FOOTBALL

Morning Buzz: This Is Where USC’s Season Will Be Determined

I’ve been putting together a USC depth chart since the end of spring football and here is where I think USC has a “concern.”

This might not be exactly the way it ends up in the fall but this is the general corps of players. And remember, teams cannot add transfers this summer.

My issue: How many proven performers do you see in the back seven of the defense? How many bona-fide impact players? There are a lot of players with potential but who can you definitely say he is someone that will impact games in a positive way? Is this a College Football Playoff defense?

I think the defensive line looks better and I will show that later. But right now, I feel like USC’s season will depend on how this group of players develops.

LB/Desman Stephens/Sr./Deven Bryant, Jr.

LB/Jadyn Walker/So./Elijah Newby, So.

CB/Marcelles Williams/Jr./Prophet Brown, Sr.

CB/Jontez Williams/Sr../Elbert Hill, Fr.

CB/Alex Graham/Fr./RJ Sermons, Fr.

SS/Kennedy Urlacher/Jr../Madden Riordan, Fr.

FS/Christian Pierce/Sr./Kendarius Reddick. So.

29 thoughts on “Morning Buzz: This Is Where USC’s Season Will Be Determined”

  1. Scott, your assessment is good. You are so right about the unknown until they prove themselves. That is why we need the three non-conference games at the beginning of the season, not in the middle or end of the season. Fight on, Dan, Class of 1962

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      1. KAM: It worked so well last year… we opened with lowly Mizzou St and Hugs team…

        DON: But eventually reality reared it’s ugly head….

        Liked by 2 people

  2. 15 starters are back. D-line should be infinitely better. That will make the linebackers better by controlling the LOS. Patterson was quoted as saying that the size, speed, strength, and quickness of the LBs was excellent. He is a guy who has a great track record in molding a defense. My concern is whether they can learn his scheme adequately (and this is where the LBs are key in reacting to read-options) before the team faces tough competition.

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    1. I know Rutgers won’t be a cakewalk …but… I wish that were the game we played on Friday….just to give us an extra day for Oregon….

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      1. If Rutgers is a tough game, they went 5-7 last year with wins coming against Ohio, Miami of Ohio, Norfolk St, Purdue and Maryland .

        If Sir Lincoln of The Fetal Position can’t beat Rutgers, or if the game is even close, he could have 27 days to prepare for Oregon and it wouldn’t matter.

        Liked by 2 people

      3. The fools at Rutgers play their home games at their campus stadium – SHI Stadium – Piscataway, NJ ‘instead’ of ‘leasing out’ MetLife. SHI capacity is 52,500. The distance btwn the two is 35 miles.

        Playing this game at MetLife would have been a great financial gain for Rutgers – 8 miles from mid-town Manhattan (Times Square)!

        The next closest FBS school is West Point – this would have been a great place to bring in recruits for Rutgers – where the Giants/Jets play pro ball right next to NYC.

        I’ll tell you who is at risk losing is ‘the princess’ – Luke Fickell is in trouble who ‘was’ a solid looking coach 4 years ago when WI hired him. Come 6th Sept. he isn’t about to ‘roll over’ for the Irish any more than Belichick will @ NC on 3rd October.

        USC will not lose any games prior to facing OR

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  3. Scooter,

    SC used to be known as lber U. You had Woods, Young, Banks, Mathews’, Seau, claborne, Rucker and many others. They had to wait their turn to play. Now, there is an inadqucey at lber due to Riley and his clown ways. It will take a year for the lbers to learn and for the recruits to learn and get up to speed. SC misses the playoffs due to not being prepard by having the talent and coaching prior to this year.

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      2. It’s called “want to”….

        #PattersonDefensesAreKnownFor”WantTo”…..

        #[Yes,IKnowHeLostPlentyBeforeHeGot”Retired”…

        #…ButHeWasn’tGettingBeatCuzAGuyWentThru7Tackles..

        #…With35SecondsLeftInRegulation…

        #…ToScoreTheWinningT.D.AgainstHim]

        Liked by 1 person

    2. They’ll make the playoffs – while acknowledging the ineptitude of Grinch as DC too many ignore the ‘dump’ that Helton created in his 5 years as head coach. It was his lousy coaching staff that made recruits flee from going to USC.

      This is a great great year a comin’!

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  4. it’s no wonder the dummies have been reminiscing so hard lately, what with this untested crew and a rough and tumble schedule ahead!! i’ve heard many teams have what they call a “Spring Game” to help assess where the team is at especially in areas of concern…oh that’s right the Greta Garbo of coaching, Lil’ Lord Riley, doesn’t want that kind of exposure!!

    on the bright side, there is actual enthusiasm over in Westwood, where Coach Chesney is creating quite a buzz with his recruiting prowess!! half of our team will be newcomers carefully picked from winning programs!!

    #MyPrediction: PAAAAAAIN!!!

    Liked by 2 people

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      1. i wonder what recruits/parents think when checking in on the Yesterday U blogs, all the angst and negativity towards the Head Coach?? meanwhile over in Westwood, Chesney radiates Goodness and Light!! i’ll say this, Chesney has the look and the sound of a winner, but so did NewHassle, but at least Chesney brought his best players with him to Westwood!!

        #AppreciateYourMercifulness

        Liked by 2 people

      2. Charlie —I agree with much of what you think about your new coach — and I agree also with Karma’s prediction [he’ll leave UCLA ASAP after he turns things around]….my fear is he might beat us a couple of times before that happens…..

        Liked by 1 person

    2. Chesney will get things going and then dump your sorry butts for the SEC, then you’ll be back to being what you are, a women’s sports school.

      BTW Chuck, pleas stop posting pics of that so called woman softball player ucla has, it’s nauseating.

      Liked by 4 people

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      2. i thought the Buddha represented enlightenment, inner peace and compassion???

        People, we got us a bogus Buddha!! attacking the looks of young women athletes?? leave it to a Silver Spooner trOJie. despicable.

        #InstantKarma’sGonnaGetYou

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  6. The nose tackle, middle linebacker, and safety are keys to creating a physical defense . Just like in baseball- catcher, pitcher, shortstop, and center fielder are keys to a defense up the middle.

    USC has not had a great nose tackle since Mike Patterson, and earlier Williard Scott, and Rich Dimler.

    The middle linebackers set the tone for the defense being physical. USC has not had a great middle linebacker who could cover the field since Richard Wood, and Ricki Ellison.

    The safety is your center field. He also must come up and make physical plays in front of him like Lott, and Dennis Smith. We had not had a physical safety since those two and Artimus Parker.

    Bottom line to become a great defense USC must be physical in the center of the field- nose tackle, linebacker, and safety otherwise agood Big 10 team will wear your down to nothing in the 4th qtr. and win the football game.

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  7. The nose tackle, middle linebacker, and safety are keys to creating a physical defense . Just like in baseball- catcher, pitcher, shortstop, and center fielder are keys to a defense up the middle.

    USC has not had a great nose tackle since Mike Patterson, and earlier Williard Scott, and Rich Dimler.

    The middle linebackers set the tone for the defense being physical. USC has not had a great middle linebacker who could cover the field since Richard Wood, and Ricki Ellison.

    The safety is your center field. He also must come up and make physical plays in front of him like Lott, and Dennis Smith. We had not had a physical safety since those two and Artimus Parker.

    Bottom line to become a great defense USC must be physical in the center of the field- nose tackle, linebacker, and safety otherwise agood Big 10 team will wear your down to nothing in the 4th qtr. and win the football game.

    Like

    Reply

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