Open Forum

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OK, this has been long overdue so I will do my best to answer every question here. One question per person please.

72 thoughts on “Open Forum”

        • Please don’t get me wrong….Briles is a fine coach…..However, I’m sure that I am in the minority, but I am just not a fan of the spread offense…..I’ll be the first to admit that I am probably too old school and too much of a traditionalist… even Orgeron made the comment earlier this year that it’s like playing basketball on grass….It is very entertaining to watch, to be sure, but if I wanted to see nothing but scoring, I would be a fan of arena football, which I am not….And Briles coaching ability will be revealed during the next few weeks when Baylor plays some ranked teams…..Beating Wofford, Buffalo and LA-Monroe by a combined 209-23 doesn’t impress me.. finally, it would likely take a few years for him to get the type of players he needs to implement his system, as well as get them properly coached (see Rich Rodriguez at Michigan and Arizona)….I don’t see how a pro-style QB like Max Browne would stick around if Briles were hired… I hope that I’m wrong…..

          • Pete Carroll ran the pro-style offense at USC. Last night against the RAMS on 1st and Goal from the 1 yard line, his offense ran the read option with Russel Wilson on two consecutive plays. While the pro-style offense is a tradition at USC, i think winning is a bigger tradition.Many pro teams also run the spread offense with a major emphasis on the passing game. I haven’t watched too many Baylor games to tell you the truth. I’m just intrigued if Briles can make his system work with with Max Browne and our stable of RB’s.

          • And don’t forget whiny, drippy **ginas that CLAP from being Ate far too much. Stu can take a hike. Who cares what she things? BOOM, what a burn. What a wimpy girly. Yes, she will not recover. Ever. Ate CLAP.

          • Briles’ variation relies more on the threat of a bubble screen to stretch the field horizontally vs. the RB doing a dive play. Oregon stretches you with the threat of running Marriota and the RB going with a sweep.

            Sorry to knit pick, but Carroll did NOT run a “pro style” offense where you simply had 2 backs in the backfield with a TE and you did student body right all day.

            Even with Bush, Norm Chow and Kiffin ran a multiple scheme where you would even have Bush lined up as a wide receiver and the backfield would be empty. It was part west coast offense, part power.

            The read option will continue to be used in the NFL, but don’t look for the frequency of how much Oregon runs it or the QB wouldn’t last.

          • I share many of the same views on the spread offense.

            Just to to be clear, all spread offenses aren’t created equal. To simplify things, I’d put Baylor/Oregon on the extreme side of a PURE spread and Stanford on the other side of a traditional POWER offense.

            In between, lies the other varying styles such as Mazzone’s at UCLA and “multiple” run offenses of a school like A&M or Sarkisian’s version at Washington.

            The biggest disadvantage to hiring a coach like Briles is that you risk the success of your players entering the NFL. Once you do that, it takes away the #1 recruiting advantage USC has.

            Regardless of opinions on whether the spread is here to stay, common perception in the NFL is that it’s a GIMMICK offense.

            Some don’t like that label, but you can’t deny the late drafting of Oregon stars like D. Thomas, LaMichael James, and Kenyon Barner. You can count their COMBINED touches in the NFL this season on a single hand!

          • You bring up some very good points, CS…..Once an aggressive, but disciplined, pass rush is able to consistently penetrate and disrupt the read-option plays, half the battle is won… then, depth and conditioning become a factor because of the high tempo at which these teams play…..

          • The defenses in the NCAA are slowly being built to stop it. One of the brilliant aspects of the spread is that it forces ALL players to tackle. Deion Sanders started the finesse “I’m not going to tackle” defensive back. The spread obvious exposes that type of player and they eventually will have to get back to the old Rod Woodson type to shut the spread down.

            Also, why doesn’t NCAA defensive coordinators also instruct their players to HIT the QB like the NFL teams do when QB fakes he has the ball? Hit the QB several times a quarter and they won’t be as willing to run.

            The game evolved to pocket QBs not too long ago for similar reasons and it may eventually go back into that cycle.

          • I hear you …. the poor tackling in college football, and now in the NFL, really infuriates me …. they seem to be going for the big “knock out” hit, instead of wrapping up on their tackles…..Tim McDonald would drive me nuts whenever he would do that….which was often….

          • CS, RGIII went second overall pick, Barkley went in the 4th round. The Baylor WR’s went in the second or third round last year if I remember right. Cam Newton was pick no. 1. Mariota is a likely top 5 pick. For all of our ‘pro-style’ offense, how many of our RB’s have been early draft picks recently? If the spread offense was such a deterrent to recruiting why is Ohio State able to recruit top quality talent? I think talents flock to a winning program.
            I really wouldn’t mind seeing a Mazzone type offense run at a high tempo at USC. The problem with a pro-style offense as we know it as USC is, it leave very little room for error against the Oregons of the world who will more often than not put up 40 against you.

          • Good points. Reggie Bush was obviously the last one.

            While you bring up some good names, I’d have to wonder why such low value is being placed on Oregon’s players who I believe ARE good.

            Btw – The Barkley deal was a combination of things: his shoulder where he concerned scouts, the recent hype of an option read QB from Cappernick, and the stigma of USC QBs that started gaining attention in the press. Add into the mix the lack of demand in the league at the position (NONE drafter until the late 2nd?) and you have all the makings of a very late pick.

            On a related note, who would’ve saw Barkley actually PLAYING on Chip’s offense? As the 3rd stringer, I was worried he’d never see field as an NFL QB.

          • Also, it was kinda crazy that the Eagles actually traded up to get Barkley, no?……The Alex Smith trade now looks like a steal for the KC Chiefs….they basically got him from the SF 49ers for two 2nd round draft picks (2013 and 2014)…..

          • Word on the street was the Oakland was going to grab him a few spots before Philly’s original pick, so they traded up to get MB.

            This is somewhat supported when Oakland immediately traded DOWN after MB was picked.

            In Chip Kelly’s offense, MB is like a fish out of water. I think CK picked him as an insurance policy — just in case he was going to dump the hurry up / spread offense if it flopped.

        • Exactly…….I will say this about James Franklin, he is a strong leader, a tireless worker and he has the SEC pedigree to help us with recruiting in the South….and he also has that Northeast swagger about him…although his coaching record may not indicate it, he managed to turn around the Vanderbilt FB program very quickly….

          • Not a fan.. Not even almost.. Realistically I am looking at a NFL Assistant as HC for USC..
            KC DC Romano
            Indy OC
            Del Rio DC from Denver..
            Not sure USC can pull a big time HC from other schools..
            But I would not mind Charlie Strong. At the same time I would like for SC to keep their current Defense, so hiring a DC as HC would be an issue if the HC wants to bring in his own Defense

      • SUC is an audition and stepping stone to the NFL. If SUC can pry Briles from Baylor, he will be eyeballing NFL opportunities. Tampa Bay, for instance, could bid for Briles.

    • Now there’s an original question. Like we’ve never heard random names from Scottie on who his head coach de jour is.

  2. I haven’t watched too many Big 12 games. Is Baylor scoring heavily because of the lack of quality defenses there? Can Art Briles maintain the same production if he comes to the PAC 12 as USC HC. Can the Art Briles system of offense work with Max Browne as it’s QB?

    • Are you seriously saying there is a surplus of quality defenses in the Pac 12? He toasted the ruin defense that held us under 30 points.

      • the 2nd question is the one people should be asking. Can he do the same in LA. That’s a legitimate concern. That said, I loved the idea of Briles at UCLA when they were searching.

  3. What do you think is the liklihood that Adoree Jackson signs with USC (I hear he’s leaning towards Florida)? When do you think USC will hire a coach? I would imagine the negative impact it would have on recruiting if it’s late in January. Thanks.

    • Florida?… I would have him speak with Josh Shaw, who transferred from Florida to be closer to home (for personal reasons)……

          • I see….well, then Florida may indeed have the advantage, for now…..Obviously, the head coaching hire will play a huge role not only in his decision, but those of other high profile recruits, as well…

  4. Clearly you’ve lost control of the site, with 90 percent of the comments being personal attacks on other posters and having nothing to do with football, much less USC football. Are you okay with this or do you have some plan to bring this site back to normalcy?

    • That IS normalcy here. 🙂

      I personally would like more discussions regarding FOOTBALL, regardless who the poster cheers for.

        • disagree. I love Wolfie’s answers. You all complain that he doesn’t give insight and then blow right over the opportunity to get his insight on any topic you’d like.

    • Cheap seats is right; it’s always been that way. It might even have been a bit worse a couple years ago, when BruinRob was on the rampage.

      • yeah, it was BruRob’s fault. also we declarted war on Japan first in WWII.
        did the Japanese, sit down, and have dinner with Pearl Harbor before they bombed ’em???
        fellas, lets go…

        • Maybe you’ve forgotten BruinRob’s pictorial work… and I don’t mean landscapes.

  5. I was in Trader Joes here in the South Bay – I spoke to a guy who plays ice hockey over at the public rink in Culver City who was wearing a USC T-shirt. I asked him, jokingly, if Galen could ever install an ice rink. He replied it has the capability to do so – is that true? If true is there any possibility of that becoming a reality?

  6. Do you think the weekly videos will ever get captions? The ones I read while watching are hilarious, so that might be your intention

  7. Mr. Wolf: Much has been made of the handful of rides SC has for EE’s this still. Yet SC isn’t likely to name a coach until the season is over, leaving almost no time for said new coach to come in and recruit EE’s. In your view, who does SC see as legitimate EE candidates and do you think these spots will be filled simply with bodies, or with actual talent?

    • Much has been made by YOU, Stu…….BTW… be sure to ask Scott about enforcing our wager this Friday…..unless you intend to chicken out…..

      • If he were on death row, his last phone call would likely be to Wolf……and he’d probably ask him the very same question…..

        • What’s really sweet is how much time a hater like you dedicates to USC matters.

  8. Any “now it can be told” dirt on Kiffin? For instance, any truth to the rumor he was hung over during the Sun Bowl?

  9. Has or will Haden talk with Gruden? He recently stated that he wants to coach again. I mean, coaching USC football or being stuck in a booth listing to the inane comments of Mike Tirico, come on down Jon. Plus, you would have fun interviewing Chuckie everyday Scott.

    • As long as Gruden refrains from singing….. Did you see last nights game?….The horrified look on Mike Tirico’s face as Jon Gruden was singing “The Mighty Quinn” was hilarious

  10. What happened to the run game the last two weeks? O line injuries? return of Redd? Tre Madden injury?

    Madden was a beast the first few games. Redd had some tough yards to seal the deal against AZ but has not done much otherwise. I hate running back by committee. Two change of backs is okay, but you need to get a guy like Madden enough carries to get and stay in rhythm. By the fourth quarter the D is worn out and 6-8 minute touchdown drives running at 5-10 yards a pop win close games.

  11. Given the big win Saturday over Utah what is your prediction for the rest of the remaining schedule of games and do we win the Pac 12 South?

  12. Scott we really like football. Is it possible that you give up on the crowd size, coaching digs, and your overall pessimistic view on USC football in general and get back to doing real journalism on here??

      • I go where I want. I take it you enjoy Wolf beating a dead horse? It has made for miserable reading. He beats on a topic until the obsession passes.

  13. Scott, why haven’t you responded yet to any of the questions? Wait, that doesn’t count as one of my questions does it? Shyt, I think that was another question. Well, here is my real question: if you were a woman and had the choice of a one night stand with Lane Kiffin or Pete Carrol, who would you choose?

  14. wolfman, sorry for the late question, but this issue seems to be on the verge of exploding onto the internets:

    the question must be asked: does Southern Cal have an issue with bringing players back from injury too soon??? off hand I think of Woods, Lee, Breslin who were all brought back only to immediately tweak their injuries further, possibly extending their impairments to half the season instead of a few game were they allowed to heal properly.

    does this reflect on the current court case alleging the over-use of Toradol by trOXan team Dr’s????

    something just does not seem right here, wolfman, and it may take your mad investigative skills to blow the lid off this scandal. .

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