The Winning Kick

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Here’s the winning kick. As I’ve said, Sam Darnold erases/masks some weird decisions. Like not having Ronald Jones or Stephen Carr on the field for a third-and-1 play.

44 thoughts on “The Winning Kick”

  1. It’s no secret that Helton and Martin aren’t exactly seasoned veterans in their jobs yet, and it showed quite clearly in Saturday’s game. And yes, he’s got a supporting cast and an instant hero kicker around him, but I don’t think we could have our hopes that high without Darnold in there right now. No, he isn’t perfect, but there’s certain winner’s spirit about him that seems to find ways to give the team a chance to win. Can you imagine having Max Browne or even Cody Kessler in this game with same everything else? I really doubt that we would’ve pulled it out.

    • It was a great relief that we pulled it out last night, but I think Helton and Martin insisted on establishing the run game way too predictably, especially in the first quarter. Using other offensive weapons doesn’t necessarily mean conceding the run game to the opponents because you can always go back to it as an option. There’s a difference between being persistent and bordering on being boneheaded.

  2. Well, yeah. But you also think that Tom Herman somehow outcoached SC, despite giving up TD’s in the last minute of both the first and second half of the game, as well as losing in OT. You have a very odd version of good coaching.

    Oh, and that true freshman that SC didn’t take advantage of… he was personally responsible for four turnovers.

    • I wouldn’t say exactly out coached. However, Tee Martin’s game plan seemed to be a little arrogant. He thought he could use speed from our playmakers and never tried to establish the run game between the tackles. Texas has speed on there defense and can catch you on the edge. Carr is a one cut downhill runner that can take any small hole, hit it hard and take off for the end zone. We never really go him or Jones going. Darnold is going to throw a pick 6 if they keep having him throw bubble screens. 4 turnovers and we only capitalized once. Thank God it’s a win, but our team has been exploited tonight.

      • They were exploited by an excellent, probably the best front seven USC will face all season. The run didn’t gel and they kept beating it to death instead of opening the field up with the pass game. It was like Texas felt if they could stop the run they would win, and Sam finally got into it and made the difference. Dropped passes would have been the major reason for a loss. No excuses about that.

      • We actually had some decent bubble screens last night. I was wondering when the peeps were going to start bitching about it.

  5. Every week it’s a full blown analysis and often an over-reaction. Wolf’s job is to torment USC fans. Wasn’t he chicken little all Fall Camp about our inept kicking game? Stop, relax and enjoy the win. Cal is much improved.

  6. SW it’s called the short yardage package. Which he’s part of because of his style of running. Again this game was south before it started. Injuries, adversity coming off a huge( before game) Pac-12 game. The other team basically two weeks to prepare. Came in fresh with house money and played like it. Great teams fight though and find a way to win. We did, great win and everything is still on the table. Fight On!

  7. Last night’s game is a perfect example of why there should not be any rankings until after the fourth game of the year. I’m still not sure how good USC really is. After taking out Stanford last week, just about everyone had USC penciled in for the Final Four. Now, those same people are not so sure. Here are some things that need to be looked at.
    1.) There are a lot of similarities between Clay Helton and USC as compared to Clemson and Dabo Sweeney. We all know that Sweeney is a finished product after eight seasons on the job. During that time Sweeney has established a championship culture with veteran players. Helton is still learning and I think that the program is in good shape with him. USC is a young and inexperienced football team prone to mental mistakes and lack of concentration. We all saw that last night. But they are talented and will get better as the year goes on.
    2.) On offense, last night you saw men, the Texas defensive front seven, versus boys, the USC offensive line. UT’s defensive line is filled with seniors, red shirt seniors and juniors, who have played a lot. USC had a true freshman, sophomores, and juniors on the offensive line, and yet they still found a way to win.

    3.) Darnold is a special talent but he has made some mistakes and USC cannot put everything on his shoulders, like they did last night, especially on the road. Is he ready for the NFL? Someone will obviously take him in the first round, but he would be better served staying for another year. Receivers have to step up and start being more consistent, and this will come with experience.
    4.) Jack Jones. People sitting around me last night are tired of his antics before and after plays. Last night on UT’s final drive in regulation, he was running his mouth to the Texas bench basically telling them don’t throw the ball to his side. Well they did and his man caught the pass that put UT up with 34 seconds left. Helton needs to call him into the office and have a do better talk. How about shutting up and playing the game?

    • Nice analysis, we are building but we’re WINning at the same time. Not always pretty but W’s build culture, the right culture. Also absolutely right on with Jones, why? It doesn’t fit the culture that’s being built. Fight On!

    • I think talking is part of Jack Jack’s game. The UT players seemed to be talking just as much. You’re right about rankings being released too soon, but the true rankings won’t be out for another month.

    • And does Auburn move up after overwhelming mighty Mercer by 14? I thought style points were being done away with.

  8. This game is in the books. Happy with the win not happy with the performance. Lets heal the injured move on learn from our mistakes and get ready to beat the dirty hippies take nothing for granted

  9. Once we all learn to ignore Wolf, the posters on here are the ones that make sense, trolls excluded. Some great comments and observations, blogger lives in an alternate universe.

  13. We’re 3-0. Getting out of September 5-0 was the key to the season. We’re still on track.

  14. West Coast offenses tout innovative play- calling and, at times, using the passing game to set up the run. UT was going to load the box and dare SC to pass first. Once they had some success stopping the run, they began contolling the LOS and the struggle began. It reminded me of the time Norte Dame made a similar goal line stand as then coach Kiffin insisted on running it in.

  15. In games that could have been decided or was decided by one FINAL score (as opposed to “1 score” where a late score by the loser closes the gap), we have 13 wins with 35 losses starting with Kansas State (a 6-10 loss on Sat, Sept 1, 2001).

    We have are 4-2-1 in last 7

    Wins: Cal 2015 (27-21), CO 2015 (27-24), The 2017 Rose Bowl and Texas yesterday.

    Losses: Wisconsin Holiday Bowl, 23-21) and Utah 2016 (31-27)

    Arizona scored a late TD — as usual — to make the 2015 game 38-30, so that was the “no contest” (Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl is another “No Contest because they scored final 15 points to lose by 3)

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