FOOTBALL

My USC-Louisiana Post-Game Analysis

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.

46 thoughts on “My USC-Louisiana Post-Game Analysis”

  1. 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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  2. 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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  3. 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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    1. James: Pat Riley copyrighted the term “threepeat” – you should do the same for “Charles Nelson Wiley”.

      Maui Michael, can you advise? Hope you are back soon brother!

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      1. ’67 – I’m just having some fun with our host … besides, don’t think there is any potential for obtaining/enforcing intellectual property rights when I’m just combining two characters that are already copyrighted … but it’s still fun … and given everything in the world … which includes in one tiny little corner all of the problems with USC football … to paraphrase SSG Elias from “Platoon” “Having fun (feeling good in the original) is good enough …”

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  4. 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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    1. Really soft schedule. Absolutely agree 💯with that. However, it’s not about stats or beating up inferior cupcakes. It’s about their physicality on both lines of scrimmage. And they have total control.

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      1. Agreed…I believe the list of “missing’ skill, while definitely obvious to all, the schedule favors an end all desire. USC needs to clean it up

        Imagine what Matt Patricia (OH St. DC) has been staring at the past 14+ hrs….the collapse of his defense when it truly mattered…as the TX defensive coordinator did face before that final 14 minutes of play.

        USC is 3 – 0 per a very pedestrian schedule and will be 4 – 0 a week hence. OR, OH St. OK, (amusing the 3 Os) are now wondering what’s next esp. OR…

        Until ‘the princess’ joins a conference none need hear their future progress. Their rigged deal specifically crafted for their needs unavailable to no one else speaks volumes why so many head coaches and athletic directors loathe them.

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  5. KAM: I don’t believe Wiley has lowered the standards at SC

    DON: It’s just that SC fans have learned to accept the new standards because there is no other choice

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    1. KAM: Rah Rah SC Fan only cares about the Nine Layer Bean Dip at the pregame tailgate party.

      DON: They don’t mind the hired help Carol Folt, Bohn Head, Jen “Taco Lita” Cohen and Riley Coyote destroying all tradition.

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  7. I still think the D is ultimately a Riley problem. The D has looked like this every year with different DCs. They let teams hang around, and let them back in the game late. Can’t put the dagger in. FSU was a rare exception (against a first time starter QB).

    There are improvements on D and things are looking up, but the same problems persist.

    However, SC’s schedule is looking a lot weaker.

    Oregon and UW look pretty weak.

    With Oregon’s slow starts, I think SC can get up early so Oregon won’t be able to catch up.

    Ohio St is far from unbeatable and it’s at home.

    Wisconism is bad.

    PSU is weak (but it’s on the road).

    Indiana looks legit and it’s away.

    However UCLA looks tougher.

    Can Riley play on the road? Or will he embarrassed like he was against Minnesota.

    I can’t believe it, but a 1 or 2 loss season is possible (and I am no Riley stan). I can just imagine SC goes into UCLA with 1 loss and then loses and is out of the playoffs. Then UCLA gives their coach a 10 year extension.

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  8. “A former USC athlete who said they don’t care if USC ever plays anyone good and just wants to get to the playoff.”

    I sure hope that was an athlete from 2010 or later. I can’t imagine anyone from before that time being so soft.

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    1. Sounds like what Petros Papadakis is going to share with Brady Quinn and Levar Arrington this coming Wednesday ( playing to get in the playoffs) morning. “….a source I know claims….”

      Here’s a fact….isn’t that the actual game plan of ‘the princess’ ? IT IS!

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  9. Scott Wolf is correct the offensive line looks terrible, and so does the entire defensive backfield. USC is once again a finesse team which just won’t work in big games. Have you noticed most coaches use the word “physical” when being interviewed before or after game Riley does not even have it in his vocabulary. As far as Gary Patterson vastly overrated this defense does play as a complete unit only in parts, and often looks confused out there.

    Bottom line USC will have a very tough time winning big games against a superior opponentl.

    Oregon- Loss

    Penn State- Loss

    Ohio State- Loss . Note Ohio State was the superior team vs. Texas it apppeared they just ran out of gas in the 100 degree heat in Austin.

    Wisconsin- This game could go either way in Madison, WI which is a tough place to play.

    Indiana- Loss

    UCLA – Toss up..

    The current culture and style of play Riley is running is not USC football . Time to move on at the end of the season after a 5-6 loss team. The 10-12 million investment in our coach is not working he’s the wrong guy for USC football.

    Sorry to be honest, but the team I have seen thus far just won’t cut it in the Big 10 against superior programs. Improvement could happen but not a playoff caliber team.

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    1. I don’t think you’re too far off. The dynamic skill position guys may be the reason this team wins 8 or even 9 games. Overall not nearly physical enough to win against the big dogs. Back 7 on defense look confused and slow. No development to really speak of with guys who have been in the program for awhile. Coaches or just limited talent with these players??

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  10. USC is average, they have a dunce for a head coach who will either sink or swim after Rutgers, though we all know how Riley puckers up on the road even against lackluster opponents, so nothing is a given with him at the helm

    Is Patterson an improvement over Grinch & Lynn, yes, but he has limited resources and there are better DC’s but they probably don’t want to work for Riley or live in LA ( who would ?). It would be nice if SC would hire a top OL coach

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    1. Yes – this is a problem that even went through most of Pete’s tenure (all the way back to Tim Davis as I recall, although at least then the insistence on competition and physicality produced Tyron Smith, Charles Brown, Sam Baker, Ryan Kalil, Christopher O’Dowd, Chilo Rachal, Winston Justice, Deuce Latui, et al). To think USC is the home of Ron Mix, Ron Yary, Marvin Powell, Brad Budge, Anthony Munoz, Bruce Matthews, Tyron Smith (and so many others) … even in the occasional better periods the lack of physical dominance in the lines has been so disastrous and obvious …

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  11. Sane Gabby asked on the last thread who was worse? Louisiana, Fresno St, SJSU or Rutgers?

    I said that’s like asking who’s uglier? Kathy Griffin, Rosie O’Donnell, Rachel Maddow or Hillary Clinton?

    There is no wrong answer.

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    1. I’m so glad Sam’s injury from Wednesday night was not a fracture. He’ll miss this coming Sunday’s game, but should be back by game 3 or 4.

      Would be so sh*tty to suffer a long term injury on the 5th play of the season!!

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  13. Rankings Week 2 – note the fall of OH St., (-5) OK (-13) and esp OR (-15) from last week

    AP Poll
    1. TX 2. GA 3. ‘the princess’ 4.. IN 5. Miami 6. OH St. 7. LSU 8. MS
    9. TX A&M 10. AL 11. BYU 12. USC 13. TX Tech 14. PA St. 15. TN
    16. SMU 17. UT. 18 IA 19. MI 20. MO. 21. OR 22. HOU 23. LOU
    24. OR 25. VA

    Coaches
    1. TX 2. GA 3. ‘the princess’ 4. IN 5. Miami 6. OH St. 7. LSU 8. TX A&M
    9. MS 10. AL 11. USC 12. TX Tech13. BYU 14. TN 15. PA St.
    16. SMU 17. UT. 18 OR 19. MI 20. IA 21. OK 22. MO 23. HOU
    24. WA 25. VA

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  14. wolfman, i was alarmed when Patterson went crazy on the sidelines after the shut out against Fresno St and their rookie QB…apparently he never heard the expression “act like you’ve been there before”. he was jumping up and down delirious with such glee you would have thunk he shut out Ohio St!! then Louisiana hangs 30 on the trOJies. same thing with special teams coach Ekeler, he totally freaked out after the big punt return and was jumping around with the song girls! embarrassing. it’s been a lotta yrs since Mr Reggie blew up this program, wolfman, don’t think they’re coming back any time soon.

    #YesterdayU

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    1. It would be nice to think it would.

      However, I think he’s going to do one, maybe two games, better than that and he will hang on by a thread…thanks to the idiot who signed him to a 10 year contract!

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    2. It’s all going to come down to SUCLA, Tirebiter (7-5 vs 8-4).

      Sat, Sep 26 21 Oregon LOSS

      Sat, Oct 3 Washington WIN

      Sat, Oct 10 @ 14 Penn State LOSS

      Sat, Oct 24 @ Wisconsin WIN

      Sat, Oct 31 6 Ohio State LOSS

      Sat, Nov 14 @ 4 Indiana LOSS

      Sat, Nov 21 Maryland WIN

      Sat, Nov 28 @ UCLA  ???

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  16. KAM: Football revenue can take care of its own, but when spread out among all of the non-revenue producing sports, apparently it is in the red.

    DON: Looks like universities will be cutting out some sports team

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  17. KAM: The Irish press is taking some shots at you for taking along your aid, Natalie Harp

    DON: If she weren’t so pretty there’d be no fuss

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  18. KAM: A lot of Trojans are not happy with the team

    DON: Maybe they’re playing down to their mediocre competition and are saving the good stuff for later

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      1. Besides, the word “aid” was meant the way it was written, as in “to help” as opposed to being an “aide” or helper

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  20. DON: In the above photo that is super freshman Mark Bowman leading the fans with sword in hand

    KAM: He must be quite the catch on campus– millionaire teenager with Hollywood looks

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  21. KAM: After watching college football on Saturday I found Sunday’s pro games boring

    DON: I don’t follow the pros. It’s bad enough I take up my Saturdays with college ball

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  22. KAM: The SC team will be 4 games into its season at Rutgers, so we’re already 1/3 through

    DON: The SC fans will then only have 8 games left in which to be mad at the team– for example, “Yeah you won but you had no style”

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  23. KAM: It is only during football season that I see more sports fans getting really mad

    DON: That’s why it’s America’s sport

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  24. KAM: When it comes to Wiley’s coaching longevity I say as the song says, “Dance with the one who brought you”

    DON: But it’s the second line of that song that’s dicey for Wiles: “And you can’t go wrong”

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  25. Everyone is predicting a win against Wisconsin– they are physical on both the offensive and defensive lines, and it’s a road game in Madison which is a tough place to play.

    This schedule is tough, but the Trojans are once again soft. Anyone, notice on the sidelines there is alot of clowning around with the players and the coaches this program lacks intensity and it all starts with the head coach.

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  26. Everyone thinks the Wisconsin game in Madison is a W for the Trojans except me. Riley’s teams struggle on the road, and Madison is a tough place to win. Wisconsin, is much improved this year and very physical on the offensive and defensive line which will give our finesse boys a tough time.

    Anyone notice all the fun and games going on during the game on the USC sidelines with the coaches and players. This should not be acceptable this tells me our program under Lincoln Riley lacks intensity on all levels.

    We shall see but my prediction is that by November this team will be broken down into pieces with alot of injuries after a difficult schedule.

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  27. Hardest hit of the game was made on Defensive Line Coach Gary Patterson who got hit on the sideline, and was knocked on his butt. To his credit he got right up, and was ready to coach with blood on his face.

    If it was Riley who got hit in the face he would call his limo driver to take him immediately to the most expensive plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills as the game continued.

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    1. But only after he came back to consciousness (or what passes for that state in his world) … and then he would have Jen cancel the next game against the Rajuns since they would have become to great a risk to his epic ambitions.

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