Sound Off

Posted on by

Post comments here on where you think USC goes from here. If Pat Haden will not make a coaching change, what happens? Can USC become USC again with Lane Kiffin coaching? Or is it destined to be 8-5 or 7-6 every year?

I don’t buy this school of thought that USC must keep Kiffin to preserve its recruiting class. Who did USC beat this year with its five-star players? Where do schools like Kansas State finish in recruiting? USC sells itself. Remember that.

Facebook Twitter Plusone Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Tumblr Email
  • SCFTBL1

    Bad leaders make bad teams. Look at the 3rd quarter scoring and play calling throughout the season by the offensive coordinator, it’s a disgrace. Hire Del Rio now.

    • http://twitter.com/FatBooster Joe Blow

      Del Rio ain’t the answer. Nice guy, but not the answer.

    • steveg

      Del Rio, no way. Get a college type coach.

    • rusoviet

      Del Rio? No way – from Wikipedia:

      On January 11, 2010, Del Rio was offered the head coaching job at USC, his alma mater.[9] The next day he denied receiving an offer from USC, stating that the offer was “manufactured”.[10]
      Later that afternoon, he rebuffed USC officially, announcing that he
      would remain with the Jaguars at least through the duration of his
      current contract.[11]

      Nikias and Haden do not want to sit through five more years of angst if they sack Kiffin to then hand the program over to this personality.

    • TrojanFan

      Del Rio?….wake up and smell the coffee…LOL!

    • Cheap seats

      I agree with everyone else — it aint gonna happen.

      However, I can’t blame you for wanting his style of football. I’d love to return to a physical style of ball.

  • QueenKiff

    Here’s the total picture Scott: 1. The sanctions effective for another two season make these next two years dead weight anyway, meaning it’ll be harder to bring in a grade A coach until the day sanctions are over. 2. Kiff, disappointingly, isn’t going to come close to overcoming the effects of the sanctions, among other problems, to make title runs as last year showed signs of. 3. However, Kiff can serve as the dead weight coach needed to last through these dead weight years of reduced scholarships. 4. I believe Haden all along planed to hold onto Kiff at least the rest of the sanctions no matter how badly things went. 5. The problem that nobody counted on was just how badly or how quickly things would go wrong. In other words, it’s like Kiff is maxing out just how far down he can drag the program before Haden is in the position of being forced to do something about it. 6. As of yesterday it looks like Haden might be in that unlikely position.

    • gotroy22

      If probation is such a turnoff to hiring a top coach to replace Kiffin, then how did ineligible Ohio State hire Urban Meyer? Can you imagine what Meyer would have done with our 5 star recruits if we had brought him in in 2 years ago when he was available?

      • TrojanFan

        At is point speculation is worthless

        • gotroy22

          I think we can get a top coach now, instead we don’t even try. We have to get aggressive like Ohio State instead of resigning ourselves to 2 more years of this

      • QueenKiff

        Meyer wanted Ohio State as much as they wanted him. He had his eye set on the Buckeye’s job before he left Florida. What elite coaches can you think of that Haden wouldn’t have to work to convince to come here?

        • gotroy22

          If I was Pat I would be contacting that Louisville coach right now.

  • http://www.facebook.com/john.maggiora.5 John Maggiora

    I’m for making a change, plain and simple. Kiffin lost this team. Its not even the 7-6 that bothers me the most; its his actions and demeanor as a Head Coach. However, with that being said, the unfortunate reality IMHO is that Mr. Haden will not make a change. We can talk all day about how boosters are mad and will not give money until a change is made, but members of the Scholarship Fund, the Committee, and Cardinal & Gold will still make their contributions. Its the season ticket holders in Sections 13,14,15 etc who will refuse to give. So what, Haden will say. We lose a few hundred bucks here. That is the cold hard truth. Kiffin knows something we all don’t judging by his “confidence” in his job status. I just think Haden needs to show him who is the boss and dictate some changes. It should be a simple two questions from Haden (and this has been put on here before). 1.) Lane, I want you to hire an OC and give up the play calling so you can “Manage” the entire team OR 2.) If you don’t want to do that, then how would you like to lose your job totally instead? But it’s clearly a lost locker room. Kiffin does no coaching from the sideline. He whistles in a few “Check with me plays” and that’s about it. Of course, we are not there so maybe we are all wrong, but in today’s media heavy world, the perception not just yesterday is that Kiffin is not Head Coach material. With all of the NFL openings, he should leave and go be an OC in the No Fun League.

    • http://twitter.com/FatBooster Joe Blow

      I posted that months ago. As for “just season ticketholders”, screw em. Almost the same for C&G. They give zip in the scheme of things. Do the math. They’re all cheap bastards.

      • Cheap seats

        Funny that us West end zone-ers are called “cheap bastards”, yet we get there before the donors (at least before kickoff), actually cheer during touchdowns and 3rd down defensive stands, and tend to actually attend our games.

        As a former C&G member, it’s not like I forked up a bunch of $$$ when you consider how many seats we had and the net amount I spent after tax deductions. These days, I already have too many deductions and I prefer to sit somewhere where we’re not asked to sit down when cheering.

    • TrojanFan

      John Maggiora wrote:

      “I just think Haden needs to show him who is the boss”

      So if Haden gave him a spanking and put him in time-out would that prove or change anything?

  • Fei Unraveled

    I was of the opinion that Kiffin should stay one more season so the new coach wouldn’t have an empty cupboard when they came aboard. After losing to UCLA, Notre Dame, and GT my opinion has changed. Why be embarrassed for two more years before changing? Sure they might lose a few recruits this year but whatever extra scholarships they had leftover could be used next year by the new regime. If Kiffin wants to call plays so much he should resign and get an offensive coordinator position where his stoicism doesn’t matter as he sits in a booth. They need a new coach to come in and inspire the team, instill discipline, create a competitive atmosphere within the team, teach the players how to execute each play call in all facets of the game (offense, defense, ST), and get back to USC traditions (like the cleats).

    • http://twitter.com/FatBooster Joe Blow

      Spot on. But SW should shut up. Probably makes Haden want to keep Kiff BUT, SC should dump Haden too.

      • gotroy22

        Why should Scott shut up when he has proven himself right about Kiffin?

        • steveg

          Because his shit gets really old and what we would like to read is about football, the players and what is happening, not what Wolfie thinks about the coaching situation on a daily basis saying the same shit day after day. I can get that at home, I’m married.

          • TrojanFan

            EXACTLY!!!!!….you nailed it!!!….just like what bruinrod does to bucket, up in the tree house

          • http://twitter.com/FatBooster Joe Blow

            So are bucket and thaibean, except to men.

          • gotroy22

            Losing 6 games gets really old and his job whether you like it or not is to report why it is happening. We can’t say we weren’t warned.

          • gotroy22

            Sorry but the truth hurts and Scott was right about Kiffin from the start. If you want happy news then stop reading this blog, no one is forcing you to read it. The rest of us want to hear the good and bad about our program so we can understand why the team has underachieved since the mid 2000s.

        • TrojanFan

          Dude. are you really that lame?

          • gotroy22

            Dude we lost 6 games. That is unacceptable at USC . We are about building toward and winning championships. When a coach fals to do so he needs to be fired. No more blaming the sportswriter instead of the head coach.

          • gotroy22

            I think we can get a top coach now, instead we don’t even try. We have to get aggressive like Ohio State instead of resigning ourselves to 2 more years of this.

  • USCBRED

    Chris Petersen. Have Fletcher Jones fire up the jet and Pat and J.K. need to make the trip to Boise.

  • TrojanFan

    The first change around here is to ban all Bruin trolls

    • betomas

      AND SC ‘fans’ who troll their own blog with nothing but homophobic comments, like you.

      • TrojanFan

        Hey dude, thanks for calling me out, and offering up the compliment, but that’s usually not like you. Maybe it’s something you’re working on for the new year….cheers!

  • BearBryant3

    Usc next year will probably be 4-8 or 5-7, the locker room is lost as of now. Even asst. Coaches are probably lost and just wanting to take the check. In less they get a DC that can turn around the defense it won’t matter. If you want a coaching change then don’t show up to games.

  • Cheap seats

    Putting things into perspective, USC has been an NFL factory (best recruiting sale pitch) and runs a pro-style offense and defense.

    During the years they have been successful, they had (3) things:
    1. An elite RB – didn’t get the name “tallback U” from nothing
    2. Dominant, physical O-line
    3. An attacking defense

    When we were being named #1 in the offseason, I was VERY skeptical because of the departures of Tyler, Khalil, and Perry. During spring football, Kiffin almost seemed content with having McNeil, Morgan, and a recently converted Madden at running back. Even after Madden blew out his knee, he still didn’t think it was a concern.

    Keep in mind this was before the talks even started with Silas Redd. No disrespect to McNeil, but he was never durable.

    Think of how bad it would’ve been without the acquisition of Redd??

    Unless Kiffin changes his emphasis on the the basics of USC football stated above, the Max Wittek years will be very similar to the years of John Fox and others we’d like to forget from the 90′s. Unfortunately, Kiffin thinks he can simply use the same system and “plug in” Wittek as if he were Barkley.

    Going back to an emphasis on the running game is the only option here. And no — I don’t want USC to employ a gimmick offense. Oregon does win games and score points, but tell me how many 1st rounders and NFL starters they’ve produced.

    • betomas

      Thanks for the manuscript, but is it peer reviewed?

    • RememberTheFreedomBowl

      Totally agree..except in inverse order. Defense 1 OLine 2 and RB 3. Kiffin’s in love with the passing game….is the goal to be BYU West? Alabama is doing fine without the gimmicks.

      • Cheap seats

        Yep, why do the gimmick stuff if matchups are working in your favor? I love a saying that John McKay had: “X’s and O’s don’t matter when my X is BIGGER than your O…”

        Or at least something like that..

  • Bill

    Kiffin is a great coach! Give him a contract extension!

  • EncinitasBruin

    No one will think Pat Haden a lesser man for reversing course on his decision–announced before the UCLA, ND, and GT losses–to keep Kiffin. I respect Haden, and I doubt many folks will judge him harshly if he changes his mind and makes a coaching change now. Making executive decisions can be a hard, lonely business–but necessary. All signs point to pulling the plug.

  • betomas

    Get rid of the idiot, Guy Smiley, who’s put this program through the tubes since he took over as AD.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Ruby-Jones/100003205514101 Ruby Jones

    Too add to his already miserable coaching record, Kiffen dressed up as the unibomber for the bowl game.

  • dtksr1 @dslextreme.com

    This program is heading in what direction and the administration, by its actions, doesn’t seem to care in just letting the pieces fall where they night? They are assuming everyone will keep drinking the koolade? Is this USC? Is Max Nikias putting on an act that he cares about college football? What is the reality of all this?

  • DUMP LAME !!!

    Moron Kiff is gone and now LAME needs to go !!! Lame leading a team into a game is like Truman Capote leading troops into the battle of the bulge !!! Lame did resemble the unabomber, maybe to hide his face from the ensuing embarrassment . Or possibly new the upcoming death spiral of a team with so much potential he dressed as the GRIM REAPER!!! LAME is the one responsible for the disgraceful season and has brought a proud tradition to it’s knees. Play calling – SUCKS, Emotional level – SUCKS. Preparedness – SUCKS. Now it’s up to Haden. We cannot accept this level of football at USC. Too much talent to be waisted by the coaching of an arrogant, egotistical, spoiled brat !!! I’m almost 60 years old and attended my first game in 1957. I remember watching Pete Beathard throwing passes to Hal Bedsole in the in the 1962 season. There have been bad times through the years, but none as painful as this LAME era !!! If Haden does not fire Lame, he should go too. Or maybe there is a SPECIAL relationship there??? My New Years wish !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    DUMP LAME NOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • DUMP LAME !!!

    Anyone for starting a DUMP LAME petition and sending it to Haden ???