It seems like all the good Crosstown Rivalry quotes are coming from UCLA this week. Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson said UCLA wants to break 60 points vs. USC. Did Thompson-Robinson say if that would be enough to win the game? I’m going 63-62, someone. UCLA ranks 9th in the Pac-12 in pass defense. USC ranks 8th in rush defense. USC is ranked No. 7 in the … Continue reading USC-UCLA Morning Buzz: First Team To 60 Wins

Lincoln Riley gave an update on Eric Gentry and Mario Williams today, which sounded conservative. I suspect Gentry will play quite a bit. “They’re practicing. They’re progressing. It’s an inexact science,” he said. “We’re at Tuesday morning right now but we’re hopeful we’ll be able to rep some of them both in the game.” Sightings: Caleb Williams at the Mediterranean restaurant CAVA for lunch at the … Continue reading It’s Rivalry Week, Baby

If you’re looking for a weakness with UCLA, a Pac-12 coach who played the Bruins tells me it’s in their receiving corps. “They’re just an average group,” the coach said. “DTR doesn’t like to wait in the pocket, so if you can cover them a little bit, he’ll start running.” One change with the USC defense is safety Bryson Shaw made his first start of … Continue reading USC Notes: A Possible Weakness Saturday?

The USC source I spoke to Sunday night told me Monday they found out Clancy Pendergast did call the plays for UCLA’s defense vs. Arizona. This raises an interesting issue. Chip Kelly declined to hire Pendergast after last season as defensive coordinator even though Pendergast was already on the UCLA staff. He went outside and hired Bill McGovern instead. Now that McGovern is unable to … Continue reading USC Morning Buzz: The Crosstown Rivalry Coaching Soap Opera

It’s hard to keep track of how many tarps there are at a UCLA game if you don’t go often, which rules most people out. The four sponsored banners (two UCLA Health and two Jordan logos) at the Rose Bowl will be removed Saturday for the USC game, which leaves eight tarps in the end zones that spell UCLA. Capacity will be 70,865. And people … Continue reading Some Tarps Coming Off At Rose Bowl

USC did better Friday night with its uniforms. Raleek Brown did not wear yellow socks. Denis Lynch did not wear white cleats. Baby steps. I got this email from a USC graduate over the weekend: “You know the uniform standard has gone completely to hell when even an obscure walk-on feels entitled and emboldened to wear the yellow tights.” The USC-Notre Dame game will kick … Continue reading USC Notes: Progress vs. Colorado