New Year’s Eve With Helton

Clay Helton said tonight his No. 1 priority in spring practice is to become more physical especially after the last two games of the season.

The question on everyone’s minds is who starts at quarterback? “I’d really like to declare a guy by the first game,” Helton said. “I’ve always been under the impression the best player plays. You have some guys with a difference of age but it’s an open competition.”

I asked Helton if he would be willing to start Sam Darnold even against Alabama despite Darnold’s lack of experience. Helton said that 15 spring practices and 29 training camp practices would be enough time for Darnold to see him perform.

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USC Morning Buzz: Analysis Of Holiday Bowl Loss To Wisconsin

CODY.HOLIDAY.BOWLHere’s my analysis of last night’s Holiday Bowl: “USC proved it was not a comeback team this season, whether in losses to Stanford or Washington or Wisconsin. And the focal point, quarterback Cody Kessler, again came up short.

“Clay Helton takes the loss but linebacker Su’a Cravens pointed out USC’s players failed to make the plays to win several close games this season.

“It’s not any certain game plan or play call,” Cravens said. “Players need to step up. We’ve kind of gotten away from that (at USC).”

Full story here

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About The Final Play

Clay Helton called a Hail Mary. But Cody Kessler and Darreus Rogers improvised and decided to try a short pass play before time expired. But the pass was incomplete and in front of the first-down marker, so it failed on two counts. Not quite a fifth-year senior play.

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Discuss The Game

HELTON.KESSLERWhat a dreary night. The Cody Kessler era ends with another failed comeback attempt. And why was Clay Helton so conservative? Did USC learn much from that Stanford loss? Is this a springboard to 2016?

Above, Helton and Kessler walk to locker room for final time after Holiday Bowl loss to Wisconsin.

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