In Defense Of Kiffin

ditto.

Any questions?

Not only was it unwarranted but ill-conceived. It has always been about execution and injuries. Today, JDB was able to roll out and the Oline could move the pocket. In the UCLA game, JDB's ankle prevented the roll out from being effective against the blitz. Pete is 100 percent correct. We are lucky to have those two guys.

Well said by Carroll

One good game does not a quality OC make! Just like one bad game doesn't prove you're a crappy OC.

Kiffin has shown throughout the year that he can't (won't?) make adjusments when they are needed. Having the best talent in the nation is what saved him on more than one occasion this year (including last night).

In deference to PC, I'm willing to give LK the benefit of the doubt, as I'm pretty sure Pete knows more about him and football than I do :-)

For next season, I think Kiffin should be on the shortest leash possible - if the game is in doubt, PC or Sark should be challenging LK's play calling and watching him like a hawk.

SC will do well next year because of their talent, not their OC.

Fight on!!

I struggle to understand how if LK is so great, how come he was unable all season to make the running game work? We have a bevvy of really talented and speedy RBs, a far better than average O line, and probably the best or close to it, receivers in the NCAA. Where was there ever a scheme this season that (most likely based on a dangerous passing capability) forcing our opponnents to dedicate their defenses to stop the pass, which in turn gave us a better chance at excelling at the run?
I admit that I'm just a fan and probably don't know jack about real football strategy, but our run game was IMHO pathetic all season long. I also have recurring nightmares watching the great Lindell White getting stuffed on such unimaginative play calls against Texas last year.
With an inexperienced receivers corps next season, I assume that we will probably need a really creative and imaginative offensive scheme to be able to run the football.

Gillyking@yahoo.com

Kiffin gets credit for going with the team's strength, just as he took blame for ucla loss. Sometimes, you have to take what the other team gives. Norm Chow knew this. He was famous for running the same play over and over until you stopped it. It takes guts to throw out the plan and go with instinct. I think kiffin grew up a lot yesterday. Fight On! and remember, whatever his play-calling shortcomings may be, he is still the best recruiter in the country (no less a person than Tom Lemming declared him so last year) and that's the real secret to SC's success under Pete.

I am a critic of Kiffin. Unwarranted, huh Pete? Please watch the UCLA game film. And FYI, throwing the ball every down is not going to win championships.

The jury is still out on Lane. Yes, we threw all (nearly) the second half. But, why stop if it is working! Worked right up to the end. Go with what works until it doesn't. Lane gained some respect from me. Question is, from where did the idea of going strickly to the passing game come. Lane or Pete? I think our run failed for the same reason Michigan's run failed - excellent pursuit from the defense. Doesn't matter how good the offensive line is if the defense can counter, as both did.

Did Kiffin have an incredible day or did a frustrated Pete Carroll yell at Kiffin at half time to stop running the freaking ball straigtht into Michigan's wall of a Defensive line and start throwing the ball to Jarrett, Smith and Davis?

Correction, JJH4USC:
""Did Kiffin have an incredible SECOND HALF or did a frustrated Pete Carroll yell at Kiffin at half time to stop running the freaking ball straigtht into Michigan's wall of a Defensive line and start throwing the ball to Jarrett, Smith and Davis?""

Lane had a horrible first half. The definition of insanity is if something doesn't work, keep doing it the same way.

It's really Pete's deal. These are his guys, he stands by them repeatedly and ultimately takes responsibility. They just completed a great season, beyond expectations.

I'm cool with that.

Pete said in a post game conference that they were calling his plays in the first half and he let them call their own in the second. The horrible run game was PC's fault all season. USC lost their top 3 FBs and with them the ability to run block succesfully. I personally blame PC for being too involved in the offense this season. He wanted to stick with the run even when it wasn't working instead of working to the strength of the team the WRs. Once Havili went down the whole philosophy should have changed and we didn't see it till the second half of the RB once PC let go of the reigns...Kiffin is not to blame for this season's inconsistencies PC just wouldn't trust his offensive guys.

It's rather simple. The Lane Kiffin/Sarkisian offense is the high flying offense we saw against Hawaii and Arkansas last year, and that we saw in the second half of the OSU and Michigan games.

Pete continually tries to keep the run game alive in the offense because he is coming from the defensive perspective that you don't want INTs, turnovers, and 3-and-outs that can easily happen with a pass-happy offense. Pete does not want to put his defense in short field situations, because USC's defense is at its strongest when your offense has to go 80-90 yards for a touchdown.

There is a balance between the Sarkiffian approach and Carroll's principles regarding the running of the ball. That chemistry is defined over time. The offense for USC will only get better as the lessons of 2006 mature into principles for 2007.

P.S. Having a run game predicated on a good fullback is hard to do when your fullbacks are all out for the season.

Larry,

You mean like Lloyd Carr running his 5'7 running back straight into USC's Defense for 4 Quarters for 12 yards...despite having probably the most talented core of Big Ten receivers?

JJH4USC: Right on!