Memories

Welcome to UCLA's decades-long reality! (When does hoops start??)

Scott,

How can that be? Pete Carroll is the greatest coach from any sport dating back to the history of time.

Its probably a good time for me to remind everyone that Pete holds the record for most wins over a 4 year period WITHOUT winning a National Championship.

That means in the history of college football, if any program won as many games as Pete did from 05-08, there was at least one NC. Do you realize how hard that is to do.

Its like, how do you win 20 games in a row and not win a NC? Ask UCLA.

Pete has won a lot of games...for nothing.

Wow! Sherman ransacking the South...The German army bullying the Low Lands...The U.S. awing and shocking Iraq in the early goings.

I was depressed after Washington, knowing full well that SC would probably not play in the title game even if it were to win out. But last night, with that Oregon juggernaut, I was more surprised and amazed then sad.

So for all those SC "fans" who were unhappy with Trojan football when they were 12-1, how do you like them present apples?-- Hey, it can still be fun even if a Rose Bowl is not on the line. The ASU, Stanford, Arizona and even SUCLA games have suddenly become interesting.

The game at Oregon is not something to simply be viewed from the won/lost column, this game, in particular shows the weakness of this team from top to bottom. Coaching, scouting the opponent, game prep and the players...yes the players, Barkley has the feet of a Clydesdale.
All the while the SC coaching staff runs around, visits, cajoles and connives future prospects for the team, it obviously has lost sight of who the impact players are. We don't seem to have any.
Carroll has been so obsessed in winning the recruiting game, he has focused only on the number of stars after a recruits name, rather than how big his heart is for the game, as witnessed by the performance last night and last week of some players from California that were never offered by SC...Small guys with big hearts, not to mention several impact players on Boise State that were never pursued by the SC coaching staff, most from California. Is the incompetence we all witnessed last night in Oregon an anomaly or is it an indication that the wheels of the program are about to fall off?

Scott, shall we update your favorite stat? USC's offense scored 30 or more points in 27 of 32 Pac-10 games between 2002-05 but did it only 11 of 31, now 32, times from 2006-09. Remember how in the pre-season, we all thought that the offense behind a great O-line would have to carry an inexperienced defense? Well, the defense can be fixed with health and experience. The offense is broken and in need of a major overhaul. The defense could have played lights out and SC still would have lost last night with only a 20 point output on the board. Bring back Norm Chow!

DFWTTrojan: No, it wasn't the offense that lost the game for us. It was entirely the defense. Out of the total disaster, though, I saw the promise for the future -- from Barkley. Build the team around him next year, make the D better, and we should have a much better team than this year's. I don't think we would have played for the crystal ball anyway even by winning out rest of the way this season. Fight on!!!

I bet 100% of UCLA fans and 100% of current UCLA players would be thrilled if Norm Chow returned to USC right about now. . .

I disagree. Yes, the defense was atrocious. But, the offense has the talent to score 48 points against the Ducks. Yet, they only scored 20. Our offense is a low scoring, weak ball control system nowadays that is predictable and places way to much responsibility on the QB.

True somewhat. I remember USC v Arizona in October, 2000, the previous worst game ever - coached by Hackett. Now there was a debacle. This game looked somewhat like that one only our offense played better last night.

As a long time supporter, I know ups and downs are to be expected, but this fall apart seems to be primarily coaching, since the talent is clearly there or Ohio State and Cal never would have happened. PC knows his stuff but his supporting cast needs work, for the first time I believe an immediate change is in order. It is not like we haven't been stumped by a Masoli-like quarterback in the past, it cost us the NC in 2006. Poor preparation, no energy, no adjustments, bad schemes = new help on the Defensive coaching staff. NOW. Apparently the newly promoted staff dropped the ball. Inexcusable after all the time spent under Holt and Carroll. And the importance of this game. Cost us the Pac-10 a BCS bowl game and maybe even a shot at the NC game, who knows. Should cost someone his job.

Wow, one bad game in 8 years and people are ready to give up on SC. How many games did Florida lose 2 years ago.
The most amazing stats about Carroll and SC is that they finished in the top 4 and winning 11 or more games for the last 7 years. Going into this year people should have been honest and realized this was a rebuilding year. Freshman starting QB and replacing almost a boat load of players on defense.

TC, it's not one bad game in 8 years. It's one bad game out of every 4. See Washington in Sept. PC had an amazing streak. But, he must adapt to the evolving game if wants to start a new streak.

EVERYBODY SIMMER DOWN.
USC will be fine. Next year with continuity in the coaching staff, almost the entire D back with more experience, Barkley playing as a sophomore, and the schedule in our favour(Cal, Oregon, ND, at home), don't be surprised if the Trojans play for the NC in 2010.
Does everyone here really think that this is the beginning of the end? Seriously? Good grief.
While you all break your ankles falling off the bandwagon, don't be surprised if USC wins out and plays in their 8th consecutive BCS bowl.

It about sums things up.

But look at 2004 coaching staff and look at today's.

Who might have PC gone after for DC (including himself)? Was his selection process same as for his OC?

The USC dynasty has been on slow slide since Chow-Davis-0 departure. It has hit bottom now...a place caller parity.

Put side by side. How many Ducks start for USC.

Can USC get Cincinnati coach?

DFWT: OK, I agree with you that the play calling is highly predictable. There's no question. But look at the personnel on the offense. With the exception of Barkley and Williams, I don't see anyone who is extraordinary. Joe McKnight and Allen Bradford are not in the same league with Reggie Bush and LenDale White of several years ago. Yes, it's about how they're used, but you also have to realize we just don't have the firepower of a national championship caliber team we once had. Hopefully, we will next year with some intensive search and development of the players. I'd like to think it's an achievable goal, since we've got a QB who has a very lofty potential. It looks like he's going to be a good one. In fact, he's already mighty impressive.

Man, I really disagree, Neal. Joe, Allen, Damien, RoJo, Havili, McCoy, Ayles, and an all-star O-line. I stand by this statement that our offensive talent is as good as anyone in the country. It is really struggling. It is predictable. Barkley makes more poor decisions than is evident on TV. But, he will get much, much better.

DFWT: I don't know what you see in the same offense that I see, bud. Our offense is NOT as good as anyone in the country this year. AND, if the D allows over 600 yards of offense to the opposing team, there's not much you can do offensively to overcome it. It's like a puppy spinning harder and harder to catch its tail, you know what I mean? Hey, there's one thing we agree on. Barkley will get much better. In fact, he'll get so much better as to become one of the very best QBs next year.