First, let’s just mention that six Big Ten teams lost yesterday.
The best conference in the nation? USC cannot play Notre Dame because it has all those tough Big Ten games? This is why no one should ever listen to Charles Nelson Riley.
Now to the game: I noticed last night people suddenly started saying things I’ve been saying since Game 1.
- Does everyone realize the offensive line is just average? When have they physically dominated a game this season against cupcakes? It amazes me people tried to hype this line in the offseason.
- USC finally had a running back break 100 yards in a game, which was good, but the running game still looks off. Too many running plays look they might become a long play but then fizzle out.
- Is Jayden Maiava really significantly better than he was last season? He hasn’t played a good team yet and already delivered a clunker. He threw an interception on the first possession and tried to throw an interception on a dropped pass in the end zone. He’s already delivered a subpar performance and USC hasn’t even played a good team yet.
- What troubles me is the offense still relies on individual brilliance from its receivers (hello, Trent Mosley and Mark Bowman!) instead of playing with real cohesion and crispness. USC is a team with heroes but doesn’t always look intelligent, especially with some uninspired play calling.
- Now to the defense: I gotta believe Gary Patterson is still in his office today, and never left it since last night watching that game film. He has a defense that gives up big plays, has trouble stopping the run and cannot cover anyone consistently. Patterson knows what is coming later in the season.
Look I’m a big fan of the defensive linemen (Abasiri, Wafle, etc.) but too often the linebackers, safeties and corners get caught out.
Last week, people were complimenting safety Kennedy Urlacher but he gave up a big pass last night. I mention it because some try to blame bad plays on the reserves. The starters give up plenty of big plays too. Linebacker Deven Bryant also allowed a key completion near the goal line and he is a starter.
QB Lunch Winfield completed 16 of 22 passes for 212 yards. That’s a great stat line for an undermanned team that flew all the way to Los Angeles. He also had 91 yards rushing.
Another bad habit arose last night from last season, as USC had eight penalties fot 78 yards. The personal fouls were a problem, especially when the roughing the kicker led to a TD.
A lot of USC fans were relishing Oregon’s loss yesterday. But by late Saturday night, they should be pondering what would happen if USC had to go to Oklahoma State. Ohio State lost. How would USC do if it went to Texas?
But this is why Riley doesn’t want to play anyone. I got in an argument Saturday with a former USC athlete who said they don’t care if USC ever plays anyone good and just wants to get to the playoff. This is what Charles Nelson Riley has done to some fans. He’s lowered the standards.
InsideUSC with Scott Wolf 
One of Prophet Brown’s worst games, missed tackles galore. The third unit on defense either has to get it together or get used to collecting splinters.
Maiava was definitely off. He was doing various shoulder mobility exercises on the sideline, so I have my fingers crossed that the ill-advised designed QB run last week in which he was tackled and landed on his throwing shoulder isn’t a lingering problem.
The frosh on the team are outstanding – Mosley, Dixon-Wyatt, Wafle the frosh RB Alston are going to get even better.
Perhaps the biggest worry is that there are guys who are in their third, fourth, maybe fifth year, who are getting a lot of PT and who still aren’t delivering what is needed.
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First off SC would get absolutely destroyed by Notre Dame. I mean like 48-17 type abused. ND has NFL/All American level starters and twos and threes that would start just about anywhere else. No development issues there like at SC. Unfortunately you are just about spot on with the analysis. QB- good not great, still a guy who will throw picks at the absolute worst time. RB- good not great O -line – mid WR- outstanding. D-line – good not great LB- awful secondary- awful
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Wolf 100% on point with this analysis for this game (to include the what-ifs … as long as Charles Nelson – Woofie continues to infringe on my Wiley nickname! – is the head coach won’t have to worry about something like that such as the Helton-Bama opener, and similarly won’t have to worry about him getting into a Helton-Buckeyes Cotton Bowl scenario).
Wolf is dead on right in pinpointing one of the critical issues (along with just the whole atmosphere/approach of not emphasizing competition and not promoting physicality): the relative amount of success/failure for coaches like CNR is almost entirely a function of great individual efforts from skill position players.
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Fair analysis balanced and insightful noting continuing trends that plague the team but then you veer into your daily incessant sarcasm towards Riley.
As to ‘the princess’ note their schedule – 19th Sept MI St.
26th Sept @ Purdue, 10th Oct. @ NC, 17th Oct. Stanford, 17th Oct @ BYU, 31st Oct. neutral Navy, 7th Nov. Miami, 14th Nov. Boston College, 21st SMU 28th Nov. @ Syracuse
An awful lot of stats cans be garnered playing that list (save Miami and BYU) week after week. Annually, all are forced to digest how this is the year the Irish win the ntl’ champ….let’s go for ’38’!
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