Answer Friday!
Back to the Open Forum. And lots of questions about the past couple games and just how good the Trojans really are.
Q: BBPeps13 said:
Do you believe all the agent controversy going on at several different universities around the country will in any way help USC's chances with the appeal or will it not matter at all?
A: I believe there is a backlash brewing. You saw it this week with Bryant Gumbel's commentary (tied to Florida's arrests, not agents). More importantly, I think the NCAA likes the group it is now dealing with at USC (Pat Haden, Max Nikias) and might feel like throwing a bone to them after all the strict compliance measures that are being enacted.
Q: Trojans Rule said:
The Trojans showed 9 men in the box often against Minn. Do you think this will continue for the rest of the season? Thank you very much, Scott.
PS That was really very funny when Kiff called you by name, and kinda urged you to think positive more often. So, I guess he thinks you are too negative. I wonder why---ha ha.
A: It just really depends on the offenses the Trojans face. If they are in a Cover 3 defense, T.J, McDonald moves up and there are eight men in the box. But it's easier to do it against Virginia and Minnesota than most pass-happy Pac-10 teams. So it will be interesting to see what happens when USC plays Stanford, Arizona, etc.
Q: USC'89 said:
Scott,
Based on what youve seen so far, how do you see the rest of the season playing out, game by game?
A: In some ways I feel there are more questions now than before the season. I think USC could easily be 5-0 by the end of next week. And then come the real tests. The Stanford game will be crucial. A win will create a buzz and confidence within the program. A loss will rob USC of its one attainable goal (undefeated season) and then you might see some cracks developing. At that point, Lane Kiffin's leadership will also be critical. As we saw last season,things can change quickly during Pac-10 play. October will be the interesting month.
Q:radioman said:
Scott,
After watching Reno handle Cal last Friday night, I began to wonder, was the successful run defense at Minnesota simply a matchup issue, rather than the run defense (and D line in general) improving? Reno was like Oregon last year, lots of smoke and mirrors with the defense trying to figure our where the ball was rather than just hunkering down in a zone.
And lbcTrojan; I think the band is great but I'm biased; my favorite trombone player (daughter)wears the helmet. She was not happy to be a sophmore this year (only seniors to Hawaii).
A: I believe you have a fair point. USC matched up extremely well with Minnesota. The Gophers ran a vanilla offense and ran on first down for 7 of the first 8 series. And yet, USC actually trailed 14-13 for about five seconds. That's the worrying part for me. That even with the advantages, USC is not able to put away an opponent. That might come with time. But so far, it's a distressing sign. Virginia and Minnesota are not running sophisticated offenses, so I view these games as rehearsals to get ready for the real part of the season.
I wonder whether the poor play can be attributed to not being very good or if it's just a matter of having a new coach/system.
It seems like the team just isn't very good, but a part of me thinks that Kiffin just needs more time working with the guys and that they'll be clicking by the end of the year. Right now, beating Stanford and Oregon don't look like very good bets, but you never know. Certainly, if this team stays healthy throughout the year and doesn't have to call upon its limited depth, they could be as good as anyone in the Pac-10. However, it's also conceivable that a loss or two could submarine the whole thing and they could go in the tank.
At least we're not the bruins. (my prediction for the game in Austin is thus: Texas 47 - ucla 6)