The Latest Line

USC opened as an 8-point favorite over Arizona State according to Bookmaker.eu.

And now for a stat of the night: USC ranks No. 102 nationally in team sacks. The defensive line is not beating anyone on the pass rush and Clancy Pendergast needs to blitz more if he wants to pressure quarterbacks.

90 thoughts on “The Latest Line

  1. Before the Utah game, SC was ranked around 100 or worse in almost everything.

    LSU made a move. ND made a move. And Helton continues to speak about the emperor’s new clothes: “We are improving every week.” “The players are telling me we are almost there.”

    No you are not “almost there”. It doesnt even seem to be close. Discipline? Penalties? Focus? Time-outs called when the players have no idea what to do?

    • Miles has been declining in wins steadily since 2010 and Kelly is in his 6th year. Helton has no standing to make any kind of move save what he did in replacing Browne with Darnhold. If he did the counter would be “…where does he get off doing that to so and so…”

      • Absolutely. Though the difference here is that Helton has no track record. Kelly is .683 winning at ND, with a 12-1 season, as well as a .850 winning record at Cincy, and Miles is 21-12 in conference play since the LSU title.

        Helton is the third straight similar hire for SC, and this is appearing to be the third straight mistake.

        I havent followed LSU or ND closely enough to gauge their discipline in terms of penalties, miscues, etc., but I am guessing that they are far better than SC this year.

        Is there a reasonable sense that Helton will become an excellent coach? If so, I am all for keeping him, but so far I dont see that. There are just too many mistakes and poor performances.

        There also would be a number of negatives in letting him go so soon. It may be a long wait.

        • Well I wouldn’t worry about sacking Helton if the season continues to devolve into mediocrity and/or a bigger mess – his firing will be welcomed and warranted.

          As to whether Helton would or could become an ‘…excellent coach…’ possible but not likely. Truly great coaches improve as they move from site to site – Helton has never been a head coach anywhere prior to his arrival at USC back in 2010. He’ seen a lot having worked under Kiffin, Orgeron and Sarkisian before he was given the position as head coach.

          One has to show strong leadership combined with a vision and skill to be a great coach – Clay Helton has shown none of those necessary qualities save ‘vision’ but ‘dreaming’ isn’t getting.

          The risk for USC is in sacking Helton again perceived nationally as a rudderless ship set to explode for anyone taking the job. The reason for that is the cast of fools that began with Kiffin et. al. and all of that flows back to a cautious, manipulative know-it-all Pat Haden who oozed his ‘insight’ or worse his ‘hunch’ on what would make the team a winner –

          Helton is on a very short plank that he has sawn in half already – he loses 4 more games and he’s outta here!

          • The problem is, Gomer will get us into a crappy bowl and we’ll be stuck for him during 2017 too. We qualify for another crappy bowl then and Swann can let him go. We won’t get off with just the 2016 season of pain. Would be nice. I just think we will end up good enough to beat a lot of the mediocre Pac-12 comp.

          • You’re probably right i.e. another additional year of this fiasco and yeah I would think October was our easiest month starting out it still is.

            In the end this whole entire 10+ year mess may be a blessing in disguise – the exposure of the cozy hugging btwn. Nikias upon his ascension to power and Haden.

            The fact there has been no follow-up on the Mayr Foundation scandal is also puzzling I don’t see how Haden gets any support for what he did by USC administration. If there is no ‘blow back’ there will be from the 4th estate and alums etc.. The fact Bush was rightly pilloried and this arrogant theft isn’t is more than puzzling it’s as if they all have something on one another.

            Why is there no public statement about Haden?

    • Really? Training them? I thought that maxim was already shown to be false i.e. Holt-ID, Chow-HI, Orgeron-MS, Kiffin-OAK, TN & USC, Sarkisian-WA & USC – none of them were any good as head coaches – none. They were good because Pete Carroll saw the skill they had and used it – great assistants are not necessarily great coaches anymore than great colonels make generals.

  2. Pendergast is getting out coached. Our DLineman can’t win up front 1 on 1. Gustin is solid on the edge, but I see too much of him trying to over power his man by bull rushing. It’s early, but I’m a little disappointed by the Pendergast/Kenechi Udeze led pass rush.

    Sad….Wolf’s right. Very sad.

    • Yup – that was our supposed change – that ‘defense’ on that last drive reminded me of the NFL ‘prevent defense’…which the old saw states ‘…prevents nothing…’

    • We have remember Pendergast had to retool his D rotaton because of Masina and Hill. Several of these kids are playing D1 ball for the first time. The experience gained by the players first go around in D1 wil be helpful for them next year.

      • True, but Pendergast has more bodies to work with than his last stint at SC. We’re getting picked apart on pass coverage because a lack of pass rush.

          • Besides our play on the field, too much going on behind the scenes. EJ Price and all that. Not good. I can’t believe how bad it’s gotten in only 28 days.

          • I saw that coming! .. Lol.. But being close to victory and having it snatched away including 9 loses to the nerds has to hurt. A bunch of book worms have cleaned your clock 9 years straight. Brutal punch at the end when Rosen looked like a statue when he lost the ball. He is not a 1st rd pick.

          • You can’t talk to him about football. He knows nothing of the true meaning. His team doesn’t even play in its own stadium on Jan 1. His team has no backbone or history.

          • That’s a good one. What Bruin fan born around the Terry Donahue Era remembers that? They have no history.

          • A lot more Trojan history than Bruins right? No question there. I was born in 81 and have already surpassed all of the Bruin history in my time. It’s not even close. Somebody needs to explain that to them.

          • I would love for that Dodgers World Series more than anything at the moment. 4 years straight in the playoffs and VIN’S last season. I had to back out of coaching winter ball so I can watch every inning of playoff baseball this time.

          • History is all you got now Sambo.
            UCLA has to be comfortable being the best campus with by far the best academics and athletics in Los Angeles.
            You guys are the Clowns of Los Angeles.

          • Beban was a 3 n out in the nfl. The only bruin qbs to play what 5 or more years in the nfl have to Troy and Kilmer. The rest have been no shows. Hundley is what 2 years holding the waterbucket.

          • Hundley should’ve stayed another year. What makes it worse is that Rogers is like Cal Ripken. He’s an iron man who will always be in the lineup. Hundley will always hold the clipboard unless he somehow gets on another team.

          • I know. Lol. I am also baiting the trolls. Troy, Kilmer, Sciarra and Warfield are the only qbs longer than 5 years. I think I am missing 1 maybe 2. Bono comes to mind, and McNown spl.

          • Sanchez even took the Jets to two straight AFC Championship games. Palmer Arizona in contention. Even Marinovich got the Raiders to the playoffs and he was high. Kessler at least started today at QB. We put QB’s in the league.

          • 5 USC QBs on active NFL lists earn cash. 1 for ucla. Ratio sounds about right.

            It’s just like the Rose Bowl win ratio – 24 USC wins vs 5 ucla wins.

            little gutties actually come here and brag, even after last night’s Johnnie Morton Corner face plant. It was a wonderful thing to see, then immed topped off with yet another Rosen sack/fumble returned for six.

            I was laughing like a mutha. The Queens of L.A. football really showed their baby blueness last night.

          • That Marinovich throw was one of the greatest ever by a USC QB. I don’t know how he even got the perfect throw off. What a game. Intense.

          • It was on his watch. He was the head coach. He new something was coming. But still he’s not a head coach. He decided to not take the allotted full amount of Bowl practices and we lost. That was a glimpse of his personality. Who does that?

          • The movie 28 Days with Sandra Bullock has taken on a completely new perspective, but it’s still about rehab and parting ways. Hah, hah, hah. Go Gomer! Turn USC back into a power now before you use up every excuse in the book for losing. In the meantime, stay out of the way of those punches! They might kill ya.

          • If we can win out I would gladly apologize to Helton and the whole blog. Not likely, but I will.

        • I wasn’t thrilled about hiring Del Rio at the time but looking back It might have been a very solid move.
          He is a quality NFL head coach with an old school approach and is himself a top notch NFL defensive coordinator.
          And he’s a Trojan and he wanted the job.

          • I agree. I would take him in a heart beat. Uscfootballisdead has been annoying me with all his negativity and I was messing with him.

  3. I love it, Wolfman. Now you are just calling the shots.
    No more need to utilize constructive criticism, you are the closest thing to a head coach SoCal has had for 4 years.
    #great&powerfuozl

      • Sambo,
        Please stop with the silly questions.
        Of course I’m mocking you.
        I always mock you, that’s why I’m here.
        Making fun of a 1-3 team isn’t that challenging but for SoCal, it’s worth the effort.
        Tell me, how come none of you guys are blaming sanctions anymore?

        • Here it comes……

          USC 40
          UCLA 21

          suck on that.
          Stanford OWNS UCLA.
          Talk about Choke? Ucla football history was summed up in one final drive last night.

          #CHOKE&JOKE

          • If you want to go further check SUCLA’S record against Stanford and Oregon during the Mora years.

          • Sure we are Mr 0-9 sure we are..but we will still win another NC before you ever win a game against Sranford. The Nerds have pounded you clowns for 9 years. Lol. Choke Rosen is a fraud!

          • Mora is 3-1 against SoCal.
            SoCal is now a national joke and has justified their new name, clown college in every way.
            Smart recruits will understand that Swann is the same old SoCal story. St. Pat’s golf buddy with no A.D. experience who will run SoCal as it has been run for so many years, into the ground.
            Reminds me of a line from The Who: Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
            Have fun riding the train wreck, Sambo

          • OMG, I’m not allowed to say THA*M*X.

            MY first two post were up for approval.

            But J, you’ve become that guy. THA*M*X.
            That motherfu**er is annoying. Sorry, but you have took over. I can’t speak to you. You won’t stop even after your team keeps losing. Have a good one.

          • and SoCal is still a tire fire burning while St. Pat’s golf buddy The Swan tries to put it out with a garden hose.

          • Are you mocking our team for not playing with heart?
            DId you watch your boys play the Alabama and Utah games?
            Where were their hearts when they folded Mr. 1-3?

  4. Same scenario as 2013 we’re favored but our coaching is suspect. We are playing ASU the team that “put a fork” into coach Lane. We have the defensive coordinator that gave up 62 points to ASU.
    Will anybody ‘ve available to drive Helton to the airport?

  5. Everyone put’s the blame on coach, but he is not the one that recruited 100 receivers ! That’s on stark and kiffin, I understand he’s not the right guy for the Job , but come on there’s no Beast up front on the D line and O line , let’s keep it real bro’s

  6. LSU fans are all in on Tom Herman. They will go hard for him. They will make a play for him before the seasons even over.

  7. Who are the bookmakers kidding? This isn’t Utah State the team is playing. It might be a high scoring game, but that makes me even more nervous about USC’s chances as Todd Graham will out-manage Clay “Hackett” Helton at the end of the game like Utah.

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