USC Morning Buzz: A Review Of Coaching Moves

With Keary Colbert the new tight ends coach, you have an interesting look on the staff: A wide receiver is coaching tight ends. A quarterback (Tee Martin) is coaching wide receivers. At least new quarterbacks coach Bryan Ellis is a former quarterback. His head coach at Alabama-Birmingham was Neil Callaway but we won’t focus on that.

137 thoughts on “USC Morning Buzz: A Review Of Coaching Moves

  1. Tight Ends that can catch like wide receivers is a good thing. Wide receivers that understand the quarterbacks perspective is a good thing. Also, great players rarely make great coaches.

    • The influence you speak about is pretty universal. Like a line coach coordinating the run game. Coaches that can coach and teach do not go into coaching a position without some cred.

  2. Scooter, you have not written about the destruction of the ducks last night by the dominating trojan basketball team. I guess if there is not a negative point that you can comment on, you will not write about the positive moment in trojan history.

      • Is SC actively in pursuit of Stuart from San Diego. I hear he is as great a WR as he is CB. The next AJ?

          • The real speculation should be on who else leaves the team to make room for all these “must get” recruits.

            Too bad there isn’t an “insider” with a blog to give us some insight…

          • Given a choice between Stuart or Griffin, Griffin stock seems to be skyrocketing. Of course both would be nice…Stuart has the measurements, Griffin the steady play maker.
            247 Griffin rose to 1 spot removed from 5** We really have a numbers crunch, few spots open.

          • Stuart is electric, he can flat out fly. Gomer needs kids like this to bail his sorry fanny out, or did you forget what Adoree did ? Gomer cannot lose Stuart to the SEC. And why was Gomer so late to the party of Griffin ? Gomer can’t be shown the door soon enough

          • Griffin has more of the mean spirited on the field attitude that I like. And Stuart didnt play all that well in his last PLAYOFF game. Both will make this a great CB class.

        • Do you think Reggie Bush might influence the guy to come to USC or the opposite. I’m not sure how loyalty he(Bush) has to USC

          • When Helix played in playoff’s ,Bush was on sideline.YES, Bush spoke with him ,recruited him.That was 6 weeks or more ago.Stuart has been quiet throughout process.
            Griffin is the player who’s stock really rose.
            Stuart physically looks like the star,runs like it.
            yet the last couple months Griffin is the one who plays like the star.

          • For sure… and if we lose one of them there’s still Julius Irvin from Servite, combo back who bama just offered.

          • I think Reggie’s a total non-factor. He’s irrelevant.

            Recruits know him as a great college player and I doubt they’d even consider for a second what he thinks about where they should go. They’ve already got too many people close to them who are filling their ears with that info.

          • Jack,in this case not so sure. Bush is the greatest player to come out of Helix.Stuart is 2nd. Bush went to Helix’s playoff games and spoke with Stuart on a number of occasions.
            Has Bush influenced Stuart,enough not to leave state ? That I don’t know. Also our RB Sign Stepp said it’s Bush he’d like to see as the new RB coach.That was wishful joking ,however it still shows Bush’s pull… This I found surprising.

          • We just differ here. I don’t believe these recruits care about opinions from people they aren’t close to. Would you? I wouldn’t.

            Besides, Reggie knows ZIPPO about what it’s like to play for USC now. And since USC has been ordered to completely and permanently disassociate itself from Reggie in all respects, I’d say he’s viewed as a jilted Heisman forfeiter. Reggie caused his own problems, not USC. I don’t think it’s that tough for reasonable people to figure that out.

          • We don’t differ much. I just observed,and listened to interviews of players. As I said I found it surprising.

          • Bush was at his playoff games..and, btw, ITS was rocking the SC gloves during workouts this week in Hawaii…FWIW.

        • The next Adoree, only our 2nd Thorpe winner ever? Those guys don’t come around every year. Our best athletes could barely field a punt this entire 2017 season and were totally pedestrian on KOs.

          It’ll be awhile before we see another Adoree IMO.

  3. SC has TE’s ??? I know they have some tall skinny guys they stick on the end of the line to block, but they don’t do that very well, maybe Colbert can teach them to catch and make them useful. Oh wait, Gomer doesn’t throw to the TE, nevermind

  4. NFL scouts said Sam Darnold lacks fundamentals according to Fred Rogan, so there you have it

      • Those fundamentals, should have been taught as soon as Sam Darnold stepped onto USC’s campus .

          • He didn’t name him, did he? Of course not. There’s no credibility there. Maybe he’s some “scout” who evaluates for a horrible NFL team and is totally wrong.

            But my point is, you personally can’t name Darnold’s weak fundamentals and your opinion would be as valid as any so-called scouts’. You’ve watched more of Darnold up to now than any scout in the NFL. We’ve all got eyes. The NFL scouts can’t see anything we can’t all see.

          • Here is a quote from an “NFL Scout” regarding Cam Newton:

            “Very disingenuous. Has a fake smile, comes off as very scripted and has a selfish, me-first makeup. Always knows where the cameras are and plays to them. Has an enormous ego with a sense of entitlement that continually invites trouble and makes him believe he is above the law. Does not command respect from teammates and always will struggle to win a locker room. Only a one-year producer. Lacks accountability, focus and trustworthiness. Is not punctual, seeks shortcuts and sets a bad example. Immature and has had issues with authority. Not dependable.”

            There are NFL Scouts, then are are NFL Scouts who leak anonymous info to the gullible, click/ratings hungry media. They are not one and the same.

          • You’re missing the point, good fundamentals is a marginal trait that separates a pedestrian quarterback from a great one

          • Rodgers had that unbelievable game against USC where he was just off the charts accurate. One of the absolute loudest USC games I have ever attended.

            Yet when the game was on the line at the end, and the contest was easily CAL’s for the taking, he choked and couldn’t complete a throw. So much for Tedford’s great coaching I guess. When it counted, USC stuffed him.

          • A great Pete Carroll led defense that was in no way afraid of the big moment had something to do with that.

          • Rodgers also simply missed throws. The bottom line was, Rodgers choked at the end of that game. The great ones all do it. It’s impossible to always perform. That’s not how life goes.

            CAL had USC in that game, plain and simple. They, and Rodgers, simply didn’t get it done. It reminded me of a game we lost to Notre Dame and Tony Rice in South Bend one year.

            Marinovich was unable to cash in a great opportunity at the end of the game which would have won it for USC. Whereas he made a much, much more difficult play to beat ucla and Tommy Maddox.

          • That was a great game. I was there also. I wouldn’t say he choked. It’s harder to pass when you have a short field. USC did step it up when they had to.

          • Well, if you can’t cut it in the red zone, that’ll kill you every time. Rodgers looked rattled rushed to me in that last series. I still say CAL had the game won but they choked.

            I sure would have liked to be in their position, 1st and goal from the 9 with 1:40 to go, instead of ours. All they needed was one good throw in 4 tries and it’s over. His last 2 throws were just poor and off-the-mark.

          • Had USC lost that game, they would have been eliminated from the BCS. USC had to go undefeated to make the bs-bcs back then.

            When LSU got in with two losses, USC missed out because it had two losses. That was a joke of a system.

          • I was at that game! AR started 23/23. I agree, I can’t remember a louder coliseum crowd.

          • Do you really think Rodgers could have gotten USC into the POs this season and that we would have beaten ND and OHIO ST with him? Maybe you’re right, even with zippo running game.

            I don’t know how you beat tough teams with no running game, though, while they are also hammering you with theirs. Seems to be a very bad recipe even though Darnold passed OHIO ST silly.

            I’m betting Rodgers would have been injured trying to QB the 2017 Trojans. Only question would be arm or leg? Maybe the head, like Rosen.

          • I don’t think he would be able to. USC’s offensive line was the difference. Their injuries and having to plug guys in, who probably weren’t ready to play killed USC and their running game.

            I’m hoping this coming season will really show the progress of these kids, barring injuries like this past season. We’ll really know whether Callaway can coach or not. I’m trying to give him the benefit of the doubt, due to injuries.

          • USC only lost one OL to injury and he was never that good anyway. And USC’s OL was definitely not inexperienced except for the freshman Vorhees, who I see improving a lot. But the other slugs are a disgrace to USC’s OL tradition, and that includes Toa Lobendahn, who plays soft as pudding. I guess Hemsley is leaving, thank God.

            I’m not willing to pull the injury card like you are. Poor little USC. Every team deals with injuries. ALA had 3-4X as many key injuries as USC.

            And the healthy USC OLs couldn’t block any one any good. I don’t think I’m being negatively biased there. Non-USC fans, and the football media as well, universally view USC’s OL as the worst part of the team.

            Callaway can’t recruit either. That’s another one of his negatives.

            I’m sure we’ll improve on the OL a little. There’s been so much criticism directed to that part of the team it would be impossible for them not to take heed. Hopefully, Callaway won’t have to storm out of any interviews this year like he did after the ND game.

          • I hear what you are saying. I don’t think CCH is the guy who will lead this team to national championships, but it looks like he and his staff will be here at least one more year. I have written before on my frustrations with this staff, but try to be optimistic about the whole situation.

            Alabama did suffer injuries this year, but that staff has done agreat job at developing players, especially when you’ve carried an 82 man roster for years (which our staff has yet to do; develop especially) which proves your point.

            We’ll see what 2018 brings in and hopefully it’s not a repeat of 2017. A repeat of winning sloppy and getting pounded by physical teams, .

          • I’m actually rooting for Helton and haven’t given up on him yet. He’s done a lot of good. I hope he saves himself in 2018.

            It’s Callaway and Bradford that I believe have proven themselves to be relentlessly mediocre and are dragging down the entire effort. But if that’s the best USC can do for those positions, so be it.

      • Darnold made the right choice and he’s ready for the NFL. He’s better served by getting into the NFL while his stock is sky high and before any injury could lessen his chances, as definitely happened to Matt Barkley.

        Plus, nobody who’s objective really thinks much of USC’s coaching at this stage and if you’re a ND, ALA or OHIO ST fan, you wish you could play the Trojans every week.

        It’s too bad Helton, whom I personally like, has developed a reputation as a poor big game coach who often also wins very ugly, but he has. That’s just reality. If you’re Darnold, you can do better, and he knows it.

    • Fundamentals and mechanics are overrated. It’s the moxie and intangibles that separate sam from the rest

      • Anybody can learn how to throw off the right foot or how to protect the ball or even how to read any defense.

        But Darnold has the skills to make throws from both in and out of the pocket that can’t be taught.

        • It’s that skill set that makes him specials, not how well he executes the fundamentals. The phrase has always been “let Sam be Sam”

          He’s true challenge will be reading NFL defenses.

    • Rogan is such a do*lt. What a goofball.

      Darnold’s a fantastic QB and made spectacular plays for USC that no Trojan will ever forget. He made some throws, especially under duress, that even Palmer and Leinart would have never made.

      If, anything, he’s a fundamentally great player. Does he always throw off his front foot? Who cares? He makes it happen and had he played behind a decent Trojan OL, USC would have been a PO team for sure.

      • Fred Rogan? Why not just quote Fritz Coleman? Least he doesn’t have a coke problem.

        • So true. Rogan was a big-time drug addict. He would be the last guy I would resort to quoting or relying upon for any sports info. Weird guy as I remember, but I haven’t listened to him in many years, since long before he became a druggie.

      • 4,000 yards…4,000. These people can be so silly sometimes. Who’s ever grown for that many at SC?

    • The worst thing they did was have him stare at the sideline, than having him learn how to read defenses and audible.

      He has good intangibles, but I hope he gets the time to develop. The NFL is full of good db’s and safeties that will pick him apart.

      • I predict Darnold will do a lot better than Leinart, Barkley, Booty or Kessler.

        None of those guys have near his pure talent, regardless of their fundamentals, which obviously only served to get them cut or make them clipboard holders in the NFL.

        • I totally agree with you. Darnold throws harder than the rest of them and can scramble. He can see the field better when he scrambles, just like Brett Favre.

          • None of those guys is in Darnold’s class. All of them were either missing the arm or the moxie.

            He is like Favre. Has no fear, always looks forward and can make the impossible throw in clutch time. Can’t wait to see him take on the pros.

    • Fred Roggin doesn’t know what he’s talking about. He’s also looking for the negative in all things, just like Wolf.

  5. It’s pure circus as to what Helton is surrounding himself with. And as SW mentions, Helton has his yes men coaching positions they didn’t play in college or the pros. What a joke.

    • Bill Belichick didn’t play professional football and his main sport in college was lacrosse

    • 2018 is the defining 3rd year for Clay Helton. He will have to win the South or he should be a goner and I am a fan but don’t like his choice of assistants.

      • Winning the South is not acceptable, making the playoff is the goal and he failed miserably this year.

      • Cloud, I don’t believe Coach Helton should have any worries about next year or the year after. His remarkable achievements on Jan 1, 2017 and Dec 29, 2017 seal the deal. We have years of Winning Hardball to look forward to. In all l likelihood, your built in CALIFORNIA BIGOTRY may prevent you and others on this Blog from enjoying the Fruits of Our Triumphs. FIGHT ON, WESTERN KENTUCKY !!! FIGHT ON, TROJANS !!!

  6. Who in the world would ever draft a QB as a top 5 pick because he has “good fundamentals”? That would be a fireable offense.

  7. Funny how the USC basketball team wins it’s 1st EVER GAME AT MATHEW KNIGHT ARENA but no mention of it.

    #PATHETIC

  8. Clay Helton isn’t developing any of the talent he has on the Trojans football team. That’s all there is to it.

    It ain’t rocket science.

  9. You live or die with your assistants. I think Colbert is a good hire. I hope he’s a good recruiter. I think Ellis is a good hire too. I hope he’s a good recruiter. But with the D-Backs coach and the O-line coach, they probably should look elsewhere. SC was 98th in the country in pass defense(UCLA was 40th) despite having a front 7 that practically led the nation in sacks. And the O-line underachieved greatly despite having talent. Like I said, you live or die with your assistants. CH has to get the right people in there or it could cost him his job in a year or two.

    • The Trojan defense was forever on the field due to a record number of 3 and outs committed by the Trojan offense.

      It’s a lot to ask of players who aren’t being coached up properly by their position coach to remain in man on man coverage all game long with little to no substitutions.

          • Again, you mindless offspring of vermin, what was the number?? Was it a school record? Maybe Pac12? Or pray tell you who knows all, could it be a national record? Paying attention is easy, you just throw out drivel and don’t back it up.

    • Misleading statistic on pass D rating as the Trojans often had big leads which forced the other team to go pass crazy and pad the stats.

      • They had big leads against Oregon State and Arizona State. That’s it. SC covered the spread only once or twice this year. You could say it is a little misleading only in the sense that the Pac-12 is a passing conference. But if you look at least passing yardage given up, Washington State was 6th in the nation, Washington was 19th, UCLA was 40th, Utah was 51st, Oregon was 72nd, Oregon St was 82nd, Colorado was 88th, Stanford was 94th, California was 115th and SC was 117th(98th in pass yards per game) according to ESPN. Only the 2 Arizona schools were worse.
        Their O-line and their D-backs did not perform well last year.

  10. USC is still paying off the $40+ million owed on contracts to Kiffin and Sarkisian. That’s why USC is reluctant to hire a quality head coach.

    • What a do*lt you are if you really think USC is paying anywhere near 40+ mil to Kiffin and Sark. You must be the stupidest guy alive and living on welfare in some dump. Born stupid. Our hearts go out to you.

      • Kiffin and Sarkisian’s contracts combined totaled over $40 million.

        Kiffin’s (or as you refer to him “The Kiffer”…how stupid LOL!) contract was for $4 million a year. Kiffin’s first year at Alabama, USC paid him $2.7 million.

        Sarkisian’s contract was for roughly the same annually.

        Oh, and you dissing Aaron Rodgers, he will be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame. So your assessment of Rodgers proves you have no clue what you’re talking about.

        You can’t help it, you’re an idiot. LMFAO!

        • You silly little hillbilly goat hearding troll, the LA courts threw Sarks case out..we owe him what we’ve paid him, zilch. You talk like you know something, but you don’t know squat.
          Stick to firing up the still..

          • You and the other clown, the one that refer’s to his boy as “The Kiffer”, have a reading comprehension problem. LOL!

          • Lying little piece of turtle excrement, the case was shown the door in OCT, if you only thought before you posted…well maybe I should just leave it as if you only thought…

            All that moonshine and so few hours in a day, hillbilly dilemma..

          • Steve Sarkisian’s lawsuit dismissed. Clears way for arbitration to proceed…

            That article is directly from the “WeAreWesternKentucky” website.

            Quit humiliating yourself…or not.

            LOL!

          • Sark has lost every legal battle since he filed his lawsuit and now arbitration cuts his damages off at the knees.

            And you’re so stupid you think USC will end up paying 40 plus mil in resolution. Hah, hah, hah. Anything you say Corn Cob.

          • Never said USC would end up paying 40+ million in resolution.

            Your reading comprehension is for, everyone sees it, that’s why you’re so frustrated. LOL!

          • Back down from you, for what?

            LOL!

            You exposed yourself once again as the fool you are by trying misrepresent what I wrote and everyone knows it, Bozo.

            Try harder.

          • USC doesn’t have any money problems dumbarse and they don’t owe anywhere near your alleged 40 + mil, idiot. You’re just too stupid to grasp that. Troll On moron!

          • USC has been paying him nothing…and continues to pay him nothing..your point was the School was paying $40 million..only in your moonshine soaked mind..

          • You so stupid, you Hillbilly Troll, the narrative was USC’s paying out cash for sark and kiffin…comprehension seems to be your problem..can’t follow a train of thought through to its conclusion…
            TOO MUCH MOONSHINE, you little hillbilly troll.

        • Ya, Aaron never had a bad game or series, idiot. You’re such a total creepy tu**rd. You need medical help. Get some insurance.

          • Every QB has a bad game, once again you show how clueless you are.

            Speaking of idiots, here’s what you wrote earlier

            “Rodgers also simply missed throws. The bottom line was, Rodgers
            choked at the end of that game. The great ones all do it. It’s
            impossible to always perform. That’s not how life goes.CAL had USC in that game, plain and simple. They, and Rodgers, simply didn’t get it done”

            LMFAO! Contradicted yourself in the same blog.

            What a Clown!

            Classic!

  11. Overall a mediocre staff. Hopefully they get a great coach for the running backs. Ellis is a fill-in do to the max 1 yr. contracts offered .
    QB find is the key to the whole season.

    • I’m still stuck on our pitiful OL. We’ll be fine at QB. Not great, but good enough. But our unathletic, sluggish OLs don’t figure to improve under our crappy OL coach just because they are another year older.

      How we gonna get a great RB coach to take a 1-year K offer? I don’t think the great ones, even the good ones, are looking for that.

  12. Who cares? Kevin Sumlin, new HC at Arizona, and a so-called offensive guru, played linebacker at Purdue…….
    C’mon man.

  13. Ya, I’m sure it’s real smart to have coaches who can only coach one position all their lives and have no crossover ability. Right. Sooner or later, most successful people want to move on and try their abilities at something else – like another position.

  14. We need a CEO who understands competition, expectations and discipline, that we know.

    This is a championship talented team. We need to get speed back at the corner position, size in the backfield, depth at the line.

    Get this though- this is almost a championship staff IMO. We need a new OC, no doubt, and with him a new OL/TE/RB coaches and a new S&C coach.

    Keary with the WRs, Kenechi Udeze at DL, Johnny Nansen has been a surprise at LB and as a recruiter. Clancy if he can get a secondary/CB coach, and despite Baxter’s lapses he’s got a track record. Tee might even make a solid QB coach for a new OC.

    This in not a rotten program, it’s a championship program in need of a Head Coach and a couple of pieces. If Swann pulled in a good pro style offensive HC with the right attitude and charisma we would immediately be rewarded.

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