USC Morning Buzz: Athlon Predicts 9-3 Season For Trojans

Posted on July 31, 2014 by Scott Wolf

Athlon’s projects USC to go 9-3 this season, citing the defense and Cody Kessler as team strengths while depth and playmakers at wide receiver are “obstacles to overcome.”

And here is a chart showing how many more three-star prospects came aboard last season from the previous two years. Full article here

	Pac-12 Rank	National Rank	Three-Star Prospects	Four-Star Prospects	Five-Star Prospects
2014	1	10	8	8	2
2013	2	12	0	8	4
2012	2	9	5	10	1
2011	1	3	11	14	1
2010	1	3	2	12	4
Rankings from 247Sports Composite

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UCLA Bleauz

Lack of depth at WR???…. Lack of experience, for sure, but not depth… who writes this krap?………
- FIGHTONtoVICTORY
  
  Seriously, USC probably has more talent at WR than anyone else in the Pac12…
  - Helen
    
    Agree. Just goes to show how little insight these college athletic journals provide.
    - TrojanFan3.0
      
      Phil steele does a decent job
- TrojanFan3.0
  
  Wolf was a key contributor
  - Joe H
    
    Indeed. Read the actual article. The above criticism is due to Wolf’s summary. The article is dead on, including asking who will emerge as the no. 2 and 3 receivers as a minor concern for Sark.
    - FIGHTONtoVICTORY
      
      I would think that the offensive line is more of an “obstacle to overcome” than wide receivers.
      - TrojanFan3.0
        
        I would rate the O-line as the area of most concean.
        If they can’t pass protect it doesn’t matter who’s playing WR
- gouxtroy22
  
  Most likely the same kind of bloggers who post threads without bothering to spell check
- TrojanFamily
  
  I think he is missing a transition. A lack of depth AND lack of playmaking at WR. The depth comment is for the who team, not necessarily at WR.
  
  But sanctions didn’t matter. They don’t affect depth.
  - UCLA Bleauz
    
    The Who team?…. Is Roger Daltrey playing WR receiver for us now?….. I knew what you meant….. 🙂
    - TrojanFamily
      
      Sorry man..posting on an IPad. I fixed it
      - UCLA Bleauz
        
        No worries…. see?… I actually read these comments and I’m not ashamed to admit it, unlike Scottie…
  - UCLA Bleauz
    
    One of Scotties minions just edited his post…..typical
- B.Miller
  
  People on the East Coast who have absolutely no idea who is on USC’s roster..
  
  When has 247Sports become the go to site for recruiting? Where is rivals and Scout?
  - TrojanFan3.0
    
    Wolf is a ghostwriter for 247
- Ben Factor
  
  In fairness to the writer, he called it minor concern for Sark.
  
  I do think that lack of experience creates uncertainty about depth. But I agree with you that the WR talent is quite likely to deliver what is needed. We know things that these far away writers can’t possibly know. Rogers just needs slightly greater consistency. Blackwell just needs greater consistency. Mitchell says he’s ready to compete, and he was on fast track when he hurt his knee. Ajax looks excellent at WR, and if there were issues there, he could focus on offense this year. Juju hasn’t started as fast as Ajax, but competitive guys with a lot of ability have a tendency to improve sooner, rather than later, and more, rather than less. .
  
  All in all, were USC to have a disappointing season, what percentage of the blame do I forecast would fall on the WRs? Oh, 5-8%. Frankly, I would rather be able to say that about the OL. If only the OL were that low risk!
  - UCLA Bleauz
    
    Yes, I agree… my mini rant was directed at Scotties careless, inflammatory post….I am not as worried about the lack of experience with the level of pure talent we have, but I get your point….There is a certain amount progression and player development with each season, provided that the coaches are doing there jobs and the players are listening…I like your run down of the WR’s, but one that you missed was Ajene Harris, who has supposedly been the most consistent player in practice, according to Nelson A……but having the best WR’s and depth will mean nothing if Cody can’t pull the trigger and make the right decisions, which I think he can……
UCLA Bleauz

Lack of depth at WR???…. Lack of experience, for sure, but not depth… who writes this krap?………
ThaiMex

6-3 in conference….Loses against Stanford, UCLA, and WAZOO? Fortunate for you boneheads, again there’s no OREGON on the schedule or all the sudden you’re looking at 5-4 (one game over 500) in Conference. That’s o.k. though, because the Basketball Team would KILL to finish at 500! Fit Un LIMBO U,…..where there’s already room to go just a little bit LOWER! (just like nubsie)
- TrojanFan3.0
  
  Go back to painting the walls
  
  ….and your mom needs you to look for a job. Trolling is site 24/7 is not a job, idiot
- Charlie Bucket
  
  THIS THAI IS ON FIRE!!!!!
  
  hey, did you notice Sark has 35 wins in 5 seasons???? 7WIN SARK!!!
  
  HAWR-HAWR!!
  
  (isn’t is cute how T-Fail is trying to be brave now that the Cadre booted his special friend off the blog??? but you can still feel the pain in his comments….he’s all alone…..again)
  - TrojanFamily
    
    He could always invent friends like some posters do….
    - TrojanFan3.0
      
      …..that give upvotes
    - ThaiMex
      
      You mean like wan carloads?
      Fit Un!
      - TrojanFamily
        
        Using a fake Latino nickname to troll Hispanic names, Cliven Bucket?
      - Charlie Bucket
        
        Hi Cheap Lies
- UCLA owns LA Football
  
  Or U-Dub reunion, SUCC has a cupcake schedule but they go 7 – 5.
  - UCLA Bleauz
    
    And whose fault is the conference schedule?
    - UCLA owns LA Football
      
      I’m not assigning fault, I simply state the facts: SUCC isn’t scheduled to play Oregon and U-DUB, In other words SUCC dodges conf. games with highly ranked teams. Cupcake city bleauz..
      
      UCLA, on the other hand, has Oregon and U-DUB scheduled, and could conceivably play O, S, or W again in the conf. Championship game.
    - rusoviet
      
      Next year this fool will ridicule any remarks that OR and WA are tougher than OR St. and WA St. – there is no logic – it’s pure hatred of USC – it’s all he breathes, eats and lives for.
Mike 70

Buzzv – WTF
gouxtroy22

Buzzv – the phonetic spelling of “buzz” by a blogger who speaks with a l i s p
UCLA Bleauz

What’s really interesting is Vegas Expectations: 8.5 over/under (5 Dimes)
- Ben Factor
  
  Google Bill Connelly usc 2014. Lots of numbers, and an upbeat take.
  - UCLA Bleauz
    
    Cool….. Thanks for the tip!
rusoviet

I think the prediction of 9-3 is credible – three toughest opponents are: AZ St/Stanford, UCLA and Notre Dame. I sense USC prevails over Stanford and AZ St. has Weber St., NM and CO before they face UCLA @ Tempe – if AZ St. loses to UCLA the aftermath will carry over the next week against Troy at the Coliseum.

A great deal relies upon Kessler – if he can make the quick reads that the new playbook calls for (audibilizing at line of scrimmage) after receiving a set play from the sidelines in critical downs then I would not be surprised at USC being 10-0 going into the Rose Bowl on 22nd November 2014 against UCLA. If that occurs we’ll have the most meaningful game in this series in 47 years – since the infamous 1967 game – OJ was an unknown transferring in from SFCC and Steve Sogge was a great college qb but a better catcher (I believe the Cubs drafted him).
- TrojanFan3.0
  
  Love your insight!
  - rusoviet
    
    Thanks amigo
    - ProbationU
      
      I think you may be giving short shrift to some of your opponents that you haven’t mentioned. Re Stanford: a much tougher game IMO on the road than ASU at home. Plus you get Stanford early in the season with a new coach and a new system. SC would have been better off playing them later in the year. It would be understandable if Sark doesn’t have everything clicking in week 2.
      
      Also, WSU on the road. SC should be pumped to make up for last year’s debacle…but don’t underestimate Mike Leach in the Palouse. Could be a very competitive game.
      
      Utah on the road is very tough as well…just ask Stanford and UCLA. They are a much different team at home in Salt Lake.
      
      Arizona on the road is not easy either. See Oregon last year. Rich Rod has a system and even without a QB at the moment, they could be tough in Tucson. If Jesse Scroggins wins the QB job, he may be playing with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove to SC.
      
      Only Cal and Colorado are virtual gimmes.
      
      Top to bottom, this is a strong PAC12. I am looking forward to see it all shake out. These preseason rankings etc. are fun…but things constantly change.
      - rusoviet
        
        Suit yourself – Stanford is hurting and all successful programs run into troughs –
        
        I don’t think Rodriguez or Ingram are that skilled – I do think Kiffin was that inept which is why he got the well deserved heave ho.
        
        At the Pac-12 coaches presser I listened to Shaw on a radio interview done for ESPN 710 AM and I heard a lot of qualifying remarks about 2014 – he does not sound too confident – he lost a key receiver.
        
        Derek Carr last December for Fresno St. had a huge chip on his shoulder. His pre-game statements to his teammates was pure hysteria on why the Bulldogs would defeat USC – bluntly every qb has a chip on their shoulder when they play USC it’s because they’re playing USC.
        
        Just look at the mopes who post here incessantly 24/7 and never go over to bel-air tech’s board. Understand they’d post here no matter who creates the posts.
        
        Momentum builds confidence – if USC gets by Stanford it’s a glide pattern.
      - UCLA owns LA Football
        
        Rick Wade recently offered by SUCC committed to UCLA today. UCLA owns LA Football.
      - TrojanFamily
        
        Not bad. A nice solid 3 star. Should be a starter in Westwood, especially if he can put some weight on. They hadn’t gotten a defensive end so it fills a hole.
        
        30th best DE in the country. #62 recruit in the state of California. A solid get.
        
        I guess UCLA owns Rancho Santa Margarita tonight. It’s one of the good days for UCLA football.
      - UCLA owns LA Football
        
        UCLA thinks so.
      - TrojanFamily
        
        It is funny though. USC lands a three star and people think Sark can’t recruit. UCLA does and you do a victory lap.
        
        #differentexpectations
      - ProbationU
        
        I do agree that it would be great if both teams were undefeated going into the game at the Rose Bowl. However, I think the odds are long.
        
        I also agree that Stanford is due for a slightly down year. I just think that SC would be better off playing them a few weeks later. I think the 9-3 prediction is realistic. I think Stanford and UCLA will beat SC and that SC will lose 1 road game at either WSU/AZ or Utah. Anyway, my best estimate at this point.
        
        As a Bruin fan, I am a little concerned with all the hype surrounding the team. We will see how the team and the staff handles it but as you know, sometimes the hype can get in the way of performance.
        
        Yes..the DN Bruin site with Wang is a joke. NOBs used to love going over there before he was outed and I post there from time to time, but it is a dead zone. Wang seldom puts anything up as he prefers Twitter. He posted the Pauley flood after Wolf did and it was a UCLA story. Wolf posted the rankings before Wang as well. Thankfully, we have an excellent UCLA site at Scout and a few others.
  - betomas
    
    That’s not the only thing you love, CowPoly 3.0.
Charlie Bucket

#ThreeStarSark
- UCLA Bleauz
  
  Our Sark is worse than your bite!….. especially your OVERbite!

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USC Morning Buzz: Athlon Predicts 9-3 Season For Trojans