USC did not lose to Stanford because JT Daniels struggled. But the game was revealing when you factor in all the hype that accompanied Daniels’ arrival at USC. The first thing a writer told me when Daniels signed with USC was, “he never faced a pass rush at Mater Dei.” So what happened Saturday? The first big hit Daniels took, he started watching the rush. … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: Let’s Analyze The QB Position

Clay Helton said today the bruise on JT Daniels’ right hand, “hurts like heck” but he will play against Texas. And what about his performance vs. Stanford? “He’s going to go through some growing pains and we’re going to live with it and we’re going to move on as an offense,” Helton said. Here is Daniels: “There were things we missed. Things we’ve got to … Continue reading JT Daniels Is OK

QUARTERBACK JT Daniels looked like he never got hit before after Stanford got some pressure on him early. He started watching the pass rush instead of looking downfield. When he didn’t do that, he locked on to a single receiver. Again, he is going to be a good quarterback. But no one should compare him to Sam Darnold. This is where I remind everyone the … Continue reading USC-Stanford Report Card

I spoke to an NFL defensive coordinator who watched the USC-Stanford game and wondered if the coaches/administration have any idea what the nation’s top programs are doing to be successful? “USC football is in a sad state of affairs. whoever is overseeing the program, they are not paying attention to what is going on at the top of college football,” he said. Forbes magazine has … Continue reading Morning Buzz: Does USC Try To Learn From Programs Like Alabama?

There was no line on the USC-Texas game, presumably because of JT Daniels’ hand injury. But there is a line today: USC is a 3.5-point underdog. So it’s basically the home-field advantage for Texas. Meanwhile, check out this video from the USC-Stanford game and keep an eye on right tackle Chuma Edoga. Harry Houdini or @jtdaniels06? The freshman QB escapes the rush and notches a … Continue reading The Latest Line

Here’s my column for the Sporting News on the Pac-12’s up-and-down weekend: Stanford’s business-like 17-3 victory over USC solidified the Cardinal’s status as a top-10 team. But it also exposed the Trojans as a unit with several weaknesses, especially on offense. That could lead to future embarrassments for the Pac-12’s most recognizable brand, this time in marquee nonconference games against Texas on Saturday and Notre Dame on Nov. … Continue reading USC Isn’t Helping The Conference Of Champions’ Image Either