USC Morning Buzz: Rose Bowl Offers Chance To Elite Again

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Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark (17) leaps over Southern California defenders during the fourth quarter of the Rose Bowl NCAA college football game in Pasadena, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 1, 2009. USC linebacker Brian Cushing (10) reaches for Clark. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, file)

Has it really been eight years since USC played in a Rose Bowl? In this analysis, I look at the stakes for the football program.

Excerpt: USC always fancies itself as a top program, but the post-Pete Carroll era offers few examples of being one. The past two seasons ended with trips to the lackluster Holiday Bowl and for the players, there wasn’t much difference between winning the game in 2014 or losing in 2015.

USC is on the cusp of winning 10 games if it can defeat Penn State in the Rose Bowl. But it needs to establish success consistently and that means winning again next year. For Clay Helton, it means winning when everyone expects it. Not after you lose three of your first four games.

Full story here

42 thoughts on “USC Morning Buzz: Rose Bowl Offers Chance To Elite Again”

    • Someone needs to tell Clay it’s ok to win your first four games. I’m glad sw is man enough to make a statement like that……oy vey

      • As I recall plenty of people were telling him losing 3 of the first 4 was not alright. The calls for his job we loud and frequent, coming from people with much more “inside usc” clout than Wolf.

  3. If USC kept Steve Sarkisian around, it would have been another eight years before they sniffed another Rose Bowl. And we all know what Clay Helton’s future will look like based on the incoming recruiting class. The Pac 12 is starting to shape up , and will be stronger after the Arizona schools replace their coaches after next, season. So Helton better start preparing for the Sam Darnold exit, because I doubt he would survive a season full of excuses.

    • Good morning Fred. CH has shown development over the season and there is reason to be optimistic, but by no means it is a certainity that he will have long term success. Whatever shortcomings he might have , I don’t think excuse maker is one. He seems to be a straight shooter & someone who addresses situations head on.

      • With Fred, there is always one more test to pass before CH will be qualified in his eyes. Look back and see, it was this game or that game, now it is recruiting class standing. Next season expectations are zero losses and the year after the same, year after year. Perhaps by 2025 Fred will say CH is doing well and should stay.

        • Stop picking on Fred… We all see these games through different eyes, some with experience and some as fans. I have high expectations for our program because we are USC and standards of excellence is measured from our strong history as being an ELITE PROGRAM. For the most part the staff has done a great job in molding this group into a football team from week 5 to 12.. It truly goes back to all the players now removed from the program and the team focused and winning..

          Early on Helton was a question mark and failing. From my experience in playing and being connected to the program for 46 years.. I fully support Coach Helton, and how these season has shifted.. In the end Coach deserves an A + .. Should we win our bowl game and dominate.. I see Coach Helton being at USC long term. Gotta back our leader! Clay is a leader..

          Fight On!

          • Excellent post, DMH63. I also see Coach Helton being at USC long term. Freddy, the USC Trojans, coached by Clay Helton and an Outstanding Staff of Assistants, played National Championship Quality Offense, Defense and Special Teams WHILE CRUSHING the Number 4 Team in the Nation on its Home Turf in a Blue State. SWEET !!!

      • Fred please tell us what CCH’s future looks like based on the incoming recruiting class.

  6. ALWAYS imagines itself…really sets up the rest of the so called article,has Fred become a wolfie? I thought he was an independent equal opportunity offender….I usually agreed with his analysis,lately it seems tinged with wolfish sympathies.

  7. I’m pretty sure the sanctions had a lot to do with that and some piss poor coaching hires.

  8. Lose to Texas in 2017 and Wolf will have a field day with the “Should have hired Tom Herman” posts. As for the Rose Bowl, Penn State had 50 yards rushing against Wisconsin and only won throwing Hail Marys in the second half against one overmatched Badger Corner. Assuming no bad weather, this game will not be close. 42-10

    • Shoot. Lose to Penn St. and we’ll be getting “Should Have Hired James Franklin” posts. Admit I only watched the first half of the Big 10 champ game and Wisconsin was wrecking PSU’s QB to the point where I didn’t think he would finish the game. The fact that he not only finished, but won shows he’s a tough SOB and the Rose Bowl could be a shootout.

    • Do you honestly believe TX will win next year with a 1st year coach? Herman laid an egg with his HOU team against San Diego St. – TX has a lot of recruiting needs

      • No. A lot of people think Tom Herman is Urban Meyer Jr, much the same way people thought Kiffin or Sark was Pete Carroll Jr. How’s that work out? He had a team at Houston talented enough to beat Oklahoma and Louisville, but still lost to Kentucky and SMU? All that being said, word has it that Charlie Strong recruited well and perhaps those younger players will surprise in 2017, especially on Defense.

  9. “Lighten up Francis!” – Stripes.

    Let’s get through Penn State and recruiting before you yap about hypothetical nonsense that means nothing and does nothing but waste space on the column.

    “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
    ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:34‬ ‭

    Fight On! – Beat Penn State!

  10. Seems Wolf has expectations for everyone, except himself. Perhaps Wolf you need to hold yourself to the same high standards you hold everyone else and quit putting garbage on here. Show us whether you are “inside” or not and if you are really a sports writer.

    • Delusional man.Doesn’t have the mentality to go beyond TMZ reporting.
      Meanwhile in practice ,Helton has been mixing it up,serious and fun. Team gathers and watches as Jake Olson gets all his snaps in.No one leaves.
      To be blind,and so dedicated to each opportunity in practice.
      Most everyone on the field
      Loves being part of that.

  12. Every game starts as a chance to lose just as every coin flip starts as a chance to land tails. But if you are positive you believe you can win. The Trojans didn’t back into this game, they were selected by choice.
    When looked at from the perspective of being the granddaddy of all bowl games, who could choose two lesser teams? Do you think a Stanford running back would have backed out of this game?
    Penn State and USC are two rare programs both have kept their tradition above the glitz and glamor of neon uniforms and play an entertaining brand of football.
    They are both elite teams and probably will remain so long after this coach leaves.

    • PedSU put names on the jerseys when the sanctions were put in place (14 months later they were reduced). Their tradition is suspect.

    • WOW, Maranatha High School, what a power program !

      Top ” expert ” HAHAHA, That’s hysterical.

  15. SC undefeated at home this year. Next year’s Road Schedule not daunting with Colorado, California, Arizona State, Washington State and the Princess. Washington & Oregon are off the schedule. Anything more than 1 clunker loss in the Regular season will be a step backwards.

  17. Who does Clay Helton have in replacing both the offensive tackles and his nose guard/defensive tackle? It seems USC is always struggling in depth of linemen on both sides. This next year looks to be the same doesn’t it?

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