Arizona State Report Card

Computers like tough schedules. You play Arkansas, Nebraska, and Notre Dame non-conference and you get respect from the 001110011s. Or you can just do what ever SEC team does and mix in some I-AA teams for good measure and get penalized. It ain't rocket science. Walking out of the Arkansas game, a defeated fan uttered, "That's exactly why we need to schedule a patsy for our first game." I leaned over to him and said, "That's exactly what WE did... In every relationship, there's a horse and there's a rider. You just got RODE my friend." He was as red as the hog on his T-shirt after that one. So expect captain Nutt to avoid the likes of Pete Carrol for the next decade and open up against Louisiana-Monroe or the Sisters of Mercy before buckling down for their tough stand again Utah State.

Booty I'd drop to D-- as I'd also add his tunnel vision to the items you have already mentioned

Wide Receivers - B - re: Turner; its hard to catch a pass when your not in the tunnel of the QB's vision

ST - D - the fumble recovery is the only thing that stopped this from failure as those Kick off returns against us are just like last year. So unless we boot it 8 yards deep into the endzone, the other team will get 30 to 40 back on us.

Coaching - I'd rate them high but not sure an A+ as this team is doing more with less but it would become and A+ if they can actually get BOOOOO ty to help SC

On the recievers note...

I agree with your comments about Patrick Turner. The thing about him that always bothers me is that he seems incapable of breaking tackles. He's got good hands and runs decent routes, but it seems like he's playing two-hand touch. As soon as someone lays a hand on him, he's on the ground.

PC isn't fooling the BCS. The BCS fools itself.

But why all the derrogatory comments. They come from over expectations. USC has a good team. They are just not that magical Showtime that roamed for four years. Nor does it have that magical staff of Chow, O and Davis and PC as def cordinator.

What they do have is heart. They fight like Trojans and whatever they achieve is what it will be.

Sanchez should take a lot of snaps in next two games.

Eloi- Strength of scheduleis not factored into the BCS computer rankings this year.

Say Scott,
With a week off...how about some a Mid Term grades todate. We need to go vertical one of these games...is that in Bootys' game?

The most successful generals, coaches and businesses capitalize on their strengths.

The current strengths of SC are:
1. A punishing runner – Washington.
2. A great O line which can really open some holes.
3. A very fast defense.

I feel the optimum way to use the strengths is to return to Tailback U. Pound the ball continuously. Only pass if it is over ten and third down.

This handles Booty miscues. It also keeps the other team’s O of the field like Cal or Oregon who are dangerous any time they are on the field.

A successful implementation of this O strategy puts our D in the best position to put their ears back and speed rush the passer.

This grade has little if no irrelevance Scott. Seriously, how do you expect to create real discussion with an A+ for the coaching? Lane Kiffin reminds me of Hugh Jackson under Paul Hackett.

I like 4 yds a cloud of dust. ND didn't lose 14 years in row to USC with this offensive strategy. Lane, don't over complicate the game. Your OL has been pushing opposing DL's 4+ yds every rushing play. A Humvee is not a Ferrari. Only last year did you have a hybrid of the two(Porshe Cayenne).

Imagine that, USC needing to have a ground game to keep the other teams offense off the field.

is that what our offense has come to?

affholter87 - Uh, yes it does. Strength of schedule is the main factor in deciding the computer ranking of each team. USC has a tougher schedule with more ranked opponents played and therefore has a better computer ranking. For your review, 1/3 Coaches poll, 1/3 Harris Poll, 1/3 computer rankings.

USC has fallen in love with the one-step drop and throw to the WR, or the quick slant. I can recall only a few instances where the Trojans went vertically down the field against ASU.

Although he has a strong arm, it does not seem that Booty has been allowed to go deep very often. He may not have Lienart's touch (not many do), but USC needs to at least stretch the defense. It was only a matter of time that a CB jumped the pass to the sideline and scamper for an easy TD.

Also, the tendency is very obvious: USC passes on 1st down and runs on 2nd down.

I agree with the others that we need to run the ball much more. Chow and now Kiffen love to tinker with the passing game. Booty threw it 40 times against Washington. That is ridiculous, especially since less plays are being called with the new timeclock rule change. By going to the run more, especially with the depth at RB, USC can keep its defense off the field, and tire the opposing defense by the 4th quarter. We could tell that the OL loved pounding the ball in the 4th quarter. Let's see a little more pounding the ball and vertical passing.

Still 6-0 is pretty sweet! Fight On!

D- for offensive coordinating and coaching. The offense looks disorganized and confused; with chaotic substituting. One play, Booty had to direct Jarrett where to line up, and subsequently threw the ball at his right ankle. Perhaps,thats why Chaunsey did so well. It got so out of hand, they were forced to go back to the basics and let the offensive line lead the way. Props to O-line and Chaunsey

For the record, strength of schedule is measured by computers not in terms of where your opponents are *ranked*-- its determined by their record, and their opponents' record.

As far as "fooling" the computers is concerned, people need to let go of the idea that the "best" team can be determined. The computers rate you not on how "good" you are-- that is an abstract concept and it can never be objectively measured with perfect accuracy. Teams are rated based on what they have accomplished, which is something that can actually be measured. No matter how much you may or may not believe in the strength of USC's 2006 squad, the Trojans have earned their BCS ranking by winning all of their games, and by beating stronger opponents, on the whole, than the other unbeaten teams.

Think about this: almost every poll voter is convinced that Ohio State is the best team. If you suggested otherwise, they would dismiss you out of hand. And maybe OSU is the best. But what happens if the Buckeyes lose, whether to Michigan or another team? All of a sudden a new consensus will emerge that some other team is the "best," and it will be just as speculative. Even if there were a playoff, it wouldn't mean that the winner would necessarily be the best team. A playoff would simply determine a champion, roughly defined not as "the best team," but as "the team that won." It's becoming champion that matters. Last year, USC seemed to be the best team, even after the Rose Bowl (considering all the things that had to break the way they did for Texas to win), but Texas became champion.