FOOTBALL

USC Notes: A Word About Player Development

Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) in talks with USC for possible post-Senate job according to the Detroit News.

Peters, 67, has entered talks with USC to negotiate and arrange prospective employment.

Can he coach football?

  • I can’t believe I saw something from USC media crediting wide receivers coach Dennis Simmons for developing receivers.

I like Simmons and think he is an adult in the room on the staff. But . . . developing receivers is not his forte. Just remember Zacariah Branch, Mario Williams, Dorian Singer, Duce Robinson. Did they develop? Did they do better at other schools? Who has developed besides Makai Lemon in the Riley Era? Jordan Addison came to USC after he won the Biletnikoff Award.

Even Lane never reached his potential at USC, given his hype after that big Holiday Bowl performance. Seems more like he is a developing in the NFL.

31 thoughts on “USC Notes: A Word About Player Development”

  1. KAM: Receivers have one of the easiest jobs in football– just run a pattern and catch the ball

    DON: Don’t tell that to receivers who go over the middle preparing for a head rattling tackle

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  2. Makai and Ja’Kobi were stars last year. Duce was on his way but decided to transfer after a very good soph season. One ball, many excellent receivers, means some will transfer.

    As Budda would say “USC is WR U”

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      3. KAM:

        Heisman Candidate Status

        Fernando Mendoza was considered a preseason Heisman candidate in 2025.

        Factors Contributing to His Candidacy

        Several factors contributed to Mendoza’s status as a candidate:

        • Transfer Success: Mendoza transferred to Indiana from California, bringing proven talent.
        • Team Performance: Indiana had a successful 2024 season, which set high expectations for 2025.
        • Skill Set: Mendoza’s arm talent and mobility were seen as significant assets for the Hoosiers’ offense.

        DON: Overall, Mendoza’s preseason recognition as a Heisman candidate was well-founded based on his previous performance and the potential for success in the upcoming season.

        Liked by 2 people

      4. Mendoza’s Heisman odds were +7500 (75 to 1). What recognition? That’s actually embarrassing

        Maiava is +2000 (20 to 1)

        Looks like you put your foot in your mouth again… not surprised!

        Talk about a football IQ in the weeds…… laughing-my-azz-off!

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      5. Mendoza’s Heisman odds were +7500 (75 to 1). What recognition? That’s actually embarrassing

        Maiava is +2000 (20 to 1)

        Football IQ?

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      6. KAM: Once again you proved you have zero Football IQ, Cowardly Gabby.

        DON: She even disagrees with AI….laughing-my-azz-off!

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      7. The odds tell the truth!

        Now you’re embarrassing yourself. Find a new hobby instead of stalking someone on a sports blog.

        Have a good day, and I am praying for you.

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      8. KAM: Remember when Cowardly Gabby pretended to live in Las Vegas and threatened to confront Scott at the rally for the LSU game and then she no showed?

        Plow Horse

        August 31, 2024 at 9:42 PM

        I thought Gabby said a few days back that she was going to the USC marching band pep rally today at the Palms at 2:00 and wanted to “meet up” with Scott. Instead, she spent the day trolling the blog. Once again a threat followed by a no show. That’s our Cowardly Gabby. All talk, no walk.

        DON: She is The Coward of the County.

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  4. Trojan67 – the ‘NYC’ media has always been in the tank for ‘the princess’ especially once Fordham decided to end their program in 1954. Funny how ‘the princess’ never played Fordham especially when the Rams had those ‘seven blocks of granite’ (1936) one of whom was Vince Lombardi.

    Nationally USC is loathed as any there is and the biggest fear of ‘the princess’ is seeing the resurrection after the corrupt NCAA ‘star chamber’ where a ‘princess’ rep was a voting on the sanctions imposed on USC.

    Troy has had to dig out of 16 years of smears and brutal sanctions and yes Riley has been very inept but Helton didn’t leave anything but that goofy ‘ah shucks jackass grin’ of his.

    The schedule is workable to potentially a 10 – 2 record come end of November that means 1 of the 3 (IN, OH St. and/or OR) has fallen.

    I welcome Ucla’s new effort under their new coach and also the shrewd moves by the ADs of OR St and WA St in resurrecting the Pac-12. If Cal and Stanford ever want to go home it’s there i.e. the ACC is cratering.

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      1. Iamaleava has talent but the problem is what has always been the Bruins and other ‘almost’ programs…..they can’t recruit, consistently, in depth. Wonder what the ‘wunderkinder’ Ty Simpson that Snead and McVay drafted, think about that cuddling up

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      2. hey mg if they get a decent O line developed and nico gets his accuracy issues straightened out they could end up mighty dangerous

        Liked by 1 person

      3. I know.

        NOTHING could be worse than beating Oregon and Ohio State….and getting eliminated from the playoffs by UCLA….and it could happen…..

        Liked by 2 people

  7. KAM: Football is showing how valuable the 2nd and 3rd stringers can be to a team with so many players getting hurt these days because it seems the they have gotten bigger and faster

    DON: Coach McKay would recruit players he knew would not play “Just to keep them from ucla”

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  9. KAM: Ed. G must be lurking about when I used the term “the they”

    DON: By the way, Ed got it right about SC needing more “linesmans”

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  10. Imaginary Wiley: You know, a lot of false information about me goes around, like not appreciating SC’s football glory. How can you be the Trojan coach and not love the history here?

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  11. KAM: I beleve SC was once known as Tailback U which became I guess Receiver U

    DON: They’d be better off if they became ‘Linemen U

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