. Wow, I think I agree with everything Wolfie said. Please, don’t think less of me. The lack of awareness on LR’s part to fix things or make adjustments is probably the most disturbing thing of all. He’s stubborn to the point of it being a major character flaw.

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    1. I just looked at the roster. Riley can’t fix things. He doesn’t have the players. He was relying on Gentry on defense….. and there is no “next man up.” And Henson might be an okay O-Line coach —but —he can’t recruit. There isn’t enough talent at USC to “fix” the o-line problem.

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      1. This isn’t 1985 when you had to recruit players to fix a team, there’s the portal and Riley didn’t get ONE OL to fix his mess up front.

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      2. As far as I know—even with today’s portal —- a player still gets to say “I don’t want to be coached by Josh Hanson.”

        #”IGuessI’llJustGoToGeorgiaInstead”

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      3. Very true Michael- I just wish we could waive a magic wand and all of sudden LR and staff would become high level recruiters. It’s shameful when you see all the talent going to the O while we get the occasional scrap. The fact that LR sticks with Henson is criminal

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      4. Yep. Riley had a chance when he got rid of Grinch to get all the dirty work outta the way in one fell swoop……but he decided to bring 50% of the stench with him into this season [and I’m not referring to Hanson’s coaching ability —-people in the know say he’s an above average coach —I’m referring to the fact he isn’t drawing top players into the program….and it’s crippling the offense]……

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    1. I think you might be mostly right on this one, Yesterday. Not completely. But mostly.

      “I say I made you……so you say you made me. How childish can you get?”

      —The Joker To Batman

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  6. On a serious note:

    I think USC will play it’s best game of the year on offense……

    …or…..

    …Henson will be “retired” on Monday….

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      3. Thank you for the most gentle and gentlemanly correction. Hope “someone” learns that’s a possibility…..

        #…InsteadOf”YouFool!HAHAHA!”

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  8. SC football is a collection of problems starting with its late start in the ‘NIL derby’ by losing recruits to higher paying colleges

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    1. We can’t ignore the fact that Henson almost never lands the guys he wants…..for some reason 4 and 5 star players don’t want to be coached by him…..

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    1. …and the one foot T. D. call didn’t meet review standards — the film didn’t constitute “indisputable evidence that call on the field was incorrect”….

      #SoRileyShouldActuallySay…

      #..”We’reOnePlayAndOneLawsuitFromBeingUndefeated”….

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      1. There was no indisputable evidence available on the one-foot ‘touchdown,’ they went by how his head and shoulders had crossed the plane presumably with the ball, but there was no ball in the video. It was a home grown call

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      2. …which —as the new kid on the Big Ten block —we can expect plenty more of…. [just like we could expect to get screwed by last year’s Pac 12 refs for putting them outta work]….

        #ItMustBeFrustratingFotRiley

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  14. Another fishy thing about “The Call” for a touchdown was how the referee went over to Minnesota’s Coach and told him before it was announced that it was ruled a touchdownn, and that the Coach kept asking him “Is it really a touchdown?” Oh, and the Coach said that he and that ref go back a long way

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      1. Hard to believe — but you’re right. The absence of a single player is sinking the defense’s ability to shut down the run. [The situation reminds me of Helton’s offense depending on Drake London to catch jump balls—when he got hurt the season was over]….

        #….NotWhatYouCallImaginative,GetItDoneCoaching

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