USC Morning Buzz: Tee Martin Accepts Being Focus Of Criticism

Here is my column on how USC offensive coordinator Tee Martin is a lightning rod for criticism.

Excerpt: “Some of (the criticism), I say, `Man, you’re right,’ and some of it, I say, `You have no clue,’” Martin said Tuesday.

The issue surrounding the program right now is whether Martin is the only one who deserves the blame? Martin, quarterbacks coach Tyson Helton and Clay Helton all participate in calling plays, according to sources.

Wolf: USC offensive coordinator Tee Martin accepts criticism

114 thoughts on “USC Morning Buzz: Tee Martin Accepts Being Focus Of Criticism

  1. I thought USC officially hates the term ‘southern cal’ and yet there it is on the sweat top he’s (Tee Martin) is wearing.

      • I recall when Garrett, as far back as 1992 was AD, Tim Tessalone constantly telling 4th estate spokesmen that USC was not to be referred to as ‘Southern Cal’.

        • What was John McKay’s preference? Because he seems like he would speak his mind for sure.

          Southern Cal or Southern California, When people hear “SC” they think Trojans. South Carolina has baseball right now, but everything else is USC.

    • If he sees it, then why does he keep running the same scematic in all the games?

      • ‘Pa’ – ‘saw’ – ‘duh’ – nah’

        …was it truly the same scheme in the 2nd half? If so then why did Whittingham not recognize such? He did not.

        Look I get the skepticism re. Helton but I have to say ‘if’ he does win – with Darnold – this Saturday then he has earned respect….the question….as many have noted…’can Helton do so with a QB whose surname si not ‘Darnold’?

        • Ha! [Not all abominations are born that way. I guess it’s possible for some things to BECOME abominations over the passage of time —-and those kind are the most evil of all]!
          #”AllThingsAreInFlux”
          #Zeno,GreekPhilosopher

          • I am amazed anyone would consider one of our hallowed traditions to be an abomination unless they are a ruin or an out of touch educrat.

          • BTW, I wasn’t calling “So Cal” an abomination, I was saying that I have heard people say things like “…just don’t ever call us ‘So Cal.'”

      • Again… Tessalone et. al. were pointed in telling the 4th estate to not refer to USC as anything other than ‘USC or ‘Southern California’

        But hey no one ever asked Tessalone about ‘Capper’; and the Mayr Foundation nor what exactly is Pat’s ‘unofficial’ job with USC….why is that?

  2. It’s always been my understanding that all coordinators, oline, rb, qb/wr have I put and can inject both into game plans and calls if they sense or see something. Tyson or Calloway or even McCullough calling a play or two or more wouldn’t surprise me. What surprises me is wolfie treating this as if this is watergate all over again. This team has much more access than does that other team across town (which I personally think is better suited to the talents of this blogger), Bama, Stanfurd, ND, tOSU, no other team gives out as much access as USC.
    Scott continues to drive a wedge between the coaches and even players thinking somehow this is good journalism. While other journalists laugh and even mock.

    Beat the irish!

    • You’re right, Pudly —-USC’s (and Coach Helton’s) open door policy IS perfect for Scott. It looks like Coach Helton has come to that same conclusion. The problem is NOT having an open door policy plays into Scott’s hands, TOO. Kiffin tried it —-and found that you can’t get away with it in L.A. Best approach for a Head Coach is to NEVER show true feelings (I thought Clay KNEW that) and just answer the questions that journalists have a right to ask and, patiently, redirect things when they go beyond the permissible perimeters.
      #Yeah!FightOn!

      • I say HA. There’s no rule says they have to allow access, unwritten or otherwise. No, have to disagree with you on this.. even mora doesn’t allow access and he’s in LA, nor do they have the same access up north, Wolf some thinks it’s a god given right, but it’s hardly that. If you listen to what the rest say, they can’t stop laughing at him, while once again he’s convinced everyone is wrong but him.

        • If you’re saying Scott has probably way over-played his hand as far as Coach Helton is concerned, I agree with you. If you’re saying Scott is a master at twisting and contorting information, I agree with you again.
          I just think the old RFK approach of inviting questions from hostile reporters —-in order to set the record straight —-is the best way to get your message out —and the best public relations strategy for this situation. Coach Helton can handle this without becoming ouchy or evasive. It’s not his style. It’s beneath him
          I don’t want Clay to become like Mora — in Scott’s words, “I want Clay to be Clay.” [I hope, at least, that last line made you smile].

          • So many times people think I’m defending coaches or players, but that’s not it. You’re right though, I do think he’s crossed over that line, and I take most of my opinions from other beat reporters who make off the cuff comments regarding his behavior and questions. Fun is fun, I get it. But how’d he do with harbaugh or saban on the podium? HA!

            I’m always smiling, even if we don’t agree. Life goes on!!

            Beat the irish!

          • I always like it when I can say “if we play our best, and the other team plays their best —-we win!” I honestly couldn’t say that when we played Alabama —-but I very sincerely believe it holds true for this Saturday! In a big way!

      • Some become obvious. Matt Leinart, Palmer come top of mind. Peete would be inthere as well. Darnold is good but his turnovers and sometimes bad decision making on trows is alarmable.

          • Is there any reason you’re leaving out the entire Kiffin era —Matt Barkley, Cody Kessler and Max Wittick?

      • Rodney … imagine him in today’s game
        Carson … what a comeback
        Sam … amazing competitor
        Matt … played on great teams
        Haden … bad AD but good qb
        McDonald … smooth

  3. Welcome to coaching at a “Big Time” university like USC. Your only as good as your last game.

  4. I know people on this blog consider the coaches fair game, but I don’t see much open criticism in other venues. So even though I haven’t been impressed by the play calling and have joined in the critical comments, I wonder if I am the minority here.
    Thing is in most cases a play called could be a game buster if executed correctly. So should I be second guessing the play called or the play execution?
    If Martin is a lightning rod, is Wolf the storm?

    • Play calling entirely falls on the coaches. Players ability to execute plays is also the product of coaching. Ultimately, the players are the one who execute or don’t. However, well coached players tend to execute.

  5. Make no mistake about it. Of course, SC football team is a collection of many players and coaches, and football is a team sport. That said, the linkage of Darnold’s performance and the games’ results has been undeniable. In other words, we win when Darnold plays well, and we struggle or lose when he doesn’t, so this is very much Sam Darnold’s team. So it goes without saying we’ll need him to play almost flawlessly against ND this Saturday to come away with a victory.

    • Isn’t this true of every team? When Darnold is accurate and doesn’t turn the ball over we win quite easily. When he is erratic and iffy with the ball it is far closer. This isn’t unique to Darnold through this is every college and pro team for the most part. We had no business beating Utah w the way he played and the turnovers he had. It is a testament to the strength of the team we can overcome those mistakes to even win.

      • Darnold’s turnovers had all to do with the erratic play calling, why was he running the option? That USC offense is all over the place, they call plays like children do in sandlot football

        • His roll outs where he throws the ball to the other team is because of play calling? His fumbles because he doesn’t secure the ball are because of play calling? Fred you sound like a millennial right now. Play calling may be an issue, but SD poor decisions w the football are on him not a coach in the booth.

          • I’ll be paying close attention to the play calling against ND, because I actually believe, USC will win the game if Tee Martin, and, Clay Helton don’t try to get cute with the offense

          • I guarantee you Fred, if USC can’t run the ball, the play-calling won’t matter. If the Trojans try to play simple smashmouth and get stuffed, no amount of Darnold is gonna save them.

            Darnold is really good only when the Trojans can run. He’s not nearly as effective when the Trojans can’t. You don’t think the USC coaches know this when all the rest of us do? O course they do, in spades. But if we can’t move the LOS and creates gaps and lanes for our terrific RBs, they will go to waste and we’ll be stuck with Darniold running around like a chicken with his head cut off and he’ll make critical mistakes that will make beating ND in South Bend too tough.

          • For a fact Jack, the team that rushes for most yardage has won the past 11 games between these to schools…

            Beet the irish!”

          • It’s all about the ground game against ND. Success there opens up everything else. I hope we can run on those suckers. If not, furgetaboutit.

          • Jack, when ND puts 8 players in the box you expect USC to run? If they do that then you really have a serious coaching problem. Amazing how SD came out in the 2nd half throwing completions over the middle and all of a sudden the run game took off. Why was that. USC has to have a balanced offense, they don’t have the people to play smash mouth football.

          • Balance is key for us. But some people seem to think we can win with just Darnold passing all game long.

            I don’t think he can do that. That’s like Josh Rosen and ucla ball. All they can do is pass and eventually they lose.

            Obviously, if ND puts 8 in the box, they will be severely vulnerable in the air. But what if they put 6, maybe 7 in the box and we still can’t run? No way we’re running against 8 in the box. I think ND will mix it up on us, keep us guessing if they can.

            Notre Dame averages over 300 yds a game on the ground. Hope we can stop that attack with our beleaguered DL. Just another question we’ll have to see play out.

          • I totally agree, but I haven’t seen Notre Dame Play this season, so we’ll find out real fast, if they are just media hype, or the real deal.

          • They’re tough. They beat MICH ST in East Lansing easy. We’ll need to play our best by far. Better than when we beat STAN at home. It’s doable, but nothing suggests USC is ready to suddenly play great against a well-rested, healthy, focused Irish team.

          • If—by “no cute stuff”— Fred meant no flea flickers or Darnold handing off to Jalen Greene and going out for a pass —I’m with him. If we approach this (as I’m sure we will) as out and out war in the trenches combined with passes to our backs and tight ends —-I think we got this game, Jack.

          • Actually, SC doesn’t run much “cute stuff.” Two-three plays during an entire season? We’re pretty conservative and sometimes our offense just needs to get repeatedly bailed by our D.

            Not sure why you think we “got” ND in South Bend when we are banged up, they aren’t, we are wildly inconsistent, they aren’t, we have a bad OL, they don’t, we turn the ball over a lot, they don’t, they are rested, we aren’t and they owe us from last year and Kelly made some staff switches that have worked.

            I think you’ve got your USC homer glasses on a little too tight, but hey, I’m all for USC proving we are much better than we have looked all year. This isn’t like playing STAN or UITAH at the Coliseum.

            The other problem is I don’t see us winning an out and out war in the trenches. If we can actually do that, then I’d like to know where that team has been all year.

            Hope springs eternal of course, and I’m hoping USC plays for the first time like the team we all expected in the pre-season. It’s always possible. I’m just not putting any money on this one, unless you give me the spread.

          • I guess you’ve noticed that the spread has dropped from 4 all the way down to…….three and a half. A sign??
            [But seriously] For some reason, you’re seeing Notre Dame as a super power, Jack. They’re not. Sure, we may lose cuz we’re jet lagged (this is the first time we’re playing in another time zone —always a negative) and we’re at South Bend. But, as far, as the teams match up —we have talent at the skill positions that’s at least equal to theirs, and their d-line and corners are nothing to write home about. I AM worried about Sam running around in the backfield—their linebackers are killers —but I’m not as concerned as you about our o-line and the reason comes in the form of Notre Dame’s d-line.

          • I never said ND was a super power, so I don’t know where you got that from, but you don’t need to be a super power to beat USC, as pitiful front runner WSU proved with no problem.

            We won’t lose because of jet lag. I presume you’re joking, of course. We go out on Thursday and have won plenty of times back there. These are kids, not old men.

            I can’t see what you see in our mediocre, young OL, which leaves Darnold running for his life often. Everyone’s been complaining about it all year. Luckily Darnold’s fantastic on the run because he’s on the run a lot.

            But I remember you saying over the summer we’d beat clear #1 ALA if we played them for the NC. I didn’t and don’t see that either.

            Hopefully USC plays with its hair on fire, cuts down big on the stupid errors, penalties and turnovers and doesn’t come out like we did against W MICH, CAL and UTAH. If that USC team shows up, we’ll get creamed. ND’s bottom is a 1-point loss to the nation’s #3 team, GA, in the first game of the season.

            Both of these teams are gonna be ready. The winner’s sitting pretty. The loser has to go back to the chalk board and fend off the “fire the coach” wailings. Fight On! Beat the Irish!

            Hopefully Grabby doesn’t get 3 PIs and allow a score. He’d be my target were I ND.

          • We saw new wrinkles with Utah, and I think we will see those expanded for ND. Cute? We want ND on their heels, never knowing what the heck is coming next. It might be 3 yards and a cloud of dust (Fred) or it may be a double reverse pass to Darnold in the end zone. (Me)

          • Darnold will have to full 2 minute drill from get go … ND can over power that slow small soft SC D with that huge oline and big backs
            Darnold wins this and he is truly legendary

        • The read option is staple of 75% of college programs. It works great when QB does not screw it up. Darnold needs to keep it occasionally to keep defense honest. It has been very successful when run properly ala Fink in OSU game.

        • I agree with Fred, but im interested in looking at the punt returner and kickoff returner. This year no returner has picked up positive yards nor has any scored a TD.

          • The loss of Adoree has officially neutered USC in the return game. It’s a tough skill obviously and all of our so-called young speed merchants like Velus Jones haven’t stepped up. Now would sure be the perfect time. Great players step up when needed in tough spots. Who will be the great USC player in this ND game? This is so fun!

      • No, the team sucked until the second half, and it was Darnold that again provided the spark for the whole team to come back.

    • Darnold can’t play flawlessly if they can’t run the ball, and the offensive coordinator is predictable

      • And vice versa. Either the run or passing game would need to loosen the box first and get both going for us to succeed.

        • We obviously need a total team effort to walk out of South Bend with a win.

          So many great SC/ND match-ups through the years with improbable endings, memorable moments, quirky plays, unsung heros, brilliant calls, heavy weather, unpopular calls, mind blowing comebacks and HOF players and coaches leaving their mark on the greatest intersectional rivalry in the game.

          Hope we see a memorable contest on Saturday – memorably Trojan that is.

      • Fred, I take it you like the run game.

        I look at it like the pass opens the run lanes keeping the defense honest and not stuffing the box. OC is predictable, but I bet this week there will be some surprises.

        • Of course I prefer the run game, but only when the opposing team gives it up, Steve Sarkisian use to constantly pass the ball , even when the opponent was weak against the run. I see similarities of that with Clay Helton , he and Tee Martin apparently don’t pay attention to what’s going on, it seems like whatever the defense is giving something up, they do the opposite

    • Here is my issue.. USC’s offense under Helton as OC was NEVER dynamic or successful and VERY predictable. The same problems we are seeing with Martin and Tyson (lack of run plays / Lack of game or halftime adjustments / predictable calls) we have see under Helton when he was OC under Sark. So; blaming Martin for the faults that he is learning under Helton..

  6. Flow: Catch that sweatshirt Tee’s sportin’? “Southern Cal.” Maybe that logo slipped past USC’s final approval…Although I’ve seen that sweatshirt back when The Kiff was in charge.

  7. Martin hasn’t been that bad or that good. This team is struggling in all areas right now. I’m starting to notice more and more the players who aren’t starting and the level that they are at in games. That may be something that Swann won’t tolerate. Are these 4/5Star players being coached up?

  8. He is right. The game plan is not always apparent to folks sitting in the stands. The offensive scheme could identify a weakness that they are trying to exploit which might not be apparent to armchair QB’s such as ourselves.

    • Yes, that is an offensive scheme, however, SC gets in its own way and the scheme blows up in their face.

  9. What I don’t understand is how hardheaded are these coaches. Helton said he wanted to run power when he took over. I have only seen two backs in on the same play once this season. Having two te’s does not help with interior blocking. The coaches have no clue about a fullback, two fullbacks, two fullbacks with a H back and te’s on the line, indifferent formations. That wsu game is a prime example. You are on the goal line and there is no fullback to block for the rb. Horrible, simple horrible. No naked bootleg and a throw to the te. You need a ground game and Martin does not understand this. Run the ball first. Let the olinemen hit people first. That is what they want. Pass protecting is hard on olinemen. They have to move backward. Run blocking, linemen move forward which is easier to do. Someone has to make a decision 7 plays ahead of time on what they will call. They are not getting the best production out of the offense.

  10. Are we playing in the longest cross country rivalry this week? I can’t tell from Scottie’s posts. Isn’t there a plethora of stories he can pull to get us fired up for the game Saturday? I haven’t seen the Jeweled Shillelagh mentioned once!?!

  11. Here’s a blog post:

    In August, we as fans had hopes to win several awards, including the Heisman, being added into heritage hall. Now, at the midpoint of the season, none of those awards seems to be a possibility. Will we even have an All-American? Uchenna or Cam seem possible still for that.

    Our chances at the CFP depend on us winning out and several teams losing.

  12. I look forward to Martin’s departure. He doesn’t represent added value to the program.

    • Tee adds A LOT to the program. He just doesn’t have the hang of being a top-level OC yet.
      I am very unhappy with his performance as OC, but that does NOT discount him as an asset.

        • Recruiting. He is undeniably one of the best recruiters in the nation.

          The ability to develop WRs (when he takes the time; He did that several times as WR coach, but seems to me to be distracted by all the duties of OC)
          The players love him.

          • Recruiting skills shouldn’t decide whether he stays or goes.

            It’s about coordinating the offense, drawing up plays and calling a good game on game day.

            If he can’t do that, then whether he can recruit is irrelevant.

          • I agree, but considering we ARE winning and he is young, I am not for disrupting the program AGAIN just because Tee is still green.

            PLUS: If Helton is undermining Tee’s game plan by overriding Tee’s play choices with some of his own plan or some of Tyson’s plan, then how can Tee be sure what he should do?

            You can blame Tee for driving the car erratically, but if Clay keeps grabbing the steering wheel and Tyson keeps messing with the brakes and accelerator, what is Tee supposed to do?

          • We cannot know for certain if the erratic playcalling is because “Clay keeps grabbing the wheel.” How about, when Clay grabs the wheel is when things go right?

            Is Tee so good that only the problems arise when someone interferes with him? It can cut both ways, too.

            I would like to see Tee go because he is too much like Lane and Sark. Much of his coaching career has been under those two fools.

            With all of the struggling on the O and everyone knows Tee is running the dumb bubble screen offense of Lane and Sark, some folks are intrigued with what Tyson Helton can do if he gets promoted to full time OC. As OC at WKU, his offense was explosive. Wouldn’t it be fun to see a guy who OC’d a team to a 40+ ppg do with USC’s players?

          • I am not saying in any way that Tee is a good OC or that the right calls are only his calls. I am presenting a theory that uncertainty is to blame, which 100% on Clay and 0% on Tee or Tyson. Clay decides who calls plays and when. 1 guy should, period. Either you trust him to do the job or you don’t. Helton, like Tee (and BKU) are very new to what they are doing; previous experience at their current positions: Diddly.

            It would be great to magically have an OC that can deliver 40+ PPG. How’s that working for LSU? Expectations for new LSU offensive coordinator Matt Canada’s offense in the spring game were sky high.

            25.6 PPG and #85 in the league. And most of that came in 2 games (2 games saw more than 27 points), 1 of which was UT Chattanooga.

          • Give me an OC who can win on Saturdays.

            I watch college football to cheer on game days. Not to cheer on the first Wednesday of February.

    • If Tee can’t do the X’s and O’s during the week and on game days, then he should be shown the door.

      Recruiting skills shouldn’t save him if he can’t do that.

  13. From BSPN: “Herbstreit: Loser of USC-ND out of playoff.”

    Typical BSPN — The Mike & Mike audio clearly proves he said, “Mike, you mentioned, whoever loses this is out as far as the playoffs is concerned…” So Herbie didn’t “say” it contextually. It’s as if Herbie saying it gives more credibility to the statement than Mike (whichever) saying it.

    Either way, the fact is that the statement is correct, whoever said it. What’s more, the winner might not make it even if they don’t lose another game.

    • Agreed —but the odds are: team that wins this and runs the rest of the table is in the playoffs. Both teams probably (unless Washington and Stanford and Miami fall apart) have signatures games left on their schedule after Saturday.

      • This has to be THE game to play a full 4Qs. Our remaining schedule looks weak as we have only the PAC12 CG after this.

        AZ and AZ St. look like they may earn Bowl Eligible status (probably winning 2-3 of remaining games), while UClowns and CO might not (each possibly winning only 1 of remaining games).

        As for us making the CFP, we need 7-8 teams ahead of us to lose.

        Ohio State or Penn State play each other and the winner will likely face Wisconsin. That’s 2 losses.

        OK, OK State and TCU are in same boat. 2 more losses.

        Miami, NC State and Clemson: same boat: 2 more losses.

        You’ve already seen that I believe that GA and AL could take 2 spots in the CFP with 1 loss between them, so we must root for an extra loss there.

        The Playoff Committee will consider how we stumbled through the 1st half of the season, if we continue to stagger through games.

        • I honestly think that if UCLA can’t beat a weakened Oregon team at home next Saturday, they’ll go into the most hilarious nosedive ever seen in college football. Great way for Mora to go out.
          Thanks for outlining our precarious road to the playoffs. I guess we’ll have to wait until after the conference championships to know where we’re headed even if we win out.
          [So —if we beat Notre Dame on Saturday —-who am I rooting for to lose when Stanford plays Notre Dame at the end of the season]?

          • And it’s a thing of beauty to watch Mora’s disgust with his team before, during and after games. But am I wrong to want to see things accelerate,gt? Personally, I think a big time loss this Saturday —for their Homecoming Game—will help bring things to critical mass.
            #WeCanHope

          • That means if we beat nd and Stanford, those are two solid wins and another nd loss to Stanford helps in many ways.

          • But I don’t want to lose Marky-Mark-Mora! He can only beat us with the help of the NCAA!!!

            If we beat Notre Dame on Saturday, I’m not sure which would be better for us. I must assume the higher-ranked of the two at the time they play.

            Definitely ND over Miamiscum. The question might be who do we root for if Miamiscum plays Clemson in the ACC CG.

          • I think it’s best to pass on meeting Dabo in a playoff —-but I have a ton of respect for Mark Richt, too. That’s a tough call.
            #HopeWeGetThatFar

          • We play ucla they will be cheapshotting USC ever single play. Gonna be a big fight in that game

      • Keep in mind that strength of schedule will come into play in the playoff standings, unlike the other two idiotic polls. USC has had a tougher road to this point than ND, and we all know they have the toughest of all the teams in the top 25. Which tells me, ND is over rated.

        • A lot of people have bought into the omnipotent Notre Dame myth this week, steveg. They’re just one of MANY good teams we play this season. We can handle them if we don’t turn the ball over.
          #I’mPickingUs

  14. The problem is having too much input in calling one play. It is a remnant of the Carroll days when he gave Lane and Sark co-playcalling duties.

    Whatever happened to the old days when the call was strictly the duty of one OC? I don’t mind if the HC has final say (that is his prerogative) but having two assistants determine the play is a bit much.

    Give it to one OC and leave it at that.

  15. Can anyone say this team has improved since the beginning of the season, let alone with any consistency? I am talking about the whole team, not just a few notable players…
    A team plays as well as it is coached. If this was the Mountain West or the MAC conference, this coaching staff would be about right for the challenge. This is Division 1 and this team is under-coached if USC has Division 1 level players.
    You put as better qualified HC and his chosen staff in charge of this program, you would see a different level of execution on the field with the very same players!

    • yes, SC is 6-1. At the beginning of the season they were 0-0. SC is bowl eligible.

    • Yes the team has improved. We are finally overcoming some of the injuries on the OL and getting some consistency there. We finally are seeing players roll off their man and get to the 2nd level and are having fewer false starts. The receivers are developing better and have dropped fewer balls and TV has become a legit 3rd receiver and #80 seems to have gotten over his injury. We have 2 very good running backs and that is not including Carr. Mr. M has really stepped up. Sam is still struggling with ball protection, but seems to be getting some of his confidence back. On D we are having some bad injury issues on the DL that is hampering consistency there, but the LB play is certainly doing better from the beginning of the year. For our secondary, Imam is playing hurt and struggling, but Jack-Jack is really improving. So absolutely I see overall team improvement. You take away Sam’s 3 fumbles and we cover easily against Utah. Wast St was very difficult playing without 3 starting OL and really put way too much pressure on our D. OSU was a gimme and we just played as many guys as possible to get some rest and get some play time for other guys. We beat ND and we will be in good shape heading into the rest of our schedule.

  16. I would tell Tee, “makes no difference who calls the plays when the players can’t run the plays well enough”. That’s a coaching problem.

Comments are closed.