One disgruntled alumnus told me today, USC was not really affected by NCAA sanctions this season (other than a few reserves transferring and losing Seantrel Henderson) compared to what is coming the next three years, so probation should not be an excuse for going 7-5.
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NOBS, did you and Scott do lunch?
I think the disgruntled alum is right. But maybe not for his reason.
The 7-5 record is probably not Kiffin’s fault. Even with the sainted PC here the record probably would not have been much better. There was clearly a dropoff in energy last season, beginning with the San Jose State game last year. Given that the team would inevitably have seen more coaches going through the revolving door that became the PC legacy, I don’t see how ‘SC would have made it to 10 wins this season.
It is time to accept that we were lucky enough to witness a golden era of ‘SC football and that a period of “reversion to the mean” is inevitable with even the best of programs – even an unsanctioned program…see Texas and Florida.
You don’t have to be the biggest Kiffin fan in the world, but it is time to relax and give him a chance and him and dad the time to figure out if dad is the right guy to bring the defense along. That being said, Lane needs to stop poor talking his team and its performance: they are doing their best and he is the one pocketing a seven-figure paycheck for showing up on Saturday afternoons.
Agreed. The Washington and Stanford losses were tough, but you could see potential with the offense really getting good and figuring that the defense had to get better. But the Oregon State and Notre Dame losses were sickening. Who has confidence in next year. I’m hearing rumblings about Jeff Fisher.
Kiffin needs to beat the Bruins, get the early December recruits, along with our next Feb recruiting class. Reductions in our sanctions (see Cam Newton)would be helpful too. On to next season. SC suffered an NCAA hangover all season.
Let’s be very clear here…Kiffin was given this job based upon his ability to recruit and call plays…not based on any previous head coaching accolades.
If the play calling and offense don’t show improvements beginning next year, and if Kiffin doesn’t bring in quality recruits who produce (with the scholarships that we still have to offer), then there’s no way to justify him being the head coach of USC.
One disgruntled alumnus’s opinion is what qualifies as material for a quality blog post now? I never realized until now that I had so much access to blog worthy information.
b00B, yes and your wife was the main course.
NOBS, what do you mean?
NOBS should be banned for using such crude language. I’m telling Scott.
Scott, this comment is typical of your reporting. How can sanctions not have had an effect when upper classmen transferred and the No. 1 recruit in the country didn’t come to campus? The “other than” comment is invalid. These things are part of the sanctions. And they did have an effect.
You have a dirty mind Sped. Of course, where you come from, that’s the norm. BTW, she was tasty.
The observation is correct. I think Kiffin will do fine recruiting, but if his you think the roster is thin now, wait 3 years it will get worse.
The problem with this team isn’t depth though, it is subpar linebackers and the lack of a dominating offensive line. Regardless of how many stars these guys earned in high school, they are highly deficient in many areas of football.
Lets all hope Kiffin can find some diamonds in the rough, or get these guys playing faster after a year in his program.
Goatboy Kiffin is a scum. He is a horrible play caller , a true choker. It doesn’t matter if he can recruit or not ( questionable since there is no real proof if the player he recruits are any good )he is a lousy coach.