The grading is right on. This is about coaching. Too many penalties and too many mistakes. As an example the block in the back during the first punt was a joke it was so bad.

I am glad that someone is finally pointing the finger in the right direction. The #1 reason the Trojans lost to lowly Stanford is poor coaching decisions.

We can blame Booty, Turner and CW, etc...but they are only running the plays that are called by Sark and Carroll. Pete Carroll should have gone for the field goal at the end of the half. There is a world of difference in a 12-0 lead and a 9-0 lead. Resting key players who could have played is unacceptable, there are no gimmes in CFB, not anymore. Everyone knows that USC is world's better than Stanford, but Harbaugh built this season on this one game, he has been coaching his team to beat SC all year long. His ploy worked and he has singlehanded destroyed the Trojan mystique in one fell swoop. Kudos to him.

The question begs 'How will the Trojans answer?' If they can run the table, they will finish in the top 2 and will be playing in Baton Rouge. LSU has been exposed and they will not beat FL again. Cal and Oregon will both fall below us. BC and USF will stumble...The AP Poll (#10)does not matter in the BCS rankings only the Coaches(#7), the Harris (#7) and the Computers. If USC takes care of business, they will be in the title game. We should play Oklahoma in Baton Rouge. No one will finish the season unbeaten (maybe Hawaii).

I hope all of you sell your tickets, better yet, why don't you move?

Scott, I think this is the most accurate you have ever been with your grading. Good job. Speaking of coaching....4th and 20 and we give up a first down? How does that happen against arguably ("not any more) the best defense in the country?

The worst part of the coaching was the use of the second half timeouts. Here is how they went down:
#1 - Timeout in a drive where we have the lead. Not needed.
#2 - On a ridiculous challenge when they already review every play upstairs. It wasn't even close
#3 - Allowed Stanford to change the play on our "goalline stand."

That left us with no timeouts for the final drive; which we could have used.

As a Raiders (as well as SC) fan, I can tell you that the number one way to ensure a loss, is to play/coach not to lose.

SC played not to lose, gave away numerous opportunities, and let Stanford hang around just long enough to pull off the monumental upset.

USC needs to stop playing not to lose!!!

Sack up, go out, and have fun with the football. I'm tired of watching it, other fans are tired of watching it, and I'm sure the players are tired of playing like it.

Ah, the frustration is at an all time high! At least with Hackett's teams, we knew we had a bad coach and the talent wasn't anything like this. There is no excuse!

Preparation was low for this game. I realize that a program like SC should be focused on execution of their own game plan, but you also have to look at the contingencies at hand. You are down two line man. They are going to blitz at that hole all night. They did. Tavita Pritchard was getting his first start. If a Division I player is left to become comfortable and have some success, he will get better as the game goes along. No pressure was applied all night. He ran free, made the plays and beat SC.
This is NOT just a coaching thing. The leadership amongst the players has to step up. Football is a simple game. If you block and tackle better than they do, you win. Blocking and tackling comes down to technique, desire and courage. If you are going to tell me that the Fighting Harbaughs are more technical, have more desire and more courage than our boys, I would call you crazy. That is what it seems like though. The leadership needs to step up and address the courage and desire of one another. Let the coaching brain trust coach the technical stuff.
The route to redemption and a return to dominance is done one block and one tackle at a time.

I don't normally sign in here as it is a Royal PITA but this grading got to me.. anything short of an F across the board is fluff grading.

this was a colossal team failure and they should all receive F's down the line

I agree with PH55, the timeout usage was pathetic; That was the biggest waste of timeouts during that last half assed defensive stand knowing full well the O might need it to move fourty or fifty yards to get in FG range.. you can run a lot of plays in a minute if you have two timeouts... sheesh it doesn't take an NFL or D1 College expert to know that

Finally now that I took the time to sign in..

Does JDB have any leadership skills except for leading guys to the bar?

Second Post!
Scott, before I get started here let me establish, I am a “big” supporter of Pete Carroll. My comments below reflect my thoughts about the last two games!
With that said, my frustration level is boiling and I have been unable to digest the complete debacle I witnessed Saturday at the Coliseum.
That game was embarrassing, lack luster, uninspired, ill prepared, undisciplined, predictable and unimaginative, other than that everything went well.
The last two games are not indicative of Pete Carroll teams we have all grown accustom to. The talent level on USC is second to none; therefore it is mystifying why the coaching staff cannot inspire the players to play above & beyond their capabilities {much like Stanford} or at least disciplined football.
It seems to me that everyone watching the last two games can predict exactly which plays USC is going to run. Off tackle left, off tackle right, bubble screen, quick slant, trap up the middle. Stanford seemed to guess correctly the entire fourth quarter. STANFORD! That’s right STANFORD was able to stymie our offense, USC looked lost, confused, and bewildered.
Speaking of predictability, John David Booty is almost always rattled when he feels pressure and seems incapable of scrabbling away from pressure or knowing when to “throw the ball away!” Plus when JDB is off he’s off, the last two games he has been rattled consistently, he gets happy feet, passes are batted down, and throws are behind and beyond receivers, plus he telegraphs his throws by staring directly at his intended receiver, thus the multiple picks.
For some reason this dog won’t hunt, Mark Sanchez deserves an opportunity to show his tremendous skills. Before anyone tells me he is untested, do yourself a favor and replay the fourth quarter of the Stanford game and watch their QB cut his teeth against one of the best defenses in college football.
By the way, why in the world was Everson Griffen on the bench during the final drive. He is the fastest defensive lineman we have and would have caused all kinds of fits for the mobile Stanford QB.
Let’s get back to predictability, why did USC play such a soft defense during the final two Stanford drives? The Stanford QB had all night to check down from his primary to secondary receivers. USC has so much team speed, when USC pressured the Stanford QB he was off to the races & ineffective passing the football, but when we needed the pressure the most we rushed 4 and sometimes only 3 defensive lineman. WHY? Were we playing not to lose? Would any of the other top five teams played so conservatively? No way! They would have run the Stanford QB out of the stadium.
Now let’s discuss player personnel, will someone tell the coaches that we have several players that can flat out fly with the football. Let’s get the ball in their hands more often. Joe McKnight gets only two touches and offensive line didn’t block. He was tackled on one play as soon as he was handed the ball. I am certain, with his pedigree, any team in the country would have been utilizing his skills frequently & would have benefited greatly. I am baffled why USC does not use him more often.
Ronald Johnson can fly as well, when he touches the ball it seems like he is ready to break off a big play every time. SARK instituted one play where RJ was in motion and then JDB handed him the ball in full stride, result first down Trojans.
Marshall Jones forgoes his redshirt and is not in the game when Mozique McCurtis gives up the game winning pass. Stanford needs a touchdown or they lose and McCurtis has his back to the receiver in the endzone? Why? What are we thinking? Put the Marshall Jones in the game, that kid is a great athlete.
Coaching; I always feel that when it comes to coaching that nobody is going to out coach, Pete Carroll. But for some unknown reason we seem to be an hour late and a nickel short this season. With all of the build up prior to the beginning of the season maybe the USC players have lost the proverbial “eye of the tiger”
Let’s reinstitute the catch phrase from two years ago “Leave No Doubt” We need to play four quarters of inspired USC football and utilize our superior talent to decimate every opponent on USC’s remaining schedule.
I am certain that we can find the right mix of players to build the chemistry needed to right the ship, but the USC coaching staff is going to have to let the players rip and make things happen.
It’s all about the moment and focusing on the task at hand and for some reason USC does not have the crystal clear focus required from week to week thus far.
RB

Joe McKnight is a true Freshman.

I'm not sure it is fair to say that if he's not ready to play at a championship level 5 games into his first year that he's a bust.

I think we need the Oklahome State coach to go off on you, Scott!

As a coach of more then 30 years, I can tell you that each team, every year, even if you have the same players back is different. You never know who is going to show up. But you coach your way through. I think your assessment of the coaching staff is right on...F. Can you believe, who would have even thunk it...they believe their own hype!!!! And so much for this 5 star hype bull s3*t to.