State Of Secondary

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It is no secret USC’s secondary has struggled this season. So I asked an NFL assistant who watched some games this season.

”it seems like they change their technique on every play,” the coach said. “It’s not always apparent what they are trying to do.”

116 thoughts on “State Of Secondary”

  1. You know it isn’t important or even matter if SW is right. He often is. He is entitled to his opinions and I do not want to see them silenced. But , good God, in my entire life I have never met or known a person with who has such a negative view of life’s events as SW has. It is truly something to behold.

  2. ”it seems like they change their technique on every play,” the coach said “It’s not always apparent what they are trying to do.”

    Hey wolf, if you had an ounce of football knowledge, you would realize deception is the key to keeping the QB and OC off-balance.

    • I asked an newspaper editor friend about Mr Wolf’s obsessive columnist style. “It seems like the works of a very lonely man”

    • C’mon would you admit you are talking to Scottie? Better to be misquoted anonymously, than agree with Scott (in some circumstances)

  4. Scott: Upon hearing what YOUR NFL assistant said about our secondary changing technique on every play, I asked MY NFL assistant for a reply. He said changing technique on every play could only mean one thing: Our secondary has NO technique.

    • It’s either that or there trail technique is very poor. Maybe the are confused on mixed coverage and or version of man to mix who knows

      • Does it seem to you like our corners (Iman and Jack) are the last corners on earth who should be playing man?

        • Definitely. Neither gets the job done. Grabby shouldn’t even be playing corner!

          But Clancy’s obviously very stubborn. We know what to expect from him: man-on-man.

          I don’t think Grabby can improve much. No hips there, period. I think if JJ could get his head out of his ar*se, he can be much more of a playmaker against STAN.

          Hopefully our coaches are scouring the prep and JC ranks for corners.

          • If we get Cam, Rasheem and Porter back in 2018….and come up with 2 guys who can play corner, it’ll give the offense some
            wiggle room next year. Right now, I feel like the only way we can win our last 2 games (one of which is probably gonna be against Georgia or Ohio State) is to score first and keep matching the other guys score for score after that. I don’t expect anything from Biggie or Jack.

          • I pray we get to test ourselves in the Fiesta against a team like GA or OHIO ST. That would really be a dream come true after the bizarre, disheartening loss we experienced in South Bend. We’ve got an amazing shot to make a lot of this season’s realistic expectations totally come true. Love our position right now.

            We’ve just got to beat STAN. Gonna be a tight win with some Darnold magic.

            Surprisingly, I expect more from Grabby and JJ against STAN. They’ve been raked over the coals, on the field and in public. I think they’ll respond and it’s up to our coaches to give them some different possibilities. They deserve that after what’s been a super tough season for both.

          • Maybe they WILL surprise us, Jack. That would be a nice holiday gift for us ….and for them.
            #IfJackB.CanBeMerciful….
            #…SoCanMG

          • No sense being pessimistic now. We’ve got so much to both shoot for and to lose. Either way, this Trojan team is moving forward.

            Hopefully JJ and Grabby are a big part of that.

          • I have that good feeling again —not quite as strong as before the Arizona State game —-but it’s definitely present.
            [I’ll check back with on this on game day].

          • Here’s a (not- so- great) P.S. for you, Jack—According to Dan Weber today, Jack Jones is making the SAME dumb mistakes in practice this week that he’s made all year —-and receivers are running by him. He may not be teachable. Also, Dan said he was disappointed in how are DB’s were covering the fade in red zone situations (Stanford’s favorite play).
            We’re gonna have to pray that our DB’s show some discipline on Friday….or, no matter how great Sam is, they’re gonna give this game away.

          • Hopefully, our coaches will evaluate better going forward. Maybe they have been relying on lists too much – all stars, much less talent.

            Our DBs are definitely a weak spot. I always used to say if I were playing USC, I’d throw at Grabby every play. Now, I think it makes no difference. Just throw at JJ or Grabby.

            I think the best USC can hope for is getting to Costello with our rush. Hope Love doesn’t go too nuts on us like STAN backs usually do.

            We know these games are always won in the trenches when the big boys butt heads. ND’s behind us. I think they knocked our heads off so badly, they actually did us a favor. Easy rationalization, at least.

            Game is looking more and more exciting every day. Pressure’s building. What a great conference championship game!

          • When Rosen picked on JJ early in the game, I thought he was setting Biggie up to be burned in the 4th Q. Fortunately, we recovered the onside kick to seal the game.

          • I was looking at the JC players today, there are a few but the coaches need to get busy real soon.

          • We usually recruit pretty well when all is said and done.

            I guess we’ll find out if Helton’s staff reads this board or not. Because if they do, we’ll sign some greats DBs and OLs. I would imagine the hay’s already 90% in the barn. Can’t wait for Dec 20 to see what USC’s really been accomplishing with the great kids we need to make the next step.

          • Ya. I don’t follow recruiting until the end nowadays. But there’s nothing like signing a true 4/5-star guy to put a little step in yer giddyup.

          • I’m sure they read this board to avail themselves of your boundless wit, wisdom and football genius.

          • Biggie is a Strong Safety at best. He’s adequate in run support, and tackles well in space. But pass coverage is were the issues are.
            As you mention his hips, what separates an average corner from a great corner is that hip swivel. Turning and trailing a receiver without losing speed/quickness. and maintaining leverage

            Quick hip swivel is a physical trait that he lacks and limits his effectiveness as a pass defender.

            Which we all know, has lead to numerous PI penalties due to being out of position to make a pass deflection/breakup

        • I think they are both very good athletes and could play both man and zone. I just think some coaches teach trail technique better than other. Both these guys if taught correctly will end up being great cb. Problem is they are poorly coached so they don’t understand what coverage they are in. I think that the issue. It not what Clancy calls it how what he is called is taught

  5. DB’s are poorly coached, don’t need an ex NFL player to tell you that, just another coach that needs to be shown the door

  6. after watching a lot of fooball on tv and a lot on game film, I can honestly say it is almost to impossible to get tendencies of players based on a tv broadcast. They zoom, cut away, or focus on the ball continuously so it makes it hard to focus on one player. Line play is not bad because they are usually right in front of the ball.

    • You’re right, steveg —-(But) Even though the television cameras don’t allow us to watch Jack Jones throughout an entire play —-we do get enough of him to evaluate his “contribution”. He shows up in the frame after the catch is made, furiously running after the receiver —-sometimes he catches up just before the receiver gets into the end zone, sometimes just a moment afterwards. It’s pretty un-thrilling.

        • It’s different with Grabby. A lot of times he’s holding before the camera catches up with the ball —-so viewers are left wondering what the flag is all about.
          #GrabbyIsTrickierThan#25

        • I doubt with isolated camera on Grabbie anyone could figure him out. Perhaps he is just slow to turn and go with the receiver. His back is always to the ball.

      • So we got to #10. Now all we need is for the top 4 to get upset and blow Stanford off the field big time. Then watch the great minds figure it out. Should be fun, I am pulling for upsets everywhere except in Santa Clara.

        • Me too! IF we do our part, this could get real interesting. [In a weird way, Stanford absolutely destroying Notre Dame helps us —-if we beat Stanford, it makes us look like we’ve come ALL the way back from the dead].

          • We’re not getting in no matter what scenario you guys collectively think up – SEC, ACC and Big 10 are a lock the only possibility is if TCU takes down OK and if they do I don;t see how they don’t leap frog USC. Sorry our chance ended 18th Oct in So. Bend per that massive humiliating beat down at the hands of the Irish.

          • We are just having fun, I think everyone on here knows the reality. The win over Stan is important because it will decide the bowl game we are in. Any of the teams above USC would be a good game.

          • Maybe you are but I doubt most of the nutzos understand ‘it’s ovah!’

            ‘If’ we win then it’s the Fiesta vs. PA St. or loser of WI/OH St.

          • I think most people on here are able to see the reality, we are after all a bunch of USC fans and want the best for USC. Fiesta would not be bad, just please not El Paso again.

          • Fiesta would be fantastic! We lose to STAN and blow the Fiesta and the real naysayers start looking like soothsayers instead.

          • If we lose, it will be most-likely the Holiday Bowl. If we win, it would be great if we get Oh St in the Fiesta. Talk about an overrated team.

          • Not sure the Big Ten wants another potential bowl loss from the Pac 12. The powers that be need to keep our conference in its lowly place. We may end up with the Group of 5 Champion (Central Florida?)

          • Michael Guartino, You are 100% in the right. Excellent observation !!! It is very evident to schammer47 that you are still a Trojan Booster. Can’t say the same for rusoviet who appears to have changed course and now is into humiliating Helton’s 18-2 2017 Trojans.

          • Too bad we won’t be able to join the living in the top 4. I guess #10 isn’t bad in the grand scheme of things.

  7. Hopefully Biggie and JJ pull it together for the CCG. I remember watching Biggie in his first year cover I believe Marquise Lee in the spring scrimmage – he looked really good. It seems he has regressed.

      • I don’t care if the guy went to USC, just get someone who is qualified to coach kids up

        • According to your resume, you’re overqualified. Get to work and coach these kids up

          YOU CAN DO IT!

        • I’d like to stay away from Pete guys but DR sounds like a real intelligent football guy. I met him a few years after graduated coming out of the bar on campus before a game. Shook my hand and signed my program.

      • Darryl Rideaux couldn’t carry Mark Carrier’s jockstrap as a DB. I don’t know if that means Carrier would be better, but I would choose Carrier long before I would ever think about Rideaux.

        I also know that Carrier was a natural born leader among USC’s players when he was there. He was a force and someone the players always listened to. Can’t speak to Rideaux’s power, but again, he wasn’t nearly the player Carrier was.

  10. The Trojans secondary plays man-to-man defense all game every game. And the Trojans coaching staff rarely if ever rotates in fresh players. There is a boat load of DB recruits on USC’s bench who were 4 & 5 star recruits that are wasting their talent because Helton and Pendergast won’t play them for whatever idiotic reason. I’m surprised they haven’t transferred.

    There are a lot of 4 & 5 star recruits at all positions who don’t ever see playing time, they’re never given a chance to show what they can do in a game.

    Helton and his staff would rather play the same guys all game long, not giving them a breather…and Trojan fans wonder why the DB’s have gotten beat over the top so many times this year. And you know its true because 90% of you here in this forum have been crying for a few games now about why Helton doesnt sit or discipline some of the players that have gotten beat or committed stupid penalties.

    • Clancy has stated that his defense is too complicated for freshman and sophomores because it takes 2 years to learn it

      • In that case, Clancy really needs to start donating his spare time to local high schools so players can get 2 years exposure to his system under their belts before they arrive on campus.

  12. Kind of cool to see Fresno go from 1-11 to 9-3 and playing in their CCG. Tedford has done some good work with them.

  14. I,m sorry about harping on this issue but the word “no respect” shows up most times Clay Helton’s name appears. Like the inability of him hiring better coaches and the pollsters ( all of them).

    • Hey, who wouldn’t want to coach with Clay?
      Or is it: Who would want to coach with Clay?

  15. _CB’S_

    -Iman Marshall 5* (#1 CB in the West)
    -Jack Jones 5* (#1 CB in the West)
    -Isiah Langley 4*

    _S’s_
    -Chris Hawkins (was #2 CB in West)
    -Marvell Tell 4* (#1 Safety in West)
    -CJ Pollard 4*
    -Jamel Cook 4* (#3 Safety in Nation by Scout)

    -Bubba Bolden & -Isiah Pola-Mao 4*……(#1 & #2 Safety in West depending on which site)

    ****ALL PLAYED IN ARMY ALL AMERICAN GAME or UNDER ARMOUR GAME****

    Q. What does this mean??????????

    A. It means Clancy Pendergast and Ronnie Bradford should probably be let go!!!!

    THERE’S NO DANCING AROUND THIS ISSUE!!!!!!

        • I agree buddy. I have felt a new staff was needed when they were hired. All except a couple, Nanson, and the RB coach were marginal hires at best. The promotion of Martin to OC has been a failure in my eye. Penergast’s contract I believe is up anyway, so him and his buddy Bradford can start a job search. The O line coach should retire.

          • I hate to say it but the bRuins corners have better man technique than our corners this year. They just don’t share the same athleticism as SC. Yes it’s definitely a coaching issue.

    • A ss,
      Please lay off the ?????? and !!!!!!! and the ……, *******
      It just makes you look more stupid.

    • Those star ratings don’t always pan out. UCLA had a 5-star named Priest Willis that never played up to his rating. Talent evaluators have a tough job trying to forecast how these kids will develop and fit into their system. Usually the ratings are on target, but what’s the real difference between a high 3-star and a low 4-star?

      • What’s the common denominator. All played as true freshmen? Wake up dummy.

        Might as well add 5 star Darnay Holmes to the list of true frosh DB’s who sucked.

        Same for Nate Meadors who you were promoted as a true frosh over more experienced Ish Adams. What a dummy.

        Let’s go back to 2012 when Jim Mora had more of a right mind set. Actually it was probably Lou Spanos who mad the right call.

        Dumb UCLA fans like yourself were promoting true frosh as follows:

        CB – Ish Adams or Marcus Rios over Sheldon Price Sr

        CB – Marcus Rios or Fabian Moreau over Aaron Hester RSr

        SS – Taylor Lagace over Andrew Abbott RSr

        FS – Randall Goforth competing with Tevin McDonald RSo

        In reality what Spanos/Mora did was not start any of those true frosh and all of the seniors had pretty good years after years of struggling under Rick Neuheisel.

        You starting to figure things out dummy?

        • You do make nice lists. You are a one trick pony. Redshirt Rod. Let me know when you have a new idea. ZZZZZZ

          Why don’t you tell everyone again how you know more about SC Football than Jack B. That was one of my favorite posts of yours.

        • Could be. Since he was just a RS Freshman it may be a bit early. He had some personal issues, so it’s difficult to know if the 5 star rating wasn’t deserved. I’m not sure why people get off on making fun of that kid. It’s not like he was involved in a sexual assault and making a movie about it. I’m hoping UCLA gers a decent LB coach and he gets back to playing well.

    • Preach SAS! This secondary is so embarrassing to watch, that the kids should file a class action suit against Bradford and Clancy for screwing up their football future.

  18. News – Gundy gonna stay at OKS, as many predicted, after turning down a 42m offer. Vols gotta be in a world of hurt. Who can save them now? Only The Kiffer. Would immediately be the CFB story of the year!

      • Oh no! Fear strikes out. LOL. Lots of good hair people in L.A. Maybe someone can show him how to start looking his age. After all. He is a grown man, remember!

  19. He doesn’t track this personally, Sam —-but I bet somebody keeps him up to date on the prevailing winds.

  20. That secondary coach is not too good a coach and not too good a recruiter. We need another Deland McCollah in our new secondary coach.

  21. It is no secret Scott Wolf’s “writing” has struggled this season as well. So I asked a professional writer who has read some of his blogs this season.

    “it seems like he never changes his narrative on every post, ” the writer said. “It’s not always apparent what he is trying to do.”

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