FOOTBALL

Sunday Buzz: My USC-Missouri State Analysis

What did we just watch? A glorified scrimmage. Maybe not even that.

I said before the game not to reach too many conclusions. But that isn’t stopping the fanboys. One said USC has the best offense in the Big Ten because it scored the most points. Unbelievable.

Now back to reality.

USC so completely dominated this game that true freshman QB Husan Longstreet was 9 for 9 passing for 69 yards. One interesting stat is that half of Jayden Maiava’s completions went to Makai Lemon. Is that going to happen in a real game? In Lincoln Riley’s first three years, he didn’t do a great job getting the ball to his best playmakers.

The running game flourished especially with tailback Waymond Jordan. Will Riley commit to running the ball is closer games? He better.

The offensive line was just OK but that’s without even being pushed much by Missouri State.

Now for the defense. I have to say I didn’t really see the domination that was hinted at by some of the breathless media reports from training camp. Missouri State completed 20 of 28 passes and exposed a few holes, albeit briefly.

Imagine if USC had played Florida State or even Utah on Saturday?

Truthfully, we won’t know how to judge this defense until more than halfway through the season.

Can we talk about special teams? USC had nine men on the field for an extra point and committed several penalties. Nothing crisp about it Saturday.

  • The following players were injured and did not play:

4 Jahkeem Stewart

15 Anthony Beavers

16 Prophet Brown

21 Chasen Johnson

27 Alex Graham

45 Caden Chittenden

  • Meanwhile, it looks like Zachariah Branch has regained his speed at Georgia.
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43 thoughts on “Sunday Buzz: My USC-Missouri State Analysis”

  1. this blog has been reduced to the limp-dick sheep club….fake Gabby aka Scott, slo cal ake scott, MG aka Maui fraud, plowhorse aka manureman.

    Clown show!

    Like

    Reply

    1. KAM: Oh no, Cowardly Gabby aka Charlie Bucket the Bruin Fan is back and is bitter because her Bruins are so awful.

      Remember when Charlie Bucket told us #BruinPowerRising ?

      Charlie Bucket on May 18, 2016 at 7:04 pm said:
      WOW!!! Rosen makes the list!!!!

      what an eye-opening crotch kick to the trOXans rushing to review the list!!!! HAWR-HAWR!!!! kid’s got IT, everyone loves him!! a magazine recently posted pics of him and some swimsuit model in his dorm room HOT TUB!!!! kid’s brash and BOLD, yet humble and lovable!!! women love him, kids love him, Old people love him!!!

      oh, and where’s Maxie??? (thank goodness they didn’t put Maxie’s mug shot up!!! HOO-HOO! HAWR-HAAAAAWR!!!!

      DON: Cowardly Gabby needs to do the opposite.

      Liked by 1 person

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      3. Ha! Once again So Cal nails it.

        [btw, I tried to soften the blow by telling T. Bruins a month ago that Day One would feature one USC win & one UCLA loss]……

        P. S.

        All bruin fans need to sit in dark closets all day on October 4th and November 15th…

        #PennState&OhioState

        Liked by 1 person

  2. DON: Can you imagine how it is this morning out Alabama way?– “Come out of retirement Saban” can be heard all the way to the state line

    KAM: As Trojans were spoiled in the 2000s decade, the Crimson Tide folks got spoiled in the 2010s decade

    DON: But welcome back to reality in the 2020s

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      2. Michael, speaking of “Sybillus”, a doc friend who lives on the islands talks about awful Green is as gov, but that he was worse as an ER doc. So perhaps the silver lining is that the ER is now a safer place in paradise.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Governor Josh Green: “Hawaii is broke and cutting back on necessary services —so we’ll honor Joe Biden’s request to take in thousands of foreign “freedom fighters”….

        #…..Cuz….

        #DiversityMakesUsStronger

        [Special Note: What is especially sad about Hawaiian government is Green and Hirono are not bad or stupid people. Just the opposite. But they’re captives of the Dem Party — told what to say & do…. lacking the political might to say “shove it”]…..

        Liked by 1 person

      6. I really hope he was talking about the “disease that’s down below”….

        #WeShouldOnlyWriteAboutNiceThingsOnThisBlog

        Liked by 1 person

      8. 67,

        People who know her tell me Mazie is a smart and decent human being when not recruited by Schumer to play point person at a hearing… I’m sure she’s sick of it —but were she to say “no” all dem support [and money] would be cut off within 60 seconds….

        Liked by 1 person

  4. This type of score and opponent is what helped Oklahoma in the BCS Computer Rankings in the BCS era. Embarrassing that USC has sunk to this level of scheduling. Originally, this should have been USC versus Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss.

    Liked by 1 person

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  5. Don: The L.A Times Plaschke had this to say about ucla’s closed practices: The bruin coach “must have known what a closer look would reveal. Indeed, this could be a team worth hiding”

    KAM: Of course SC did the same thing, but they were smart enough not to schedule Utah for a first game

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  6. KAM: In July 2025, Governor Mimbo announced $101 million in funding aimed at developing low income” affordable multifamily rental housing” aka Section 8 housing in areas affected by the wildfires.

    Governor Mimbo coordinated with the Democrats in the legislature to give us Senate Bill 549, aimed to legislatively create “Resilient Rebuilding Authorities” that would allow Los Angeles County to legally purchase fire-destroyed lots and build low-income housing for bums and illegal aliens in the once-exclusive and safe community.

    DON: However, Governor Mimbo’s DEI scheme has been temporarily halted due to strong community opposition, with Pacific Palisades residents expressing concerns about it being a ” Governor Mimbo land grab.” Many residents of Pacific Palisades have voiced their opposition to the bill, arguing that decisions about rebuilding should be made locally rather than imposed by Governor Mimbo and the One Party Democrat State 500 miles away in Sacramento.

    Liked by 3 people

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    1. Spit-balling here: When a fire takes out a wide area of land and the only people catching arsonists are residents and reconstruction by those same residents is slowed to a standstill and the governor fights for a bill that allows him to do what he always wanted to do in the first place [use property tax money to build homeless shelters], you are probably correct to be suspicious.

      btw, it wouldn’t cost much to patrol high fire risk areas by drone….. but maybe, for reasons I’m too merciful to go into here, that’s not the direction Newsom wants to go.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  8. Good game balance – 24 passes, and 23 RB carries. I was shocked that Riley pulled the first team skill players after the half. It was a good decision, but one that he wouldn’t have made if Caleb was QB.

    urpriSsed to see Scott say that the running game flourished with Waymon Jordan – he had only 5 carries. Four of those carries were excellent, but still, only 5 carries. All the RBS looked good, but the o-line should have delivered more for Bryan Jackson, who at 230 pounds shouldn’t be stopped at the LOS against Mizzou state.

    It’s hard to evaluate play against an overmatched opponent, but Maiava seems to understand the offense so much better than last year.

    Five sacks, with Shelby getting two of those. And the Mizzou St. QB has been regarded as a possible NFL guy.

    So, I think this boils back down to the pressing problem that has been with USC for years – can the o-line open holes against a comparable team?

    But it was great to see so much offense. The d-line will get better when Stewart comes back.

    And the defensive backs need to figure out their assignments, too many blown coverages, which happens in a first game.

    Happy Labor Day, Trojans!

    Liked by 2 people

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  9. some truth there…but a rather overly harsh analysis and conclusion.

    Missouri state had a pretty good q/b and r/back. Below avg to avg in most other positions.

    SC was better than wolfie will admit, even SC backups performed well, showing the coaching has been done well in practices. Since no one is perfect,I expected errors ; the game was no proof of anything in particular. Heltons team will also be of no particular value either, fresno dispatched them easily.

    Good use of allowing a multitude to play the 2nd half.

    Overall I see a reason to be optimistic and a potential 9-3 yr or better.

    Liked by 2 people

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    1. Tim, good to see you brother. 9-3 is doable, given they have to play quacks, illini, and domers away.

      Mizzou St. coach talked about the “sheer size and strength” of the USC team, I don’t recall anyone making that claim in earlier years.

      Did you notice Jamaal Jarrett, number 0? He is 6’6″, listed at 360, he had a sack in which he totally destroyed the o-line. Down from 385, he does not appear to be overweight.

      Did anyone see how Tanook Hines, the true frosh starting WR, caught up with Eli Sanders on Sanders’ breakaway TD run? He ran a 10.4 100 meters, so he has nearly the same speed of Zachariah Branch, but he is much stronger than Zach at 200 pounds.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

      1. More A. I. Answers: “Based on it’s showing against Missouri State USC will go 12-0 in the regular season. 73 is a crapload of points….more than any other Big 10 Team scored this weekend….”

        #A.I.Qualifier: “A.I. is completely incapable of interpreting the significance of one game score vs. another.”

        Liked by 1 person

      2. I agree, probably going to need the ‘D line big boys ready to go after the hellton massacre. R/back position looks speedy and strong ,even a tight end involvement this year,and q/b’s that can move.

        Liked by 1 person

  10. DON: Can’t wait for Wolfie’s grades to come out– Maiava A-, Running Backs B+, Offensive line C+, Defensive Line C+, linebackers C and Secondary C- and Coaching D+

    KAM: You know Wolf, he marks down one whole grade more than anybody else

    Liked by 2 people

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    1. John, looks pretty accurate for a Scott report card. He might go “A” for QB, “A-” for RB, a B- for the D-line, maybe a “C” for coaching. There didn’t seem to be any major screwups.

      Liked by 1 person

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  11. DON: And wasn’t that smart of ‘Ton-o-Hel’ to instruct his team to lay down in the Fresno St game. He is only interested in SC

    KAM: I don’t know, losing to Fresno St 6-2 in touchdown or 42-14 doesn’t seem the way to go

    Liked by 2 people

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      1. I just did a Google A. I. Deep Dive: “An “F’ grade is, by definition, the lowest grade that can be awarded in any test performance. However, if one were poetically inclined it might be satisfying to award a grade lower than “F” for entertainment purposes.”

        Liked by 1 person

      2. ….I’m toying with the idea of starting up my own A. I. service….

        #MyOnlySubscriberWouldBeSybil….

        #He/SheWouldAskMeQuestionsJustToGetMadOverTheAnswers

        Like

      3. For some reason, the moderator killed my last post when I mentioned the name of a firm providing AI apps. Is Ed. G the moderator?

        Liked by 1 person

      4. We would only know the answer to that question if the moderator had the responsibility of providing a written rationale for censoring a post……

        #…ThenItWouldBeWorthCensorship….

        #…JustToHearEd’sAnswers

        Liked by 1 person

  13. Helton to Georgia Southern fan base: “No worries…I lost the Fresno game on purpose —it’s part of my grand plan…”

    #TheFunnyThingIs…

    #…JohnIsProbablyRight….

    #HeltonProbablyDidTellTheTeam…

    #DirectlyOrIndirectly…

    #…ToRestUpForNextSaturday

    Liked by 1 person

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