The Power Of USC


Adoree Jackson’s electrifying performance against Notre Dame had to play a major role in winning the Thorpe Award on Thursday. But it is debatable how much of his defensive play really clinched it. Some argued there were several better cornerbacks in the Pac-12. Jackson gave up six TD passes this season. But USC is USC. And when you perform in the big games, you can win a major award. As I said above during the Notre Dame game.

53 thoughts on “The Power Of USC

  1. A huge game against a cupcake, 4 – 8 loser ND team, what a joke.

    Now had Adoree’s performance come against an competitive team – say like Alabama – now that would be a different story.

    Adoree’s ND game is nothing compared to AD’s. When AD went off the bozo’s were down 20 points to a highly competitive, top ranked ND team. AP was shell shocked after AD performance; Kelly couldn’t have cared less and won’t be retiring.

    One last observation, I watched the AD’s second half destruction of ND, and I can’t recall AD acting the two bit clown after his TD’s. AD had class; Adoree has none.

    • Bama?? Bad example. Calvin Ridley was non-existent in that game – Adoree totally shut him down. Plus he ran down and prevented sure touchdowns by their running backs. That is also part of what makes a great DB

      • Deion SandersVerified account
        ‏@DeionSanders
        USC is getting beat down but #2 Jackson for USC is a dog. #Truth

  2. We’re no different than the: NYY, Dallas Cowboys, Lakers – we’re USC
    2. People, media, players either love or hate but regardless they all watch.

    It’s great to be a Trojan!

  3. Typical Wolf trying to piss all over anything positive with USC.
    #sourpuss #classless

  4. “Some”? Man the F up, just say I would argue. Who else has said anything bringing his award into question?

  5. I know it bothers Wolf when SC gets positive press and accolades. True,Adoree is not the nations best DB, but deserved a trip to New York this weekend for his all around play. So it sort of evened out.

  6. How would you like to cover soccer in Europe? Great idea. Go for your dreams. Leave USC alone.

  7. This morning’s paper and several sources say he DID win the award. While you are allowed an opinion I hate to point out this football fact. The punt returner is a defensive back. You might have been getting more cheese for your nachos when he made a ballerina type interception on the sidelines or the many passes batted down.
    I think he did alright winning the award.

  8. All this bitterness is going to eat the blogger up from the inside. People like that pass away early in life, and often alone.

  9. Pretty much every DB gets burned for a TD [sometimes due to a slip others due to over-aggressiveness, etc]. It’s how you handle it. Seems to me that he was never “owned” in any game including those where he gave up a TD. Rather, the majority of games, he “owned” his cover. Additionally, any “mistakes” were promptly answered throw his play as a punt/kickoff returner or receiver. So, he did have a major impact in games played. Still think he is undeserving – tweets by previous award winners such as Deion Sanders and Charles Woodson would seem to disagree with you.

  10. Must be nice waking up everyday trying to find misery in every aspect of life. And this guy makes fun of others. Pathetic.

  11. The link SW provides is a one sentence assertion that Chidobie Awuzie and Sidney Jones are better, with no statistical, in-game, or anecdotal evidence given whatsoever. Veeerrry persuasive arguments Scott, I can see how this gives you pause, given how much you lean on measured responses and context.

    How did AJ fare against those two head-to-head I wonder? How often do other teams play man press coverage like Pendergast I wonder, leaving said CBs isolated with no help. SW loves that AJ had literally one mistake against a very good John Ross, one mistake. But he always downplays the huge plays he made – on defense – that turned that game, and the CU game. Three athletic INTs and 2 PDs against the two top tier QBs of the P12. Browning had 3 INTs all year to that point.

    Even by the eye test, I would be hard pressed to name a better CB at USC since I can’t remember when. But if you were to drop in from a bubble and ask SW how he was, he would tell you that he is overrated because he’s made at least 9-10 mistakes over 3 years and 2000 or so plays.

    But click bait works, and my response here proves that, so real intent effective.

    • Don’t try to use facts that does not work into the Wolfian logic. He’s miserable now that USC is on the up swing. If Andy keeps the BB team going he might need a 5150.

  12. The only people more upset with the Thorpe going to Adoree are the crummy, very lonely little gutties.

    Great to see such anxiety while the very deserving Adoree adds yet another massive honor to the USC trophy case. Good times!

    • Houston finally saw the light. Applewhite is the guy that reported Reggie Bush’s parents and got USC in trouble.

      • When did that conspiracy theory gain traction? I only heard this about Applewhite:12:44 p.m. EST February 2, 2013

        “Texas co-offensive coordinator Major Applewhite admitted to a 2009 affair on Friday night
        The school’s Board of Trustees is scheduled to discuss the matter on Sunday afternoon
        Applewhite had his salary frozen and was compelled to seek counseling in the wake of the incident
        If the University of Texas wishes to fire assistant coach Major Applewhite in the wake of his admission of an affair with a student during the 2009 Fiesta Bowl week, it might not be a difficult process.”

  13. Actually, AJ had very good CB stats. He was tied for first in the Pac-12 in passes defended, tied for first in the Pac-12 for interceptions. Wilner is doing the “eye” test, which, since Wilner is not a scout studying film but instead is an ink-stained hack (albeit a decent hack), should be discounted. Adoree got burned a few times, but off the top of my head at least three of the six TDs he gave up were because he was asked to play hyper-aggressive (tripping twice, shoe coming off once). No CB in the Pac-12 was asked to play as aggressive as Adoree. No CB in the country was encouraged to cheat and peak into the backfield, which Adoree did often, because of his catch-up speed. King and Jones were never asked to do that, and if they did, they would have ridden the bench.

    Adoree had one bad game, when he was asked to play press coverage on a receiver who had 7 inches on him, and at a time in the season when USC generated little or no pressure on the QB. Yes, his special teams play helped, and yes, going to USC helps, just as Peppers going to Michigan helped him go to NYC even though Peppers had average stats across the board and was a difference maker in exactly zero games this year. But to suggest AJ doesn’t deserve it is wrong.

    • IG, when Wilner gives his opinion he provides the reasons behind his conclusions. And when he is wrong he owns up to it. His columns are usually informative and detailed—his work on the PAC 12 Network & Larry Scott is very good. I don’t think he ever writes something just to generate a response–I think that he believes what he says. Unlike so me other “hacks” we see. Congrats to AJ.

  14. Now that Applewhite is the coach at Houston, perhaps Wolf can explain why he ran with an unsubstantiated story and mislead the readers instead of doing his job and following up. We all know why, but waiting to hear what his excuse is, sure it isn’t his fault at all.

  15. Looks like Lane Kiffen’s agent negotiated his client right out of a job, because Major Applewhite is the new Houston coach .

    • Thats what I shared on his story about Kiffin getting the job. It was not done based on the intel I got. They were far far far apart on the BUYOUT and that may end up being the sticking point for a deal.

      • Yeah, the job was his for the taking, but he wasn’t going for that buyout clause. But he was probably gonna get fired anyway, so he should have accepted it… lol

        • Tilman Fertitta told KILT-AM in Houston that offensive coordinator Major Applewhite, whom the school promoted to head coach earlier Friday, was a better fit than Kiffin. Fertitta called in to the sports radio show “Gallant At Night” after he heard the hire being discussed on air.

          “Lane Kiffin did not show me anything that Major Applewhite did not show me,” Fertitta said. “Sure, he’s been a head coach and he’s been an OK head coach. But I can tell you this: [Kiffin] was not a safe hire.”

          Asked whether Kiffin was ever close to becoming Houston’s coach, Fertitta said: “Never. He was no closer than anybody else. Those [stories about him being close] are all put out by his agents, because that’s the way they play the game.”

          • And according to another report, high school coaches in Texas don’t like Lane Kiffen, and it’s probably because he’s a slime ball . His agent , Jimmy Sexton is going to have continue to scrub him down. They even mentioned Kiffen’s silly tweets, that were clearly a sign of him still being immature

    • I’m sure the Kiffer balked at HOU’s buy-out demands and rightly so. He didn’t want to be tied to HOU since it’s only a launching pad school and always will be unless it gets into a Big 5, which won’t be happening anytime soon.

      Not the agent’s fault. The Kiffer’s smart. HOU’s now stuck with Applewhite. Good luck to the Cougs. They’re gonna need it.

    • I think it was because they UH didn’t want to pull the trigger on Lane. Still a huge question mark about his maturity. He just got divorced, he allegedly has an active Tinder presence. To a lot of ADs he is a Sark waiting to happen. The tweet directed to Haden after the SC may be been popular among the twitterosi, but I can see ADs recoilng at that.

      Also Applewhite will keep to talent coming to UH. I don’t think Kiffin would recruit all that well in Texas: he will have too many guns pointing at him and too many targets to fire at. Kiffin should hope for the USF job. He’s recruit better to Florida. Texas is too clubby and good ole boy.

    • Fred, from what I was reading yesterday and today UH was tired of losing coaches after just a few years & the heavy buyout & 5 year deal clause was extremely important to them. Everyone believes ( by that I mean KNOWS) Kiffin would use UH as a stepping stone . So I don’t think he really negotiated his way out of a job because of any hubris or arrogance on his part. But rather UH had a deal breaker job requirement. Also, lets don’t discount Applewhites appeal an d Texas connections. I know your feelings about Kiffin and you are very possibly right. Until he moves on from AL we won’t know–let the fun begin.

  16. “Flash” gets your attention and that of an award committee. If Adoree is anything, he is flashy! Too bad he probably won’t stick it out for another year to “flash” his way to winning the Heisman.

  17. WOLFIE- WRONG AGAIN!!!!! HOUSTON hires OC Major Applewhite for head coaching job…

    Now you are going to wear the CJ Spiller and Kiffin gaffes for a while! hahaha

    oh, and you are a miserable person to throw shade on Adoree’s award..

    Why don’t you throw shade on yourself for your completely wrong post on Kiffin getting the Houston gig?

    • Actually it was the Clinton loving USA Today. Why don’t you apologize for being completely wrong?

  18. You can pick apart all these awards. The Heisman’s clearly not for the best or most valuable football player. It’s only for the most spectacular, big-play QB or RB in reality.

    I’m shocked Christian McCaffrey isn’t in New York. Great RB for two straight years.

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