Based on the assistant coaches I’d say ‘yes’ and until Helton learns to control his subordinates by acting like a ‘boss’ expect more of the same – Clay ‘man up’ and dictate your expectations rather than ‘discuss’ them.
BTW toss your brother and son – it’ll make men out of them
You don’t know what you’re talking about at all!
Well hey ‘connected’ tell all…. come cite time and place countering what even their biggest apologists re. Helton state.
Swan does and has always backed Helton. He knows how bad the culture was. Will be a few staff changes, but not wholesale changes. That good enough for you
Yeah well explain what Swann stated when he pointedly said, two weeks after the WA St. loss ‘We should have won the WA St. game.” for 4th estates publication.
Mgmt. doesn’t say such to a reporter unless the source (Swann) wants that to be shared to the readers.
That was a hard slap to Helton’s mgmt. and wasn’t enhanced by the beat down Notre dame inflicted on 18th October
We should have won that game…we all thought that. Helton thought that. If SD whom everyone gives a pass to played better we would have.
I agree Brent…that was Swann’s sharp point to Helton. Helton needs to replace assistants and find a hard line disciplinarian. USC is a national power…it recruits itself…Helton has fallen into a pot of luck and talent but he has yet to secure a staff that knows how the best programs achieve national prominence and until Clay Helton finds a strong ‘bad cop’ expect more 2 loss and no ‘entree’ into the current 4 team playoff
Helton is a ‘nice guy’….still not convinced he is the best fit for USC
No, USC doesn’t recruit itself. It does w WAC athletes but not w top athletes. Coaches, of whom Helton is a tremendous recruiter, get players to SC. Udezi as a DL coach has been validated at the right call. SC probably has best young DL talent in the country right now. SC is fine, SD didn’t play well vs WSU. If he does we are in the playoff easy.
‘BS’ if you really believe Helton is the biggest reason USC has top tier recruits get a life. No one went to USC prior to 2015 because of any head coach. They went there because the nation knows USC recruits get a 2nd glance by NFL scouts. Clay Helton has nothing to do with that….understand Helton fell into a vat of luck. Until he gets an assistant coach, who lays down the law look forward the same next year….a loss to TX @ TX and the same against Stanford.
Helton does recruit well. Parents love him. Guess who young players listen to. Mom and dad. I have sat in living rooms with parents and players and listened to what recruiters say. It is pretty much the same. Helton being the type of guy he is must come across as very sincere and honest.
I’m not questioning his skill set but if you believe he’s the reason said recruits and parents choose USC over Clay Helton recruiting for say UT or AZ St. or more realistically Memphis or East Caolina – no way. USC recruits itself just as Notre Dame, OK, AL, OH St., Stanford, do…. the goal is the NFL and Clay Helton has nothing to do with that and never will.
A very nice guy – long term for USC? No
Parents have to sign the LOI so if they don’t trust the coach it doesn’t matter hat the kid says
Do you even know how bad the recruiting was when Sark was fired? Everyone knew SC was a dumpster fire and nobody was coming here. Helton and company salvaged that class and cleaned up, especially on DL, last year. You clearly have no idea how recruiting works. Yes SC would have a top 25 class just because it’s SC. They get too 5 classes based on coaches.
That’s no different than when Pete Carroll arrived after Hackett was shown the door or the same when Larry Smith was tossed and Robinson arrived. Top tier programs recruit themselves….admittedly they garner more talent when the national perception is a solid coach but no way are you or anyone else going to convince me that Helton was perceived, upon the sacking of Sarkisian, that Clay Helton was deemed to be a good coach. he was tagged as ‘interim’ until Haden named him as head coach and prudently gave him a w3 year deal.
Just look at the kids they’ve brought in. By the way Helton got SD when everyone thought he was a 3* guy. Your pro Amy right it must have been Pendergast or Bradford who closed on all of those kids last year.
Helton got Darnold? Ok – then let’s ignore the pedigree of Darnold’s father and grandfather both of who played for USC.
I’ll say it again Helton is a nice guy…not sold on his being a long-term head coach for USC
Not even close Gomer couldn’t get a HC gig anywhere
until ultra liberal Haden gifted him the job.
What college did you coach?
Oh that’s the idiocy you want to inject here? Ok genius let’s ask you? Where did you coach?
This a free forum and if you don’t like the counters to your mindset well welcome to the real world where ‘perception is reality’ i.e. opinions are posted here – yours, mine and the man in the moon.
Try to come up with something a bit more compelling than that which reeks of ‘no counter’.
You first.
Won loss perhaps they did. Developmentally no they didn’t. As a team they did get better as the opposition did also. We all know what needs to happen now, recruit, prepare for a bowl, recruit, look for new assistants, and recruit.
and pray to God or Allah that Sam has a moment of complete stupidity and stays
‘Stupidity’? Really? Seen the list of current NFL starters that played a minimum of 3/3+ years at their respective college before they moved onto the NFL – Brady, Rodgers, Luck, Brees, Rivers, Wentz, Goffs,Wentz, Kerr, Wilson etc..
Stay … lose 3-4 games including another historic loss at Texas , get hurt, finish 6th in Heisman, while falling from a top pick to a Brady Quinn.
And watch and listen to Gomer and his staff of idiots fight all year long. Try and decide whether to skip a crappy Sun Kiffin got punched Bowl.
Or make millions, get coached, and look back at his SC career knowing he saved it from complete ruin after Sark ODed and Haden hired a Gomer.
I don’t recall Darnold losing historically to Texas.
Goatboy’s stuff always sounds so fair minded and bipartisan.
#LikeNorthKoreanEditorials
If he goes, he goes, life moves on. USC would just take on a different look next season. I do stand on the side of him staying and get another season under his belt, for his benefit. Teams also.
A lot of things would be quickly exposed if Sam does leave. Don’t think Fink or Sears could immediately fill Darnold’s shoes in keeping USC from more losses due to Helton’s poor coaching.
Allah? Please..
TKS
??
No allah in my house.
Hey goatgirl, trolling time is over. Do something productive, take the trash out……your mom could use some help.
It’s Goat Kiffin … Your former long term SC football savior and then it was Suck , now it’s Gomer
See a trend dummy
I’m talking about something totally unrelated to Kiffin and Sark
See a trend dummy
Gomer is related to his ex bosses … without their stupidity Gomer would be a lowly lazy assistant. Rather than the dumb coach Darnold saved.
The only trend is the last three UGLY coaches.
Narrow ugly wins vs overmatched teams playing 2nd team qbs Embarrassing blowout vs 3 loss ND team
Predictable loss at Wazzu
Staff fighting as they ruined Sam’s season
Dumb penalties over and over
Players acting like undisciplined hood rats
Thanks Sam for your brilliance and saving this train wreck ..again
Understand I loathed all things per Notre Dame ‘but’ the Irish were not a 3 loss team when USC faced them @ So. Bend in mid-Ocotober.
Yes the loss to #A St. was inexcusable which is why Swann made note of the fact ‘…we should of won that game!” No problem with items 4 & 5 – per # 3 I know of no ‘staff fighting’ if so where isn’t that happening on any team college or pro?
With a room full of Alpha males trying to do their best to lead and build a team there is guaranteed conflict, but is common and should stay within the locker room.
Yeah well when the intent is to ‘back stab’ and a willing 4th estate to feast on said ‘story’ rest assured the ‘source’ isn’t a ‘starter’.
john rosen was beter teem cuz they won moar gaims this yeer then last yeer, usc dont won as many so they is worst then john rosen and usc drop in poles from last yeer and ucla dont get ranked cuz of east coast bias or some thing, smdh!
Why banner your shortcomings?
He thinks it’s a gift
I’m not sure even Ed would go that far, Gabby. I think he might go with Obsessive/Compulsive TV Detective Adrian Monk’s description of his condition: “A blessing and a curse.”
Never was a fan of Monk
I’m with you. I hated pretending otherwise when my wife watched it. Interminable.
Didn’t Pittman transfer? And what about those under-coached wide outs? Give the coaches and players some love…
No transfer … Pittman’s dad made the decision to play SC best receiver.
I envy Mark Richt. He will have a clean clock for the New Year and I won’t…..Fight On!
Sure caught in a buzzsaw tonight. Best game to watch is Fresno/Boise
Actually Steve, I was switching between the Clemson and BSU game. Boise st, no matter who the coach is they seem to do well. I guess if you have a good coach why l let him go.
He has experience losing big games.
Clemson
Georgia
Oklahoma
Wisconsin unless they lose, then USC over ohio st sor sos
Not going to happen
I didn’t say it would, but that is my pick. I cannot see ohio st over USC.
Which is why I’d welcome PA St. …. WI is making a comeback in the 4th qtr…..my gosh Miami looks and is awful against Clemson…..
I would hate having pa st.
They can continue if they get the carpet fixed.
WI just pulled off a 2 pt. conversion – who knows?
U don’t want it to happen. Baker Mayfield would throw for 800 yds and 10 td’s , as Jack Jaw celebrates an incompletion down 67-30
No ‘cabra’ boy…I believe OK will be the ‘NC’ ok?
LOL….bozo u has Zero chance for selection. It’s Alabama or Ohio St. I think Alabama is the better choice.
Any team in the galaxy would be a better choice for anything than sucla. LOL!
No team has reached or even maintained their potential. Clemsom, whom I believe is the best team in the nation, lost to Syracuse. They did lose their quarterback for that game, but still lost.
USC had some good flashes where their offense played well, as did their defense. They were more inconsistent thru out the year.
They have not had the luxury of red shirting players like they would like to. Injuries forced them to play some guys who may not have ben ready to play right away, especially on the offensive line, where you need to communicate and read
defensive line movement and shifts.
Were they over hyped? Most likely yes. 11-2 and heading to a New Years Eve bowl game, I’ll take it.
Fight On!
Imagine how many games SC loses if Darnold didn’t gut through ankle problem and crappy coaching.
Imagine how many millionzzzz of dollars The Kiffer will be raking in when he signs his next huge K, and he’s only 42. Must boil your blood just to think of it!
Up all night!
I hope all Scott’s fans are enjoying the Wisconsin/Ohio State end zone rug fiasco. It looks like one of the Farmer’s Insurance commercials they’re playing at the breaks —-“we insure everything, cuz we’ve seen everything.”
Fresno/Boise was a good game until the end.
Agreed. I really wanted Fresno to win.
They played a pretty good season. Quite a turnaround.
They sure did. They’re back!
Fresno/USC 2020
Home only?
yes
Hey Michael, is there any alumni from USC in coaching at college level?
I honestly don’t know, pardner.
According to Chity B, the bozos would attain CFB’s apex:
1) Finish 12 – 0 (11 – 2)
2) Win the Pac-12 Championship (check)
3) Win CFB’s NC (Goose egg)
4) The Piglet would win the Heisman (Not even invited to NYAC?)
So Chity B lucks out and goes 1 for 4.
5) Beat ucla again (check)
Cream puffs wins are a bozo FB specially. I mean anytime the bozos face actual competition the results are the same: 52 – 6 or 49 -14.
Last 6 years the rivalry game stands at 3 – 3.
BTW poi boy, did you see bozo BB lose again. In the second half the SMU went on a 26 – 3 run vs Andyaintwinning’s clever “let’um score” defense.
OOOOOOO forever and still counting.
#Andyain’twinningdidn’tknowsquat……LOL
Why stop at 6 years?
Because he then runs out of ammo.
6) UGLY coach fired again (check)
WI, Miami, Auburn and TCU ‘OUT’
Final Four look pretty rock solid –
OK vs Clemson and GA vs OH St.
Hopefully we get PA St. for the Fiesta – WI was found out – they flat out suck.
Probably Clemson v Ohio St. and Oklahoma-Georgia.
And, yes, I would prefer Penn St over a mediocre Wisconsin
I too
I am joking. Tell Wolf that SC deserves some playoff consideration. Both have bad losses, both are conference champs and we have a better strength of schedule…
USC is not even being considered. The P12 is viewed as a joke this year. I don’t agree with that, but we have only 1 top 10 team, USC, and the Trojans didn’t beat anyone except STAN. Twice was nice, but USC also looked underwhelming so much of the time. OHIO ST is as good as in because they just beat a #4 ranked team.
Sure would have liked to see USC/OHIO ST in the Fiesta Bowl, but it wasn’t too be.
The Badgers didn’t look that good, did they? No offense. OHIO ST was sure beatable today, though they still looked super athletic to me.
Wish looked like their shoes weighed 10 pounds each.. and yeah osu like all other teams have weaknesses to exploit. They recruit higher than we have the last 6 yrs and we’re only just getting ourselves back into that level again. They can be had. We can be had. And Bama can’t defend a pro style qb..clemson looks the toughest and ok can score, they just don’t play D.
CLEM and OU look like easily the best two teams to me. They just totally routed TCU twice. TCU smashed TEXAS 24-7. Maybe the Horns shot their wad on us.
CLEM will hammer OHIO ST, just like last year. That’s a big downer rematch that I be the Committee would like to avoid.
GA’s kind of a mystery team. I think they could sneak into the NC game. Don’t ask me how, but they routed AUB bad today. Maybe the AUB team was affected by the possibility Malzhan might be headed to ARK, Coaching move possibilities seem to brutally weigh on teams.
True. The thing we have to hang our hat on and it’s a real fine line is that very disappointing loss, a shutout no less in the playoffs last year by the bucknuts.. I think realistically we should feel good between 6-8. Set our sights on our bowl opponent, bama.
Being able to play BAMA would be a dream come true. That would be so much better than WIS or PSU. Can it even happen or is BAMA locked into another Big 6 bowl? I’d rather get another crack at BAMA than be forced to play CLEM, which I think is simply better with a healthy QB.
All is in play, tomorrow 9 am on espn, the committee places the teams in bowls to creat the best match ups where possible.. depends on who’s in and who’s out..since the Rose Bowl is out for us we’re not bound by contract
They got an Aub team limping into the game after a physical game with Bama. Johnson and their star receiver would have made a big difference for the Tigers’ offense. The blocked FG took the completely out of the Aub team.
I can see Malzahn leaving Auburn. He is probably tired of going head-to-head with the behemoth upstate from him in Tuscaloosa. In the state of Alabama, even if you have some success at AUB, you are always a poor second fiddle to the University of Alabama. Very similar to the perpetual situation that ucla finds itself in in Los Angeles.
Penn St over USC.
Are you watching Kirk and Rece Davis? We have more wins against the FPI top 40 than any school. Our strength of schedule is better than Ohio State. Our bad loss was to a ranked team, not a mediocre team. We are a conference champion. And the PAC has 4 ranked teams. Wisconsin was ridiculously overrated. Not saying we get in, but we deserve some consideration. Bama didn’t win its division and its strength of schedule is not good. Don’t believe the hype. Look at the facts…
It’s what I’ve been sayin all day!!
Of course there is always a but
The Eye test seems to outweigh all the facts you just pointed out. Shame.
Go Georgia!
SBNation sez it’s going to be Ohio State vs. USC in Fiesta Bowl (with Alabama sneaking into playoffs at #4 spot —-USC will be #7 and Ohio State #5 in final playoff rankings).
Yes, MG. That sounds pretty accurate according to the projections I’ve been hearing. It’s a great match-up for sure. Beating Urban Meyer’s team would be quite a feat!
With the way our team has played this season, I think it’s a pretty good consolation prize. Especially if we can win it.
Fight on, Bro!
#WillNextYearBeBetterThanThis?Hmm…
Hold the presses, RT —-the illustrious Jerry Palm says it’s gonna be Wisconsin vs USC in the Fiesta Bowl.
Why can’t we play BAMA? Is there some rule against it? WIS is a very boring team. Not a real exciting match-up, though USC makes most teams look pretty good, even when they lose.
It would disturb the traditionalist
There is no rule against Alabama playing USC in the Cotton Bowl as I understand it. The Cotton Bowl is free to pick anybody they want.
Do you think a healthy USC can take out Alabama? (I do).
Ya, I do. At least we’d have a good shot. It would be a great way to measure us and ALA is more beatable now than last year.
Cool. I was hoping you’d say that, Jack. I’d love to see a healthy, well rested USC Team get their hands on Alabama outside of Alabama’s comfort zone —the south.
That’s the way I see it. Alabama had a chance, but couldn’t seal the deal.
MG, it’s certainly possible considering those fat cats behind the closed doors at the selection committee might not even know what’s on their minds until they wake up tomorrow morning.
#ThisMightTakeUsBackToBCSEra
You know, RT —-it’s starting to dawn on me that ANYTHING could happen tomorrow. USC could be playing Wisconsin, Ohio State or, even, Alabama. Nothing will surprise me.
I agree, MG. It’s looking like we’ll be playing one of those team in the Fiesta Bowl. And we all want Bama for a chance to revenge our bad loss last year, right?
Yes sir!
Last year we didn’t have Sam The Killer playing for the game. With the way he’s playing right now, we might have a pretty good shot at avenging that humiliating loss this time, MG.
If that were the way we ended the season, I think most fans would be just as happy as if we won the National Championship. (Especially since the picks for the final four are gonna be so debated and controversial —-but a win over Alabama is a win over Alabama)!
My thoughts, exactly, MG! Beating Bama in a major bowl game would be just as satisfying as winning a natty. There’s no question about that!
It would be HUGE for recruiting!
Yes, MG. That’s true, too. Beating Bama on national TV in a major bowl game will do just that.
Nice way for Sam to go out kid had carried the program
I like the way you think
All guesses still.. they have as many opinions as there are people.. check cbs sports?
Yep. CBS doesn’t think Alabama gets in —and that deprives us of Ohio State in the Fiesta (cuz Ohio Sate will be in the playoffs, with Alabama playing Miami in the Orange Bowl). All this leaves USC playing Wisconsin in the Fiesta Bowl. Poor Wisconsin —they’re gritty but I don’t think they can come close to covering our receivers.
Again just more opinion, click bait.. Bama has no top 15 wins and finished second in the division to a conference runner up. Remember cbs is a shill for the sec. USChas the best resume, by far over either osu or bama, but as jack points out, we win ugly..Bama plays the softest schedule and didn’t win the conference and osu had the worst loss.
I’m being blocked, so let me try again. Be prepared to be surprised, Pudly. With the Cotton Bowl free to pick whichever top ten teams don’t make the playoffs —and the possibility that both USC and Alabama are available to the Cotton—-well, you do the math….
Will Alabama fans travel better to Florida or Arizona….The individual bowl committees want what’s best for attendance and their sponsors
My guess is Florida
Get out the tape measure, they don’t like to go west of the Mississippi rv or north of the mason dixon
I’d just love it if we got our hands on them in Arizona. Something tells me that Alabama won’t like it.
What Bama team shows up, a team uninterested because a Natty is out of the question, or an angry team out to prove they deserved a spot.
My guess is the former.
Honestly? I think an in between team. Angry and uninterested. And confused.
Confused will work for me
Alabama fans will travel anywhere, Gabby. And I’d love it if we (1) played Alabama and (2) played ’em outside the south. It would be a whole ‘nuther thing for them!
If they get snubbed for a playoff spot and have to travel to TX/AZ. and play a team they rolled over in the pass, where is the motivation to travel……
Love it! I hope they do get tabbed to play us in the Fiesta —-and enter the game with zero motivation. That would be so tight! What would Owns have to live for if we did to Alabama what they did to us?
Gomer is 0-1 vs a Whisky team that couldn’t cover our receivers
Bama should be eliminated just for scheduling Mercer
and not winning a division or conference.
So basically it looks like we’ll miss the playoff because of a 3pt loss to wazzu with 3 offensive linemen injured that game. Obviously getting hammered by Notre Dame didn’t help either. The 2 losses hurt us but you know what really sucked? When the Trojans stayed ranked at #11 for about 3 or 4 weeks in a row even though we kept winning and teams ahead of us lost. If we’d only moved up a spot or two…But in the end, it’s OK because we’re probably not a top 4 team this year, just being realistic… is what it is. Hopefully we come out fired up for whomever we play in the Fiesta Bowl. That’ll be fun!
We didn’t pretty enough. Time and time again I’ve heard commentators say USC just didn’t pass the eye test. That’s why a lot of people just hate Helton. USC won sloppy a lot and had too many penalties and made other teams look good like W MICH, TEXAS, UTAH and CAL. I think Helton has to get a grip on the ramifications of winning ugly, because they do exist and that’s why we are stuck at 10 with too much ground to make up.
Totally agree Jack. Just winning isn’t enough…you gotta win cleanly and decisively. Trojans never showed that this year.
Gomer cannot help it, he is a low rent coach
In college ball having more talent gets u 7 or 8 wins a year , having Sam Darnold gets you 3-4 more.
I agree 100%
If SC were located east of the Mississippi River, they’d be ranked #6-#8 right now. The PAC 12 cannibalizes itself on Friday and Saturday nights while sports writers in the Eastern time zone sleep.
Good point, Mr Bear.
Larry Scott scheduling feeds right into the lEast coast bias.
SMU: 72 – Andyain’twinning: 55……Clanka a brick, clanka a brick……
Brutal loss. SC basketball coming back to earth.
In the second half SMU went on 26 – 3 run.
Thanks for following the USC athletic program so closely. You must be a real fan!
Did ALA, MIA, PSU, LSU, STAN, AUB, MICH, OKS, TCU, UW reach their potential this year? I could name about 30 more who didn’t, but that’s beside the point. In the end, only 1-2 teams will have really reached their potential and the rest will have fallen short. Hopefully. the next poll won’t be so dumb and obvious based on personal bias.
The bad thing about this poll is it’s going to be interpreted by a certain, impish someone to say that a majority of fans were disappointed with USC’s 12-2 record (rather than they would be happier if USC had made it to the playoffs). Fans almost NEVER think their team played to it’s full potential—but that doesn’t mean they’re not proud of a winning team. And I can guarantee you that very few fans are disappointed in what USC has accomplished this season.
MG, it should be even easier to be satisfied with what the team has done if we consider that fact that it actually has taken a decade to be out of the dark clouds of the heaviest NCAA sanctions ever to have been hammered down on a football program. Of course we SC alums and fans always have lofty expectations, but it’s been brutal to deal with it. In fact, I’ve been starting to have newfound sympathies for Kiffin, who was obviously the coach that had to weather the most severe storm when he was with SC.
OLE MISS only lost 13 rides and wait until they get a load of what’s ahead. So many ramifications. Bye bye Rebels. See you in 6-7 years.
JB, I know they knew darn well the sanctions they put on SC would mean a death sentence for the program for at least a decade, and we now know they were right. And it wouldn’t shock me a bit even if they had designed it as such.
They truly tried to kill us, but in a way, The Kiffer outsmarted them and really managed the numbers as well as you could. We made a huge mistake with Sark, but maybe should be grateful that he recruited and offered Darnold – so it wasn’t all bad.
Despite all the past speculations by laymen, there probably weren’t many first-tier coaches who were dying to coach a sanction-stricken SC football team until about now considering the sheer severity of the sanctions. And they were indeed designed to bury our program for many years, and they did. You’re right, JB. Kiffin was actually quite good with what he had to make do with, but Sark wasn’t. And recruiting Darnold was probably done when he was relatively sober.
I think Helton is more responsible for Sam while Sark is more responsible for Nwosu.
Darnold was SC despite his disdain for ‘weird’ Sark as he called him and he didn’t know who Gomer even was
Wrong, Helton scouted Darnold. They discussed him then offered him.
Kiffer outsmarted that is an oxy moron about a moron
I respectfully submit for your consideration that SMU might have had the most extreme sanctions, the death penalty.
I’ve made a proper correction to my post as per your suggestion.
It’s all so very complicated. I’ll have to do a deep soul-searching and see if I reached my potential today. I already know. Not a chance. Maybe tomorrow.
Well Jack, my wife will tell you that I’ve not ever reached my potential, not even close. But she’s still working on that.
Like that’ll work, HA!
Real question of the night is when do they get rid of Andy Enfield who is a terrible game day coach. The team is weak once they get behind in 2nd half. Led by 7 at 25 – 17 to be out scored by 25 rest of the game. The freshman class is a joke. O’Bannon shoots like his eyes are closed when partially guarded.
Let’s have a big toast to the USC Trojans, P12 football conference champions. #37. We’re back baby. 11-2 with a shot at 12-2. First championship since 2008. What a terrific victory over STAN. USC broke those dudes and they left hurting. We owed ’em, so it was fantastic to pay them back twice in one year. Fight On!
It really is pretty impressive to beat a team that knows us so well and of that caliber TWICE in one season
One that played 5 days prior and just beat OregonSt by 1
When was the last time we beat stanfurd in consecutive games?
How many teams have done that lately?
Trojans’ second victory is most impressive in my opinion.
The public (FiveThirtyEightdotcom) gives USC a 20% chance of making the POs (#6), behind ALA (#5, 28%), OHIO ST (#4, 40%) and CLEM, OU and GA.
Not bad. Not bad at all. Will be interesting to see if the Committee ranks us as high as #6. I doubt it, but the USC CFB brand is obviously very alive and well in the public’s eyes.
Would 11-1 have gotten us in?
(only ND loss)
I’d say yes, if you value conference champions highly and not the eye test – because we won ugly a lot. We’d be in at #4 even though we lost to ND by 35. If our only loss was to WSU, we’d be ranked 2, maybe even #1. CLEM lost to PITT. OU to IOWA ST. We’d be sitting in high cotton, but the ND fiasco killed us.
I’m surprised we ended up winning the P12 championship after that lay down. But we really bounced back because these kids love to play for Helton, I think. He’s certainly got issues, but I think the kids would walk through fire for the guy.
Absolutely right the kides really want to play for him. That was a great scene at the end of last night’s game. Wonder how good the team could be with Helton and some coaching staff changes.
We need to recruit better too, in both the OL and CB spots in particular. Our talent is just average there now. Not sure if we have the evaluators to fix that, so I guess that would be remedied with coaching changes, which won’t happen this year. So I don’t know if Helton perceives the same weaknesses I do. I wasn’t encouraged by what he said after the ND beat down. But maybe he just had to say that.
Those areas definitely need improvement. I don’t recall the rankings of the OL recruits, but I believe that JJ, and Biggie were 4 or 5 star guys. Who knows if JJ will grow up. Biggie’s performance has regressed. Sometimes the highest ranked guys don’t perform the best, and on the other hand, look at Wisconsin – they tend to have recruiting rankings in the 30s, and they have been winning at a 70% or better clip for the last 10 years.
I think Grabby and JJ are so over-rated as talents, it’s just ridiculous. The recruiting services were way off there. Neither can cover very well. I guess they could against HS athletes. But college WRs take them apart.
The star-system is often just guess work. I don’t put much stock in it and I’ve watched plenty of Army AA games that seemed to have some players that didn’t belong.
But that’s part of the charm of it all. You don’t really know what you have until it shows up on campus – like Sam Darnold. It works both ways.
I don’t know, they both played well last night. Jack Jack’s PI call was not PI and Biggie didn’t get burned last night. Ajene and Langley were the ones getting smoked.
One game? I’m talking about all season, USC’s corners have looked like crap.
We keep recruiting so-called super talent like JJ and Grabby (gee, wonder how he got that name?) and at least we’ll know what to expect 90% of the time.
Well put.
Might like that Isaac Taylor-Stewart is the fastest db in the country and at 6’2”+, he’s long too.
Also important to remember the Trojans took a cb (JeQuuari Godfrey) last year who has seriously good measurables, who’s rehabbing a knee injury. And will be available next spring. Very fast, and long.
The video of him giving game ball to C Hawkins, was very touching and shows why they mean what they say;
“Faith. Family. Football”.
Just one correction Jack, clemson lost to syracuse. Maybe worse than Pitt. No matter, trivial.
I think so as well. The committee wants to put together entertaining games, and I think they would love to have Darnold in if the Trojan record could justify it.
Heck yeah!!!
Or WSU? Didn’t matter which game would have been flipped
Well Jack, good morning. Something to ponder? I have it for you. What if instead of nd we played Mercer? What would our record look like? And would we be better off if only played 8 instead of 9 conference games like bama? That would’ve left us at 12-1 with a 3 pt loss on the road with major injuries on the line?
I know it is what it is, but the fact is the sec gets away with this bs over and over again. And finally, by my way of thinking, the chances of injuries increase greatly when you play teams of a higher division due to the size, speed and aggressive nature of power 5 players. You don’t get as worn down playing Mercer as you do vs Texas or nd.
Not that any of this matters, espn talking heads would never bring such drivel up for consideration against their vaunted sec.
OMG. I was watching a little of the USC/STAN game replay and noticed USC still has players wearing differing socks. Darnold wears short white socks, RoJo wears long white leggings and Stephen Carr has long white socks. Most the linemen all wear short white.
But in a major break from protocol, WR Tyler Vaughns was wearing red leggings covered by white socks, One of our players, DL Rasheem Green actually had on gangster-like short black socks and Jalen Green looked to be wearing long black leggings. And a few Trojans cover most of their socks with black tape.
This was so upsetting. I hope SW addresses this issue asap with the USC staff. Something needs to be done!
Side note: is Gaoteote really flipping to OSU? Someone tell me who has recruiting details
He did
Don’t believe anything until it’s announced. Trolls are all over the place.
He has a official visit scheduled there next weekend, he’s had it scheduled for a long time. He hasn’t decommited and that always precedes a flip…should it (decommit) happen it wouldn’t normally happen till a couple days after the official visit. Almost every commit will take their 5 official visits.
Better question, scooter: As a “Sports Writer”, if on the day before the pac-12 football championship, my column uses space trying to embarrass a long gone former basketball coach over trivial matters, have I reached my potential? Didn’t you have anything at all interesting or relevant regarding USC or Stanford football information to report? USC had a bye and Stanford didn’t–thanks for the newsflash. How long have you been waiting to grind that axe with Tim Floyd? What a petty person.
Saw this on twitter this am;
Old McDarnold beat the farm
E-I-E-I Twice..
Just thought it was funny
When the season is over we’ll let you know and you can use our feedback in your column. We still have one game left.
×
Based on the assistant coaches I’d say ‘yes’ and until Helton learns to control his subordinates by acting like a ‘boss’ expect more of the same – Clay ‘man up’ and dictate your expectations rather than ‘discuss’ them.
BTW toss your brother and son – it’ll make men out of them
You don’t know what you’re talking about at all!
Well hey ‘connected’ tell all…. come cite time and place countering what even their biggest apologists re. Helton state.
Swan does and has always backed Helton. He knows how bad the culture was. Will be a few staff changes, but not wholesale changes. That good enough for you
Yeah well explain what Swann stated when he pointedly said, two weeks after the WA St. loss ‘We should have won the WA St. game.” for 4th estates publication.
Mgmt. doesn’t say such to a reporter unless the source (Swann) wants that to be shared to the readers.
That was a hard slap to Helton’s mgmt. and wasn’t enhanced by the beat down Notre dame inflicted on 18th October
We should have won that game…we all thought that. Helton thought that. If SD whom everyone gives a pass to played better we would have.
I agree Brent…that was Swann’s sharp point to Helton. Helton needs to replace assistants and find a hard line disciplinarian. USC is a national power…it recruits itself…Helton has fallen into a pot of luck and talent but he has yet to secure a staff that knows how the best programs achieve national prominence and until Clay Helton finds a strong ‘bad cop’ expect more 2 loss and no ‘entree’ into the current 4 team playoff
Helton is a ‘nice guy’….still not convinced he is the best fit for USC
No, USC doesn’t recruit itself. It does w WAC athletes but not w top athletes. Coaches, of whom Helton is a tremendous recruiter, get players to SC. Udezi as a DL coach has been validated at the right call. SC probably has best young DL talent in the country right now. SC is fine, SD didn’t play well vs WSU. If he does we are in the playoff easy.
‘BS’ if you really believe Helton is the biggest reason USC has top tier recruits get a life. No one went to USC prior to 2015 because of any head coach. They went there because the nation knows USC recruits get a 2nd glance by NFL scouts. Clay Helton has nothing to do with that….understand Helton fell into a vat of luck. Until he gets an assistant coach, who lays down the law look forward the same next year….a loss to TX @ TX and the same against Stanford.
Helton does recruit well. Parents love him. Guess who young players listen to. Mom and dad. I have sat in living rooms with parents and players and listened to what recruiters say. It is pretty much the same. Helton being the type of guy he is must come across as very sincere and honest.
I’m not questioning his skill set but if you believe he’s the reason said recruits and parents choose USC over Clay Helton recruiting for say UT or AZ St. or more realistically Memphis or East Caolina – no way. USC recruits itself just as Notre Dame, OK, AL, OH St., Stanford, do…. the goal is the NFL and Clay Helton has nothing to do with that and never will.
A very nice guy – long term for USC? No
Parents have to sign the LOI so if they don’t trust the coach it doesn’t matter hat the kid says
Do you even know how bad the recruiting was when Sark was fired? Everyone knew SC was a dumpster fire and nobody was coming here. Helton and company salvaged that class and cleaned up, especially on DL, last year. You clearly have no idea how recruiting works. Yes SC would have a top 25 class just because it’s SC. They get too 5 classes based on coaches.
That’s no different than when Pete Carroll arrived after Hackett was shown the door or the same when Larry Smith was tossed and Robinson arrived. Top tier programs recruit themselves….admittedly they garner more talent when the national perception is a solid coach but no way are you or anyone else going to convince me that Helton was perceived, upon the sacking of Sarkisian, that Clay Helton was deemed to be a good coach. he was tagged as ‘interim’ until Haden named him as head coach and prudently gave him a w3 year deal.
Just look at the kids they’ve brought in. By the way Helton got SD when everyone thought he was a 3* guy. Your pro Amy right it must have been Pendergast or Bradford who closed on all of those kids last year.
Helton got Darnold? Ok – then let’s ignore the pedigree of Darnold’s father and grandfather both of who played for USC.
I’ll say it again Helton is a nice guy…not sold on his being a long-term head coach for USC
Not even close Gomer couldn’t get a HC gig anywhere
until ultra liberal Haden gifted him the job.
What college did you coach?
Oh that’s the idiocy you want to inject here? Ok genius let’s ask you? Where did you coach?
This a free forum and if you don’t like the counters to your mindset well welcome to the real world where ‘perception is reality’ i.e. opinions are posted here – yours, mine and the man in the moon.
Try to come up with something a bit more compelling than that which reeks of ‘no counter’.
You first.
Won loss perhaps they did. Developmentally no they didn’t. As a team they did get better as the opposition did also. We all know what needs to happen now, recruit, prepare for a bowl, recruit, look for new assistants, and recruit.
and pray to God or Allah that Sam has a moment of complete stupidity and stays
‘Stupidity’? Really? Seen the list of current NFL starters that played a minimum of 3/3+ years at their respective college before they moved onto the NFL – Brady, Rodgers, Luck, Brees, Rivers, Wentz, Goffs,Wentz, Kerr, Wilson etc..
Stay … lose 3-4 games including another historic loss at Texas , get hurt, finish 6th in Heisman, while falling from a top pick to a Brady Quinn.
And watch and listen to Gomer and his staff of idiots fight all year long. Try and decide whether to skip a crappy Sun Kiffin got punched Bowl.
Or make millions, get coached, and look back at his SC career knowing he saved it from complete ruin after Sark ODed and Haden hired a Gomer.
I don’t recall Darnold losing historically to Texas.
Goatboy’s stuff always sounds so fair minded and bipartisan.
#LikeNorthKoreanEditorials
If he goes, he goes, life moves on. USC would just take on a different look next season. I do stand on the side of him staying and get another season under his belt, for his benefit. Teams also.
A lot of things would be quickly exposed if Sam does leave. Don’t think Fink or Sears could immediately fill Darnold’s shoes in keeping USC from more losses due to Helton’s poor coaching.
Allah? Please..
TKS
??
No allah in my house.
Hey goatgirl, trolling time is over. Do something productive, take the trash out……your mom could use some help.
It’s Goat Kiffin … Your former long term SC football savior and then it was Suck , now it’s Gomer
See a trend dummy
I’m talking about something totally unrelated to Kiffin and Sark
See a trend dummy
Gomer is related to his ex bosses … without their stupidity Gomer would be a lowly lazy assistant. Rather than the dumb coach Darnold saved.
The only trend is the last three UGLY coaches.
Narrow ugly wins vs overmatched teams playing 2nd team qbs Embarrassing blowout vs 3 loss ND team
Predictable loss at Wazzu
Staff fighting as they ruined Sam’s season
Dumb penalties over and over
Players acting like undisciplined hood rats
Thanks Sam for your brilliance and saving this train wreck ..again
Understand I loathed all things per Notre Dame ‘but’ the Irish were not a 3 loss team when USC faced them @ So. Bend in mid-Ocotober.
Yes the loss to #A St. was inexcusable which is why Swann made note of the fact ‘…we should of won that game!” No problem with items 4 & 5 – per # 3 I know of no ‘staff fighting’ if so where isn’t that happening on any team college or pro?
With a room full of Alpha males trying to do their best to lead and build a team there is guaranteed conflict, but is common and should stay within the locker room.
Yeah well when the intent is to ‘back stab’ and a willing 4th estate to feast on said ‘story’ rest assured the ‘source’ isn’t a ‘starter’.
john rosen was beter teem cuz they won moar gaims this yeer then last yeer, usc dont won as many so they is worst then john rosen and usc drop in poles from last yeer and ucla dont get ranked cuz of east coast bias or some thing, smdh!
Why banner your shortcomings?
He thinks it’s a gift
I’m not sure even Ed would go that far, Gabby. I think he might go with Obsessive/Compulsive TV Detective Adrian Monk’s description of his condition: “A blessing and a curse.”
Never was a fan of Monk
I’m with you. I hated pretending otherwise when my wife watched it. Interminable.
Didn’t Pittman transfer? And what about those under-coached wide outs? Give the coaches and players some love…
No transfer … Pittman’s dad made the decision to play SC best receiver.
I envy Mark Richt. He will have a clean clock for the New Year and I won’t…..Fight On!
Sure caught in a buzzsaw tonight. Best game to watch is Fresno/Boise
Actually Steve, I was switching between the Clemson and BSU game. Boise st, no matter who the coach is they seem to do well. I guess if you have a good coach why l let him go.
He has experience losing big games.
Clemson
Georgia
Oklahoma
Wisconsin unless they lose, then USC over ohio st sor sos
Not going to happen
I didn’t say it would, but that is my pick. I cannot see ohio st over USC.
Which is why I’d welcome PA St. …. WI is making a comeback in the 4th qtr…..my gosh Miami looks and is awful against Clemson…..
I would hate having pa st.
They can continue if they get the carpet fixed.
WI just pulled off a 2 pt. conversion – who knows?
U don’t want it to happen. Baker Mayfield would throw for 800 yds and 10 td’s , as Jack Jaw celebrates an incompletion down 67-30
No ‘cabra’ boy…I believe OK will be the ‘NC’ ok?
LOL….bozo u has Zero chance for selection. It’s Alabama or Ohio St. I think Alabama is the better choice.
Any team in the galaxy would be a better choice for anything than sucla. LOL!
No team has reached or even maintained their potential. Clemsom, whom I believe is the best team in the nation, lost to Syracuse. They did lose their quarterback for that game, but still lost.
USC had some good flashes where their offense played well, as did their defense. They were more inconsistent thru out the year.
They have not had the luxury of red shirting players like they would like to. Injuries forced them to play some guys who may not have ben ready to play right away, especially on the offensive line, where you need to communicate and read
defensive line movement and shifts.
Were they over hyped? Most likely yes. 11-2 and heading to a New Years Eve bowl game, I’ll take it.
Fight On!
Imagine how many games SC loses if Darnold didn’t gut through ankle problem and crappy coaching.
Imagine how many millionzzzz of dollars The Kiffer will be raking in when he signs his next huge K, and he’s only 42. Must boil your blood just to think of it!
Up all night!
I hope all Scott’s fans are enjoying the Wisconsin/Ohio State end zone rug fiasco. It looks like one of the Farmer’s Insurance commercials they’re playing at the breaks —-“we insure everything, cuz we’ve seen everything.”
Fresno/Boise was a good game until the end.
Agreed. I really wanted Fresno to win.
They played a pretty good season. Quite a turnaround.
They sure did. They’re back!
Fresno/USC 2020
Home only?
yes
Hey Michael, is there any alumni from USC in coaching at college level?
I honestly don’t know, pardner.
According to Chity B, the bozos would attain CFB’s apex:
1) Finish 12 – 0 (11 – 2)
2) Win the Pac-12 Championship (check)
3) Win CFB’s NC (Goose egg)
4) The Piglet would win the Heisman (Not even invited to NYAC?)
So Chity B lucks out and goes 1 for 4.
5) Beat ucla again (check)
Cream puffs wins are a bozo FB specially. I mean anytime the bozos face actual competition the results are the same: 52 – 6 or 49 -14.
Last 6 years the rivalry game stands at 3 – 3.
BTW poi boy, did you see bozo BB lose again. In the second half the SMU went on a 26 – 3 run vs Andyaintwinning’s clever “let’um score” defense.
OOOOOOO forever and still counting.
#Andyain’twinningdidn’tknowsquat……LOL
Why stop at 6 years?
Because he then runs out of ammo.
6) UGLY coach fired again (check)
WI, Miami, Auburn and TCU ‘OUT’
Final Four look pretty rock solid –
OK vs Clemson and GA vs OH St.
Hopefully we get PA St. for the Fiesta – WI was found out – they flat out suck.
Probably Clemson v Ohio St. and Oklahoma-Georgia.
And, yes, I would prefer Penn St over a mediocre Wisconsin
I too
I am joking. Tell Wolf that SC deserves some playoff consideration. Both have bad losses, both are conference champs and we have a better strength of schedule…
USC is not even being considered. The P12 is viewed as a joke this year. I don’t agree with that, but we have only 1 top 10 team, USC, and the Trojans didn’t beat anyone except STAN. Twice was nice, but USC also looked underwhelming so much of the time. OHIO ST is as good as in because they just beat a #4 ranked team.
Sure would have liked to see USC/OHIO ST in the Fiesta Bowl, but it wasn’t too be.
Final “Elite-8” Prediction:
1. Clemson
2. Oklahoma
3. Georgia
4. Ohio St.
5. Alabama
6. Wisconsin
7. SC
8. Auburn
Sc over Wisconsin
The Badgers didn’t look that good, did they? No offense. OHIO ST was sure beatable today, though they still looked super athletic to me.
Wish looked like their shoes weighed 10 pounds each.. and yeah osu like all other teams have weaknesses to exploit. They recruit higher than we have the last 6 yrs and we’re only just getting ourselves back into that level again. They can be had. We can be had. And Bama can’t defend a pro style qb..clemson looks the toughest and ok can score, they just don’t play D.
CLEM and OU look like easily the best two teams to me. They just totally routed TCU twice. TCU smashed TEXAS 24-7. Maybe the Horns shot their wad on us.
CLEM will hammer OHIO ST, just like last year. That’s a big downer rematch that I be the Committee would like to avoid.
GA’s kind of a mystery team. I think they could sneak into the NC game. Don’t ask me how, but they routed AUB bad today. Maybe the AUB team was affected by the possibility Malzhan might be headed to ARK, Coaching move possibilities seem to brutally weigh on teams.
True. The thing we have to hang our hat on and it’s a real fine line is that very disappointing loss, a shutout no less in the playoffs last year by the bucknuts.. I think realistically we should feel good between 6-8. Set our sights on our bowl opponent, bama.
Being able to play BAMA would be a dream come true. That would be so much better than WIS or PSU. Can it even happen or is BAMA locked into another Big 6 bowl? I’d rather get another crack at BAMA than be forced to play CLEM, which I think is simply better with a healthy QB.
All is in play, tomorrow 9 am on espn, the committee places the teams in bowls to creat the best match ups where possible.. depends on who’s in and who’s out..since the Rose Bowl is out for us we’re not bound by contract
They got an Aub team limping into the game after a physical game with Bama. Johnson and their star receiver would have made a big difference for the Tigers’ offense. The blocked FG took the completely out of the Aub team.
I can see Malzahn leaving Auburn. He is probably tired of going head-to-head with the behemoth upstate from him in Tuscaloosa. In the state of Alabama, even if you have some success at AUB, you are always a poor second fiddle to the University of Alabama. Very similar to the perpetual situation that ucla finds itself in in Los Angeles.
Penn St over USC.
Are you watching Kirk and Rece Davis? We have more wins against the FPI top 40 than any school. Our strength of schedule is better than Ohio State. Our bad loss was to a ranked team, not a mediocre team. We are a conference champion. And the PAC has 4 ranked teams. Wisconsin was ridiculously overrated. Not saying we get in, but we deserve some consideration. Bama didn’t win its division and its strength of schedule is not good. Don’t believe the hype. Look at the facts…
It’s what I’ve been sayin all day!!
Of course there is always a but
The Eye test seems to outweigh all the facts you just pointed out. Shame.
Go Georgia!
SBNation sez it’s going to be Ohio State vs. USC in Fiesta Bowl (with Alabama sneaking into playoffs at #4 spot —-USC will be #7 and Ohio State #5 in final playoff rankings).
Yes, MG. That sounds pretty accurate according to the projections I’ve been hearing. It’s a great match-up for sure. Beating Urban Meyer’s team would be quite a feat!
#NotCompletelySatisfiedByTheSeasonButIt’sTheSecondBest
Exactly! Perfectly put!
Fight On!
With the way our team has played this season, I think it’s a pretty good consolation prize. Especially if we can win it.
Fight on, Bro!
#WillNextYearBeBetterThanThis?Hmm…
Hold the presses, RT —-the illustrious Jerry Palm says it’s gonna be Wisconsin vs USC in the Fiesta Bowl.
Why can’t we play BAMA? Is there some rule against it? WIS is a very boring team. Not a real exciting match-up, though USC makes most teams look pretty good, even when they lose.
It would disturb the traditionalist
There is no rule against Alabama playing USC in the Cotton Bowl as I understand it. The Cotton Bowl is free to pick anybody they want.
Do you think a healthy USC can take out Alabama? (I do).
Ya, I do. At least we’d have a good shot. It would be a great way to measure us and ALA is more beatable now than last year.
Cool. I was hoping you’d say that, Jack. I’d love to see a healthy, well rested USC Team get their hands on Alabama outside of Alabama’s comfort zone —the south.
That’s the way I see it. Alabama had a chance, but couldn’t seal the deal.
MG, it’s certainly possible considering those fat cats behind the closed doors at the selection committee might not even know what’s on their minds until they wake up tomorrow morning.
#ThisMightTakeUsBackToBCSEra
You know, RT —-it’s starting to dawn on me that ANYTHING could happen tomorrow. USC could be playing Wisconsin, Ohio State or, even, Alabama. Nothing will surprise me.
I agree, MG. It’s looking like we’ll be playing one of those team in the Fiesta Bowl. And we all want Bama for a chance to revenge our bad loss last year, right?
Yes sir!
Last year we didn’t have Sam The Killer playing for the game. With the way he’s playing right now, we might have a pretty good shot at avenging that humiliating loss this time, MG.
If that were the way we ended the season, I think most fans would be just as happy as if we won the National Championship. (Especially since the picks for the final four are gonna be so debated and controversial —-but a win over Alabama is a win over Alabama)!
My thoughts, exactly, MG! Beating Bama in a major bowl game would be just as satisfying as winning a natty. There’s no question about that!
It would be HUGE for recruiting!
Yes, MG. That’s true, too. Beating Bama on national TV in a major bowl game will do just that.
Nice way for Sam to go out kid had carried the program
I like the way you think
All guesses still.. they have as many opinions as there are people.. check cbs sports?
Yep. CBS doesn’t think Alabama gets in —and that deprives us of Ohio State in the Fiesta (cuz Ohio Sate will be in the playoffs, with Alabama playing Miami in the Orange Bowl). All this leaves USC playing Wisconsin in the Fiesta Bowl. Poor Wisconsin —they’re gritty but I don’t think they can come close to covering our receivers.
Again just more opinion, click bait.. Bama has no top 15 wins and finished second in the division to a conference runner up. Remember cbs is a shill for the sec. USChas the best resume, by far over either osu or bama, but as jack points out, we win ugly..Bama plays the softest schedule and didn’t win the conference and osu had the worst loss.
I’m being blocked, so let me try again. Be prepared to be surprised, Pudly. With the Cotton Bowl free to pick whichever top ten teams don’t make the playoffs —and the possibility that both USC and Alabama are available to the Cotton—-well, you do the math….
Will Alabama fans travel better to Florida or Arizona….The individual bowl committees want what’s best for attendance and their sponsors
My guess is Florida
Get out the tape measure, they don’t like to go west of the Mississippi rv or north of the mason dixon
I’d just love it if we got our hands on them in Arizona. Something tells me that Alabama won’t like it.
What Bama team shows up, a team uninterested because a Natty is out of the question, or an angry team out to prove they deserved a spot.
My guess is the former.
Honestly? I think an in between team. Angry and uninterested. And confused.
Confused will work for me
Alabama fans will travel anywhere, Gabby. And I’d love it if we (1) played Alabama and (2) played ’em outside the south. It would be a whole ‘nuther thing for them!
If they get snubbed for a playoff spot and have to travel to TX/AZ. and play a team they rolled over in the pass, where is the motivation to travel……
Love it! I hope they do get tabbed to play us in the Fiesta —-and enter the game with zero motivation. That would be so tight! What would Owns have to live for if we did to Alabama what they did to us?
Gomer is 0-1 vs a Whisky team that couldn’t cover our receivers
Bama should be eliminated just for scheduling Mercer
and not winning a division or conference.
So basically it looks like we’ll miss the playoff because of a 3pt loss to wazzu with 3 offensive linemen injured that game. Obviously getting hammered by Notre Dame didn’t help either. The 2 losses hurt us but you know what really sucked? When the Trojans stayed ranked at #11 for about 3 or 4 weeks in a row even though we kept winning and teams ahead of us lost. If we’d only moved up a spot or two…But in the end, it’s OK because we’re probably not a top 4 team this year, just being realistic… is what it is. Hopefully we come out fired up for whomever we play in the Fiesta Bowl. That’ll be fun!
We didn’t pretty enough. Time and time again I’ve heard commentators say USC just didn’t pass the eye test. That’s why a lot of people just hate Helton. USC won sloppy a lot and had too many penalties and made other teams look good like W MICH, TEXAS, UTAH and CAL. I think Helton has to get a grip on the ramifications of winning ugly, because they do exist and that’s why we are stuck at 10 with too much ground to make up.
Totally agree Jack. Just winning isn’t enough…you gotta win cleanly and decisively. Trojans never showed that this year.
Gomer cannot help it, he is a low rent coach
In college ball having more talent gets u 7 or 8 wins a year , having Sam Darnold gets you 3-4 more.
I agree 100%
If SC were located east of the Mississippi River, they’d be ranked #6-#8 right now. The PAC 12 cannibalizes itself on Friday and Saturday nights while sports writers in the Eastern time zone sleep.
Good point, Mr Bear.
Larry Scott scheduling feeds right into the lEast coast bias.
SMU: 72 – Andyain’twinning: 55……Clanka a brick, clanka a brick……
Brutal loss. SC basketball coming back to earth.
In the second half SMU went on 26 – 3 run.
Thanks for following the USC athletic program so closely. You must be a real fan!
Did ALA, MIA, PSU, LSU, STAN, AUB, MICH, OKS, TCU, UW reach their potential this year? I could name about 30 more who didn’t, but that’s beside the point. In the end, only 1-2 teams will have really reached their potential and the rest will have fallen short. Hopefully. the next poll won’t be so dumb and obvious based on personal bias.
The bad thing about this poll is it’s going to be interpreted by a certain, impish someone to say that a majority of fans were disappointed with USC’s 12-2 record (rather than they would be happier if USC had made it to the playoffs). Fans almost NEVER think their team played to it’s full potential—but that doesn’t mean they’re not proud of a winning team. And I can guarantee you that very few fans are disappointed in what USC has accomplished this season.
MG, it should be even easier to be satisfied with what the team has done if we consider that fact that it actually has taken a decade to be out of the dark clouds of the heaviest NCAA sanctions ever to have been hammered down on a football program. Of course we SC alums and fans always have lofty expectations, but it’s been brutal to deal with it. In fact, I’ve been starting to have newfound sympathies for Kiffin, who was obviously the coach that had to weather the most severe storm when he was with SC.
OLE MISS only lost 13 rides and wait until they get a load of what’s ahead. So many ramifications. Bye bye Rebels. See you in 6-7 years.
JB, I know they knew darn well the sanctions they put on SC would mean a death sentence for the program for at least a decade, and we now know they were right. And it wouldn’t shock me a bit even if they had designed it as such.
They truly tried to kill us, but in a way, The Kiffer outsmarted them and really managed the numbers as well as you could. We made a huge mistake with Sark, but maybe should be grateful that he recruited and offered Darnold – so it wasn’t all bad.
Despite all the past speculations by laymen, there probably weren’t many first-tier coaches who were dying to coach a sanction-stricken SC football team until about now considering the sheer severity of the sanctions. And they were indeed designed to bury our program for many years, and they did. You’re right, JB. Kiffin was actually quite good with what he had to make do with, but Sark wasn’t. And recruiting Darnold was probably done when he was relatively sober.
I think Helton is more responsible for Sam while Sark is more responsible for Nwosu.
Darnold was SC despite his disdain for ‘weird’ Sark as he called him and he didn’t know who Gomer even was
Wrong, Helton scouted Darnold. They discussed him then offered him.
Kiffer outsmarted that is an oxy moron about a moron
I respectfully submit for your consideration that SMU might have had the most extreme sanctions, the death penalty.
I’ve made a proper correction to my post as per your suggestion.
It’s all so very complicated. I’ll have to do a deep soul-searching and see if I reached my potential today. I already know. Not a chance. Maybe tomorrow.
Well Jack, my wife will tell you that I’ve not ever reached my potential, not even close. But she’s still working on that.
Like that’ll work, HA!
Real question of the night is when do they get rid of Andy Enfield who is a terrible game day coach. The team is weak once they get behind in 2nd half. Led by 7 at 25 – 17 to be out scored by 25 rest of the game. The freshman class is a joke. O’Bannon shoots like his eyes are closed when partially guarded.
Let’s have a big toast to the USC Trojans, P12 football conference champions. #37. We’re back baby. 11-2 with a shot at 12-2. First championship since 2008. What a terrific victory over STAN. USC broke those dudes and they left hurting. We owed ’em, so it was fantastic to pay them back twice in one year. Fight On!
It really is pretty impressive to beat a team that knows us so well and of that caliber TWICE in one season
One that played 5 days prior and just beat OregonSt by 1
When was the last time we beat stanfurd in consecutive games?
How many teams have done that lately?
Trojans’ second victory is most impressive in my opinion.
The public (FiveThirtyEightdotcom) gives USC a 20% chance of making the POs (#6), behind ALA (#5, 28%), OHIO ST (#4, 40%) and CLEM, OU and GA.
Not bad. Not bad at all. Will be interesting to see if the Committee ranks us as high as #6. I doubt it, but the USC CFB brand is obviously very alive and well in the public’s eyes.
Would 11-1 have gotten us in?
(only ND loss)
I’d say yes, if you value conference champions highly and not the eye test – because we won ugly a lot. We’d be in at #4 even though we lost to ND by 35. If our only loss was to WSU, we’d be ranked 2, maybe even #1. CLEM lost to PITT. OU to IOWA ST. We’d be sitting in high cotton, but the ND fiasco killed us.
I’m surprised we ended up winning the P12 championship after that lay down. But we really bounced back because these kids love to play for Helton, I think. He’s certainly got issues, but I think the kids would walk through fire for the guy.
Absolutely right the kides really want to play for him. That was a great scene at the end of last night’s game. Wonder how good the team could be with Helton and some coaching staff changes.
We need to recruit better too, in both the OL and CB spots in particular. Our talent is just average there now. Not sure if we have the evaluators to fix that, so I guess that would be remedied with coaching changes, which won’t happen this year. So I don’t know if Helton perceives the same weaknesses I do. I wasn’t encouraged by what he said after the ND beat down. But maybe he just had to say that.
Those areas definitely need improvement. I don’t recall the rankings of the OL recruits, but I believe that JJ, and Biggie were 4 or 5 star guys. Who knows if JJ will grow up. Biggie’s performance has regressed. Sometimes the highest ranked guys don’t perform the best, and on the other hand, look at Wisconsin – they tend to have recruiting rankings in the 30s, and they have been winning at a 70% or better clip for the last 10 years.
I think Grabby and JJ are so over-rated as talents, it’s just ridiculous. The recruiting services were way off there. Neither can cover very well. I guess they could against HS athletes. But college WRs take them apart.
The star-system is often just guess work. I don’t put much stock in it and I’ve watched plenty of Army AA games that seemed to have some players that didn’t belong.
But that’s part of the charm of it all. You don’t really know what you have until it shows up on campus – like Sam Darnold. It works both ways.
I don’t know, they both played well last night. Jack Jack’s PI call was not PI and Biggie didn’t get burned last night. Ajene and Langley were the ones getting smoked.
One game? I’m talking about all season, USC’s corners have looked like crap.
We keep recruiting so-called super talent like JJ and Grabby (gee, wonder how he got that name?) and at least we’ll know what to expect 90% of the time.
Well put.
Might like that Isaac Taylor-Stewart is the fastest db in the country and at 6’2”+, he’s long too.
Also important to remember the Trojans took a cb (JeQuuari Godfrey) last year who has seriously good measurables, who’s rehabbing a knee injury. And will be available next spring. Very fast, and long.
The video of him giving game ball to C Hawkins, was very touching and shows why they mean what they say;
“Faith. Family. Football”.
Just one correction Jack, clemson lost to syracuse. Maybe worse than Pitt. No matter, trivial.
I think so as well. The committee wants to put together entertaining games, and I think they would love to have Darnold in if the Trojan record could justify it.
Heck yeah!!!
Or WSU? Didn’t matter which game would have been flipped
Well Jack, good morning. Something to ponder? I have it for you. What if instead of nd we played Mercer? What would our record look like? And would we be better off if only played 8 instead of 9 conference games like bama? That would’ve left us at 12-1 with a 3 pt loss on the road with major injuries on the line?
I know it is what it is, but the fact is the sec gets away with this bs over and over again. And finally, by my way of thinking, the chances of injuries increase greatly when you play teams of a higher division due to the size, speed and aggressive nature of power 5 players. You don’t get as worn down playing Mercer as you do vs Texas or nd.
Not that any of this matters, espn talking heads would never bring such drivel up for consideration against their vaunted sec.
OMG. I was watching a little of the USC/STAN game replay and noticed USC still has players wearing differing socks. Darnold wears short white socks, RoJo wears long white leggings and Stephen Carr has long white socks. Most the linemen all wear short white.
But in a major break from protocol, WR Tyler Vaughns was wearing red leggings covered by white socks, One of our players, DL Rasheem Green actually had on gangster-like short black socks and Jalen Green looked to be wearing long black leggings. And a few Trojans cover most of their socks with black tape.
This was so upsetting. I hope SW addresses this issue asap with the USC staff. Something needs to be done!
Side note: is Gaoteote really flipping to OSU? Someone tell me who has recruiting details
He did
Don’t believe anything until it’s announced. Trolls are all over the place.
He has a official visit scheduled there next weekend, he’s had it scheduled for a long time. He hasn’t decommited and that always precedes a flip…should it (decommit) happen it wouldn’t normally happen till a couple days after the official visit. Almost every commit will take their 5 official visits.
Better question, scooter: As a “Sports Writer”, if on the day before the pac-12 football championship, my column uses space trying to embarrass a long gone former basketball coach over trivial matters, have I reached my potential? Didn’t you have anything at all interesting or relevant regarding USC or Stanford football information to report? USC had a bye and Stanford didn’t–thanks for the newsflash. How long have you been waiting to grind that axe with Tim Floyd? What a petty person.
Saw this on twitter this am;
Old McDarnold beat the farm
E-I-E-I Twice..
Just thought it was funny
When the season is over we’ll let you know and you can use our feedback in your column. We still have one game left.
×