USC-Oregon Report Card
Here"s the grades.
RESULT: NO. 5 OREGON 24, NO. 10 USC 17.
RECORD: 6-2, 3-2.
WEEK 8 GPA: C+.
QUARTERBACK
Mark Sanchez got another conservative game plan and the coaches would argue the interceptions showed what happens when you get too risky. But when you're in Eugene before the biggest crowd in Oregon history, you need to take risks. Or why play?
C+
RUNNING BACKS
It's almost ridiculous that USC continues along in its current tailback rotation. But nine defensive coordinators throughout the Pac-10 thank the Trojans.
D+
WIDE RECEIVERS
Patrick Turner finally made some catches that might make people forget DeSean Jackson also wears No. 1. And Vidal Hazleton's also emerged the past two weeks. It's inexcusable tight end Fred Davis was not used more (one reception).
B+
OFFENSIVE LINE
Injuries were used as an excuse for several games but the line played intact against Oregon until Sam Baker got hurt. Sanchez spent a lot of the game running for his life.
C-
DEFENSIVE LINE
Pete Carroll complained nose guard Sedrick Ellis got held four or five times in the game. He's probably more upset Oregon quarterback Dennis Dixon rushed for 76 yards.
B
LINEBACKERS
Brian Cushing's face mask penalty turned out to be crucial on the Ducks' game-winning TD drive and they had plenty of problems with Dixon too.
C+
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Oregon receivers were open all day and once again the Trojans finished with no interceptions.
C
SPECIAL TEAMS
A rare game when special teams did not hurt or help. Oregon did a nice job forcing a fumble against itself on the opening kickoff.
C
COACHING
The playcalling wandered between questionable and atrocious. To use Mark Sanchez's inexperience to limit the game plan is a joke. Didn't Stanford beat USC with a quarterback playing his first career start?
D+
I agree with the QB and coaching comments. You have to open up the playbook and try to make plays. Especially going up against a high scoring team like Oregon. What the worst that can happen, your qb throws two int's and you lose? It is not like Sanchez is a true freshman, he has been there a couple years and should know the system fairly well. Give him a chance to make plays.
Also where are the trick plays that Norm Chow would always throw in. That is one (of many) things I miss about his play calling. I like Sark a lot but lets get creative and mix things up. And I don't mean giving the ball to McKnight on an end around on 4th and 1.
Fox Sports Coverage
C-
Nothing against Petros and the other guy. Bad enough that it was like watching the game in the nosebleed section, but FSN kept showing Oregon crowd shots right up to the point the ball was snapped.
"Oregon receivers were open all day and once again the Trojans finished with no interceptions."
I posted a similar response in a different section, but I think it bears repeating. Oregon receivers were held to a grand total of 67 yards receiving. The tight end had more yards than anyone and he was being covered by Rey-Rey (at least on that one long seam pass) The cornerbacks did what they were told to do, which was to lay back and keep things in front of them.
If I was the defensive coordinator (I am no PC nor Nick Holt) I would have recognized that 2 of their 3 best receivers were out of the season (Colvin & Paysinger) and I would let my corners play tight man coverage and brought 8 men into the box until Oregon could prove its ability to pass the ball down field.
I find it a little ironic that Pete's ideal offense is one that chews up clock, moves SLOWLY down the field, and doesn't take many vertical shots. Yet on defense, he tries to get the other team to play that way as well. So what is it coach? Is it advantageous for the defense when the offense plays conservative methodical football or is it advantageous for the offense??? Seems to me that PC tries to force the opponent's offense into doing the same thing he willfully has his own offense do. It makes no sense to me whatsoever!
Second that. D+ for coaching (esp. the offensive playcalling) is well deserved.
Where's the creativity?
Let's not kid ourselves Sark called the games this conservatively when Booty was in as well.
We just don't make defenses guess. For example Chauncy Washintong in the backfield = off tackle or up the middle.
And why don't we ever line up in the shotgun? Oregon lined up in the gun on their 4th and 1s! With QBs like Booty and Sanchez -- why is this not an option?
Agree on FSN coverage...there was one play we completely missed because they were showing an instant replay in super-slo-mo.
Generally agree except for your grade for QB. I would have given Sanchez a D for those horrible, horrible interceptions that determined the game.
You have to be conservative with Sanchez, relying on the running game, otherwise when you let him throw, you see what happens -- interceptions, batted down balls and incompletes.
I don't blame it on his inexperience, but on his deficiencies. He has never shown any evidence that he can read a defense. None whatsoever. So if Sanchez must be played until Booty is healthy, we've seen that if we take him out of the game plan by employing the running game, we score. If we let Sanchez throw, he'll turn it over. He's just not up to the job at this level.
Let it be known that CNTV is one of several posters that has harshly criticized Sanchez and trumpeted Mustain since MM decided to come here. I'm pretty sure "objective QB criticism" is not his strong suit.
No, Sanchez didn't lose us the game (I'd give him a C+ as well) The blame for this game can fall squarely on the coaches shoulders. Aside from some of the other things I've written (lack of verticality in the offense, no clock management skills, allowing Oregon to run instead of pressuring them to pass) the 4th and 1 play with McKnight was puzzling. SC's best short yardage play (IMO) is a quarterback sneak with Sanchez going between guard and center. Not only does this play gain 1 yard on a regular basis, it often gains 2, 3, or even 4 yards. Sanchez has quick feet and powerful legs and squeaks through that hole very well. I'd run that play on short yardage until the defense proves they can stop it. Even after that happens however, I would not run my skinny little (as high a chance of getting stopped for a loss as for going the distance) freshman on a play that you need a yard. Sometimes coaches out think themselves and that may be what's happening with Sark. (tough little game of checkers going on up in his dome)
And on the FSN coverage: at least it was in high-def which is more than you could say about ABC's coverage of the Arizona game.
O my god! It must be Christmas. How could you have given a D to the coaching staff. There was no blitzing schemes on defense nor was there any imagination to the play calling. www.firesark.com
www.firesark.com
I tend to agree that Sanchez should shoulder the blame for the loss. A better QB would not have let those picks happen.
Was at the game. The crowd was "clocked" at higher decibels than a jet engine, louder than any stadium ever measured including LSU and were so deliberately loud that nobody could hear any audibles. The crowd was simply the twelfth man and wasn't heard on TV because the producers refused to allow the sound in. Now Oregon. They are good folks. Really good. They won't be beaten by Stanford, CAL, or USC. LSU? We may find out.
Sounds like a lot of whining going on here…the play calling by the coaches was terrible, the Trojans had to rely too heavily on an inexperienced QB who made costly mistakes, Washington is a horrible starting RB, and the broadcast on FSN was awful (all true)…but the truth of the matter is Oregon is a very dangerous football team and played a great game at home against USC.
This is the first USC Game that I have watched since 2002 where I truly felt USC was the 2nd best team on the field. When USC lost to Cal in 2003, Texas in 2005, Oregon State in 2006, UCLA in 2006, and Stanford this year…I felt the better team (USC) lost. However, Saturday I saw a more talented Oregon team beat the Trojans.
Hopefully, this young team can learn from this game…and finish the season strong with wins over Oregon State, Cal, ASU, and UCLA (there is a lot of football to be played this year and anything can and will happen).
Fight On!