USC received a commitment from Caadyn Stephen, a 6-foot-6, 280-pound offensive tackle from Camas, Wash. Should it be a red flag that he lives 30 minutes from Portland and Oregon did not offer him? Or 3 hours from Seattle and Washington did not offer him? It actually appears Stephen was a zero-star per 247Sports before he committed (below). He is now three stars. Continue reading USC Adds Yet Another 3-Star Linemen

1.) Live up to the hype The first game showed no culture change. Here are some other areas perceived as improved that looked the same: Offensive line, defensive line, linebacker, wide receiver. Secondary was expected to be a mess and looked like one. 2.) Sort out the brain trust We were promised a new system where Clay Helton is the hands-off CEO and Graham Harrell … Continue reading Morning Buzz: 10 Things USC Needs To Fix Vs. Stanford

I spoke to an NFL scout today about JT Daniels. “One thing you have to ask is whether he can take a hit in the NFL because it seems like he can’t take a hit in college,” the scout said. “I’m not sure he can take a hit without getting hurt.” Continue reading An NFL Scout’s Take

Did you notice Fresno State brought pressure up the middle against USC, including the play where JT Daniels got hurt? It was a smart move because Daniels isn’t mobile enough to escape pressure by going outside. The question now is whether Kedon Slovis is fast enough? You can bet Stanford will try to replicate the inside pressure early to see if USC has fixed that … Continue reading Will USC Learn From Mistakes?

One of the main shortcomings with Clay Helton is the way some people are just bulletproof from accountability. Special teams coach John Baxter is a prime example. Last year against Notre Dame, USC had 10 men on the field for two kick returns. The ACC officiating crew told the USC coaches to fix it. Saturday night’s No. 7 jersey debacle was not the first time … Continue reading USC’s Teflon Special Teams

No one can believe USC had two players wearing No. 7 on the kick return to open the Fresno State game. It was a debacle that might illustrate the Clay Helton era as well as any single play. But get this: USC has three players who wear No. 15 (WR Drake London, S Talanoa Hufanga, K Thomas Fitts). And three players who wear No. 27. … Continue reading Morning Buzz: USC Has Triple Number Issue Too