How USC In 2015 Resembles 2003

AP C06 NEWORLEANS 29 IB01 USCCAL 29 S FBC USA CAIs USC the only team in the country where the No. 3 tailback (Ronald Jones) leads the team in rushing? The fact Ronald Jones is not higher on the depth chart reminded me of USC in 2003.

The Trojans lost their fourth game in triple-overtime to Cal, 34-31, with Herschel Dennis as the starting tailback. In that game, Dennis had 16 carries. Reggie Bush and LenDale White combined for six carries.

22 thoughts on “How USC In 2015 Resembles 2003

  1. We’re only 4 games into the season and Coach Wolf is already basically crying that Tre Madden and Justin Davis should be benched…..

  2. Running back isn’t our problem Wolfie. USC has plenty of runners with differing skills, all of whom have performed well. Each and every one.

    If you have any suggestions about how to fix the inconsistent OL and DL, that’s USC’s big problem. You have any players you want to plug in there who haven’t been playing enough? Have at it.

  3. Fun facts regarding Hershel (not Herschel) Dennis…..

    “During his six-year career, the Trojans went 70–8 making Dennis the first player to play on six Pacific-10 Championship squads and the player with the most wins in college football history.”

    • I doubt he “played” on six championship squads. Maybe “was a member of”.
      Plus we weren’t champions in 2002. WSU was. I don’t acknowledge co-champions.

  4. It’s only been 4 games. I get that. But Ronald Jones has been consistent so far. He’s running the ball well and turning 3 yard gains into 6 yard gains. He’s gonna continue to get better and have a productive season.

    • If we don’t learn how to block for him consistently against good teams and keep DLs out of our backfield, how’s Jones gonna be great? There’s lots of times this season I’ve seen where USC can’t run the ball. Jones is a breakaway guy, that’s for sure. Sounds like you think Jones will be great with USC’s OL as is. I think if USC’s OL doesn’t improve, Utah’s DL will neutralize Jones, just like they did to Oregon, at Eugene.

      • Tre Madden had a tough time running the ball against ASU. When RoJo was running the ball he was getting 1st downs and making people miss. I’m not saying he should start over Madden, but Jones is looking like the best pure running back we have. He makes players miss, and he seems to just have more burst than our other RBs. He looks fluidly following his blocks. I think he’s emerging and learning. It’s too soon, but yes I think he has the “potential” to be great. I agree that the OLine needs to start playing better against the more better DLines. At the same time RoJo is coming along faster than I expected.

        • Personally, I don’t care who starts at RB. Jones would be fine with me. He’s certainly the biggest threat, though not the most solid for tough yards.

          I just think SC has to fix its OL and DL problems, mostly a hangover from the Stanford wipe out. We’ve seen what happens when we’re up against better or equal talent and we got destroyed, killed. Even the women in the room were laughing.

          As a fan, especially of USC, it’s easy to think USC will always get better and fix its problems. Problem is, it doesn’t always work out that way. I still maintain, RB is not USC’s problem. It’s USC’s DL and OL, which are obviously only very average units in CFB.

          Wolfie thinks Jones is the answer to all USC’s problems. That’s fool’s gold. It all starts and ends in the trenches and there’s no greater example of that than USC’s best teams, which have always had superior OLs and DLs. Well, we don’t have that now, not by a longshot. Not now we don’t.

          That’s why the coaches and media don’t rank USC in the top 5 or even 10 anymore despite our early season hype. We’ve got amazing skill. Totally average in the trenches.

          • As much as I like Jones and praise him, I am in favor of Madden being the starter. He’s got the experience and I don’t see a reason why he shouldn’t be. The DLine is my main concern. Delvon Simmons and Kenny Bigalow looked impressive against ASU. That being said we need to improve. Antuan Woods hasn’t played the way most of us thought he should be playing as a senior. And I’m not riding the kid, but Scott Felix isn’t getting the job done at Rush End OLB. Like you I’m still uncomfortable with the DLines play through 4 games. I look at other SC sites and most of them mainly Garry P, Michael Lev and Adam J Maya (not saying they are experts) all have wondered why Porter Gustin hasn’t played more. Since camp started everyone has said he’s the strongest and best outside pass rusher on the team not named Sua Cravens. I just hope it doesn’t take another loss for Wilcox and Wilson to figure out the DLine.

          • And whatever happened to Jabari Ruffin?…….the loss of Claude Pelon opens up a huge opportunity for one of the freshmen on the DL…..I think you’ll being seeing a lot more of Porter Gustin from this point forward… kid id a stud….

          • Ruffin got a late start to training camp, and I haven’t heard much on him. I want to see what Gustin can do when he gets meaningful reps. I agree, the kids a stud and most fans feel he needs his shot.

  5. I believe Dennis fumbled while going into the end zone ending SC’s comeback. That Cal victory essentially made Tedford’s career.

    • Dennis got stoned on that play. I didn’t even blame him for fumbling. Looked to me like he should have been knocked out, if I remember correctly.

      • My cousin said right before the play that Hershel Dennis was gonna fumble and we all gave him a dirty look. After the play I wanted to strangle him.

        • Hersh never saw the ball again in the clutch … Lendale should have gotten that carry … Reggie had a bad fumble too early

          • Yep. Exactly. The world was introduced to Reggie and Lendale after that play and the rest is history.

          • We had some good RBs on that team…..Reggie Bush, Lendale White, Chauncey Washington, Hershel Dennis.

  6. On the plus side it looks like Wolf actually used a picture from the actually game he’s talking about. He’s usually off by a year or two.

  7. In Steve Sarkisians defense, he has to ease Jones into his playing minutes, because he’s a lightweight, and still a freshman. That offensive line will be Sarkisians downfall, I guarantee .

  8. Dennis’s last carry in that game was the most memorable. He fumbled on the Cal one yard line during overtime…. losing the game. It was USC’s only loss over about a 45 game stretch.

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