Stat Of The Night
John David Booty completed only nine passes that went for more than 7 yards. Eight passes went for five yards or less.
USC coach Pete Carroll was asked about the lack of deep passes from Booty?
``He’s only going to do it if we call the plays,’’ Carroll said
After watching him tonight, i'm not sure that he can make those passes of more then 10 yards. However on his behalf, it would help if the receivers showed up
Why take risks with a dominant defense?
Receivers do need to show up though
The problem is the play-calling. (Kiffin)
I can't stress this enough. Without Bush to bail us out and do his spectacular feats, and without Leinart here to call audibles, Kiffin is being exposed.
Pretty soon, we will be exposed and lose....just as that fateful night of January 4th!
Luckily, Leinart was smart enough to realize that Kiffin called bonehead plays. Hence, Leinart audibled dozens of times last year!
Who here thinks that if Leinart did not audible at South Bend, that we would have converted on 4th and 9??? Kiffin is a stiff, a bust, a loser, a fake, a soon-to-be-unemployed coach. Altho, I must say, Sam Anno should be the first to go.
The first play of the game (opening kickoff) went for 40+ yds! WTF guys??? Cut Kiffin and Anno loose!!
Like Carrol said Booty will do what is asked of him. He is capable of getting the ball deeper down field, I just don't think SC has opened the play book up all the way yet. But for everyone so concerned with how Booty is struggling lets look at his first 3 games. He has a total of 697 yards, 66% completion, 7 TD and I interception. Now lets look at the Heisman frontrunner Troy Smith who in 4 games has 884 yards, 66% completion, 8 TD and 2 interceptions. Give him one more game and he passes Troy Smith statistically. Booty is plenty capable. Some SC fans are starting to sound like the morons who after the BYU win in 2003 at the Coliseum where Matt Leinart struggled a bit, wanted a change at quarterback.
Clint, I'm with you.
Yeah, he may not have the greatest touch, but he's been darn close. And, we haven't even opened up the playbook, yet. We'll stretch out the O soon enough.
And, I can't help but think back to what you said...everybody wanted Leinart out and what did he do? Oh yeah, he was 37-2.
By the way, regarding Leinart saving Kiffin's butt, even if Leinart did check off of Kiffin's plays, remmeber that he can only check off to pre-set checkoffs that are devised, by, guess who? Right, Kiffin.
There's no issue with Kiffin (he called the plays last year, right?) or Booty.
That was our 'scare' game. We will tear it from here on out.
Fight On!
Thank God John Redcorn is a keyboard coach rather than a real one, spreading his ignorance on the field.
First: Stoopes schemes well against USC. Last year, Matt and Reggie struggled against AZ, and it was Lendale who "bailed" us out. Matt struggled a bit against the disguised zones, Booty much much more so.
Second: Kiffin called an "okay" game. If anyone on this board actually attended the game, and if they know how to watch a football game (both of which I doubt, especially the second), they probably saw what Kiffin saw and still probably sees, that Booty doesn't seem to see downfield very well. And maybe because it's because he is not that tall, but he just does not see the field well, and he tends to hold onto the ball just a bit too long. He might have Carson's arm, but does not have Carson's gunslinger mentality. Carson would throw picks, but then he would kill you deep again. So get used to Booty not pushing the ball downfield.
Not much more to say that Booty lacks Leinart's knowledge of the games and ability to read defenses.
We actually moved the ball well in the first series of the game, until we decided to get cute and call a halfback pass with Des. Des should have thrown the ball away, but he took a loss, Booty took a sack, and the offense struggled the rest of the game.
Booty's okay, but if he is asked to make "4th and 9" plays, we are in trouble. He's just not that kind of Quaterback.
I think Trojan are going to used to a ball control offense with a swarming, kick ass defense.
Carson Palmer looked horrible his first few games, then he got traction and now he's a premiere NFL QB. Same with Leinert. And the same will be with Booty.
Lane & Sark should go study game film of Master Chow and remember that every play called is a chess game, setting people up for bigger moves later. Those big plays never came.
JDB was, and is, a superstar in training...
i would like to see them stretch the field a bit more, john david has a big arm but run the ball on 2nd @ 8 on the arizona 20
It appears Booty had a bad game...Don't think Cal isn't seeing this...our lack of play calling...and yes Kiffin is being exposed!
Keep in mind Arizona's secondary is very, very good... Easily the best group of corners and safeties we will face this year.
I agree with you John Redcorn. But unfortunately, Lane Kiffin isn't going to get fired. Monte Kiffin, Lane's ol'man, gave Carroll is first NFL coaching job. Payback is a bitch!
I don't care what other QBs do including Smith, Quinn etc.. Booty is overthrowing the deep guys, look at the Smith pass in the NU game and look at Fred Davis last night, there seems to be a pattern here, I'm not a Kiffin Hugger but maybe Kiffin is calling those plays b/c those are the ones that JDB can connect with. On JDB's behalf, It seems that there have been quite a few outs that could have been picked but for some reason they are not held onto by the CB's. I think that might be b/c of JDBs zip on the ball which is definitely a plus for him
This game reminded me of the game in 2002 against the Wildcats. Mike Williams struggled and drop a ton of passes as did Jarrett. Carson Palmer hung in there but we lost a close game. JDB hung in there and we won. Anyway about two games later CP and showtime began, with Vargas, Williams and an awesome defense.
If you watch the game closely you could see on a lot of incomplete passes, the USC receivers slowing down near the end of the routes. In almost each case if they had gone full bore they would have in all probability have caught the ball.
I agree with Clint, give the offense time to mature. Booty is doing fine. He does need to take 'strength' off his long passes, instead of attempting to 'line-drive' them. I am concerned about the offensive line. Moody could not run between the tackles. The line is not getting it done. Although, I was impressed how Moody created yards out of nothing; but having to do that as many times as did is a major red flag. Moody is looking like Lyndale White; a strong runner with speed. May the next Reggie come forward!
I agree. I have never been impressed with Booty. It's time to try Mark Sanchez.
Kiffin is a bonehead. And why the hell is he being quoted more this year. Hopefully, Pete C. is telling Kif to get some help on calling plays. lIke giving Norm C. a call. I mean, how many times do we have to see that wide receiver pass fail. Stop running it in the first quarter. Every friggin defense knows you are going to pass with a wide receiver when you pass out in the flat like that. Establish the run first, with solid running plays that put lineman on lineman.
Norm Chow has enough trouble on his hands than to be taking phone calls from Kiffin. And they don't even like eachother. Chow and Fisher will be looking for a new employer by season's end.
Jay....Quick lessons on USC history..
1. Are you referring to USC losing to Arizona Wildcats or K State Wildcats in 02? (We didn't play Arizona that year.)
2. I would have to disagree that "two games later...showtime began." (We lost to Wash. St. two games later.) Showtime began four games after K-State since we pulled off a tight one against Cal after the Wash. St. loss.