I’m ready to declare USC the Pro Football Focus champions next season. The data driven website has declared in the past week that quarterback Kedon Slovis “had the lowest rate of uncatchable passes thrown when throwing 10+ yards downfield” last season. It also reported that USC had the No. 4-ranked true freshman class last season. These are laudable stats. I’d also like some data, though, … Continue reading USC Looks Ready To Become Data-Driven Champions

Does Clay Helton write his own material? It has to be some mid-level staffer that comes up with these lines. “Ask yourself if you bring the juice?” Helton told the team during last week’s only spring practice. “Cause if you’re juiceless you’re what?” “Useless,” the team answers. “You’re damn useless,” Helton says back. You just know some people in the athletic dept. laughed at the … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: Clay Helton Asks If You Bring The Juice?

When USC great Jim Sears was named “player of the week” by the Daily Trojan in 1952, he got a nice illustration too. Continue reading Here’s A Tradition Worth Reviving

How much will the lack of spring practice hurt USC’s defense because it didn’t get to learn Todd Orlando’s new system? It will obviously make things harder but it’s not as big of a problem as if the offense needed to learn a new system. Offenses always take longer to learn. If you go to any college training camp, the defense is ahead of the … Continue reading Does Lack Of Spring Practice Hurt USC Defense?

One conversation I will never forget with Pete Carroll occurred in Dec., 2003, when USC had won 19 of 20 games, including an Orange Bowl. It would soon defeat Michigan in the Rose Bowl. “What changed?” I asked Carroll about the turnaround from 2001. “I fixed the offense,” Carroll said. “What do you mean you fixed the offense?” I said. “I had to fix it … Continue reading Time For A Pete Carroll Flashback