Should Steve Sarkisian Call Plays?

SARK.BC

Whoa! That was fast! One loss and suddenly Steve Sarkisian is already defending his dual role of being playcaller/head coach.

“I have a firm belief in my own capability to execute those duties, as the head coach and the playcaller,” Sarkisian said. “I’ve had worse games than scoring 31 points..”

If Sarkisian needs to give up playcalling, what should defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox do? Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve been critical of the conservative playcalling and poor usage of Juju Smith and Adoree Jackson.

I also favored bigger-named candidates to replace Lane Kiffin. But USC hired Sarkisian and part of his package was calling plays. So it’s a little too early to go to panic stations.

40 thoughts on “Should Steve Sarkisian Call Plays?

  1. It’s never been too early for Scottie to hit the panic button.

    Scottie: maybe you could do some interviewing and find out what the dynamics are between Helton and Sarkisian during a game? Does Helton call a play that get reviewed by Sark and passed on? Or does Sark have 100% input on play calling? I seem to remember Pete Carroll had veto powers on offensive plays during the game but it never was a big deal.

    • Can’t. Nobody will talk with him. Everyone is courteous to him when he is around, even though he really does not deserve it. He usually shows up for the press interview session after practice and asks a question. Usually a very uninspired question. He is a joke among his peers. He’s made his bed, now he gets to sleep in it. He won’t last much longer.

      • It seems that Wolf forgot or was never taught that the 2 most important traits in journalism are integrity and your reputation.

      • i agree. the wolfman is FINISHED as a beat reporter.

        his future CLEARLY lies on TV and Radio!!!

        just ask Jim HIll, CBS, ESPN, Fox Sports etc, etc, etc!!!!

        AND, i’ve noticed some NEW SPONSORS today!! just a few SMALL companies: Chevrolet and Discover!!!!

        AUUUUUUUU-WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

        #CashCow

        #ChaChing!

        #EpicSallyFail

        • Guess what? Wolf has not been back on Jim Hill’s telecast. I hear Jim received several hundred letters suggesting that he disassociate himself from Wolf. Thanks for the tip on the new sponsors, but you can take a knee they are already being contacted. It’s time for change. Thanks for the #EpicSallyFail. That hot chick sure castrated you and RENTS. The balls are in her court.

  2. YIKES!!! why so SUPER DEFENSIVE, Siete???

    wolfman, you ALREADY have Siete walking on eggshells!!

    he KNOWS the Claw of the Wolf could smite him at ANY MOMENT!!!

    #AUUUUUUU-WOOOOOOOOOOOO!

    • I am agreeing with the Ugly Bucket, the ageism freak?

      Yeah, Sark is a bit defensive i.e. “I’ve had worse games than scoring 31 points.” (translation: 31 points is pretty good so lighten up)

      Problem is, Sark, that many of those points came after the game was hopelessly lost.

      Besides, that is two games in a row where the mix of runs and passes was somewhat suspect.

      So, like the SUCLA vermin on this blog, and me, and you, we can all do better.

  3. Sark can continue calling plays. Two conditions 1. Nobody listens to the plays he calls 2. They hire someone to smack him when he gets stuck on run.

  4. Sark will never give up calling plays. He thinks he’s good at it (last weekend’s fiasco notwithstanding) and he’d rather go down with the ship than turn those duties over to someone else, just like Kiffin. A couple of more bad losses won’t change a thing, trust me.

  5. Journalist asks question. (Journalist Scottie.. it’s a thing….) Interviewee answers question. Defensive? Nope. Responsive.

  6. On behalf of UCLA fans everywhere, we are excited to hear that Siete is continuing in his playcalling duties. It’s great to see him walking in the steps of his predecessor. Denny’s menu, anyone? Flail on!
    #sarkiffianjustneedsfivemorewins
    #moraisnotarrogantenoughtocallhisownplays

      • No, I meant “flail,” defined by Webster’s as: “to move or swing your arms or legs in a wild and uncontrolled way.”

        Used in a sentence: “The hapless USC defense flailed about, unable to tackle Boston College’s quarterback and running backs.”

        As I said, “Flail On!”

        English classes much at SCCC?

  7. Will sark survive a 7-6 season with losses to ucla and nd? will haden? and why hire sark who was famously mediocre at UDUB???

  8. PUT “JUSTIN WILCOX” BACK AS PLAY CALLER !

    IF THIS IS THE CASE AND SARKISIAN WON’T DO IT THEN “FIRE” SARKISIAN NOW !!

    Sarkisian is the “worst” play-caller alive, if that’s the case then bring back Lane Kiffin because at his worst, Kiffin is far better than Sarkisian at calling plays !!!

    BETTER YET PUT WILCOX “BACK” TO HIS JOB, OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR AND PLAY CALLER…

    AND THEN FIGHTON !

    • So, first of all, I’m a Husky.

      But, dude… “BETTER YET PUT WILCOX “BACK” TO HIS JOB, OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR AND PLAY CALLER…”

      Wilcox is your guys’ defensive coordinator. Maybe tone down on the caps, eh?

      • Oops I meant Clay Helton as Offensive Coordinator, I just got out of the hospital, I gotta get back my cool !

        That said, Clay Helton “Head Coach” ?

        That would Work !

        He has the Smarts and Clay can actually “think” !!

        FightOn

  9. Yes it is way too early to be questioning Sarks playcalling which I always thought was superior to Kiffin’s who was pass crazy. I hope the coaching staff feels some heat not necessarily because the team lost, but because the team was confused & clueless on defense.

    • I agree, although I have no problem questioning Sark’s playcalling – as I’ve always questioned it. Last weekend, it was obviously inferior as reporters are literally asking him about whether he’ll insist on being the one and only playcaller. I was also shocked big-time about the woeful Trojan defense and never saw that coming.

      I’m rooting for Sark and his staff but I’m not blind. So I’m glad they’re experiencing this huge backlash, because it didn’t have to be this way. Hopefully, they’ll be better prepared in the future and not offering up such a pitiful example of Trojan football in league play.

      • Jack, I rooted for Sarkisian’s hire over Peterson knowing that Sark did a pretty good job at Washington and that he could “recruit” in SoCal far better than anyone else !

        That play calling against BC was “horrendous” and we thought that Wilcox (Which I/We couldn’t believe because he did such a great job last year!) was calling those plays ?

        But right now at least 5 top notch possible recruits are waiting to decide on whom to chose and all are Defensive (Biggy, Houston, Green, Gustin, etc) and are exactly what the Trojans need, this young Offensive line will improve !!

        There is nothing personal against Sark but let Wilson do his job and step back like Pete, “Manage” the team and let your assistants do their Job (And Clancy should have stayed too!)

        Depending on this team, it could be a very short term back, or a complete rebuild !!!

        Let’s do it right the second time…

        FightOn

  10. I can’t believe people can go from Hot to Cold over one game – obviously we need three seasons to place value on what these coaches can do, got to give them some time to recruit, which they do just fine so far – Let’s not forget how the NCAA tried to kill the program with roster constraints – FIGHT ON

  11. Sark isn’t a terrible play caller. When he did finally adjust, USC scored 14 points in six minutes.

    Kiffin never adjusted. Trying to force-feed Marquise Lee with bubble screens late the in 2012 UCLA game, never taking into account the weather at the Sun Bowl . . . Sark did adjust, although it was far too late.

    His game planning — well, that is another story. He has had other notable game planning lapses while at USC: Stanford 2007, OSU and Arizona in 2008.

    The problem with play caliing duties is that is keeps the head coach, who should be the head coach of BOTH the offense and defense, too involved with one side of the ball. Some coaches can gameplan, call plays yet still be involved and have influence with the defense — Chip Kelly, Gus Malzahn, Jim Tressel, Steve Spurrier. Others spend so much time with the offense that they in effect create two separate teams – offense and defense. Lane Kiffin and Charlie Weis are Exhibits A and B. It was pretty bad under Kiffin (and Weis at ND), so much so that Orgeron did that “one heart” thing last year to remind the kids that they were indeed one team.

    The BC game was a flashback to the worst aspects of the Kiffin Regime. Offense and defense were like two separate teams with two separate head coaches.

    Maybe he will figure it out. Jimbo Fischer eventually did, though it took him three years.

    • Your right Indie George… Sark did finally get it or was the truth of the matter he could no longer keep to his conservative run first gameplan in the middle of the 4th quarter and down 13?

  12. Ask me about Sark at the end of the season, just to be fair .But if you ask me about Justin Wilcox I will have a lot to say …lol !!

  13. Wolf takes a lot of heat for his objective style of reporting from the more delusional SC fan. But it should not be debated that he could coach better than El Siete. SERIOUSLY!

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