Rush To Judgement?

Was that meant to be rush to judgment? Spell check...Wolf!

To reiterate my previous comment, if you proceed on the assumption that Flournoy, Blackwell, and Farmer do not, as a group, measure up to Butler and Prater, you may be right about depth. But is that assumption correct?

And is it correct that Kiffen wasn't sorry to see Butler, in particular, leave? My bet is that he was sorry to see Carlisle leave.

Life intrudes, Scott, and Kiffin can't control certain things.

Furthermore, Kiffin does have to deal with the reduced limit of 75. To decrease the depth risk at one position may well require an increase in the depth risk at another position. This is a way of life in the NFL, and generally less so in college FB. But it will be a way of life for USC for 3-4 years.

I don't know what kind of a program keeps Butler given similar situation. He wants reps, he's graduated, he has options. He would start at any of the other Pac-12 schools and be the featured receiver at most.

However, Robert Woods is the real deal, and at the beginning of the year, was in shape to play every down on both sides of the ball. While his ankle makes you think he should be used "sparingly" (i.e. only 2x as much as a typical receiver), he plays hard every down whether it's a run play, a pass to him, or a pass to someone else. Kid is an absolute stud. When it's over after 4 years, we'll say that Keyshawn came close.

And then we've got the completely unexpected Lee, who is a physical beast in the mold of BMW. To keep Butler on this team would have required 6 quarters of football. I will bet that Butler plays on Sundays for many years. He's not T.O., but he's got good skills.

Yes Scott, you're right. You are rushing to judgement. Wait until we see the recruiting class before you decide we're vulnerable at any position.

Fair points. But isn't the same true about other preseason top teams and other Pac 12 teams?

What team would be in a great position if its starting RB goes down, or if it loses its top receivers?

For the Ducks, if they lose Deanthony Thomas or Kenjon Barner, they are not as explosive. Same goes for if their first year starting QB gets injured in that system. Crimson Tide? What if McCarron gets hurt? The Sooners don't exactly have amazing skill depth either. Michigan if Denard goes down? Georgia if it loses even more RBs?

Seriously, if any top team loses some of their best players they will be hard pressed to win a Natioal Championship. And WTF did Butler and Prater contribute? I don't belive the WRs are thin when you have Farmer coming off the bench. RB is a little thin, but this isn't as important as WRs in Kiffin's offense.

I guess the question that is not being asked by Mr. Wolf, is which opponent is going to have a top quality defense that will be capable of controlling the USC offense? Looking at the schedule I don't see a defense that will be better than the USC offense but on the other hand I do concede that Oregon will definitely have the best offense to go against USC but then again I don't think they'll be able to score enough points to beat USC especially at the Coliseum.

Gillian.......the key to the season is SC's D. There will be a game or 2 where the O isn't clicking, and they'll need the D to pick them up. Look at last week's Packers and Saints games.

@ Trojan Conquest, I concur with your assessment about the defense. I proably feel better about the defense with the assumption that Kennard is going to have a coming out party this year considering that the MLB experiment is out the window.
The one thing about USC's opponents are that many of them experieced major coaching changes (e.g UA, ASU, CAL, UW, UCLA, Utha) that will require a year of transition thus a benefit to the USC defense.

I think it's safe to assume prater transferred because he dosent see himself getting reps over the Serra high trio, butler because he wants to see the feild more than 5 snaps a game. They are speacial players at a time we needed them the most. That being said I think USC has two major concerns. 1. Can they handle the spot light all season. Not get over confident and take teams lightly... That has been the Trojans biggest problem in the passed. 2. Can they overcome the overwhelming voting favoritism of the SEC. If SC comes out 4th or 5th can they over come an SEC or big 12 team in votes.

After Woods and Lee, I think the receiving tandem of Farmer and Blackwell may very well be the next best group in the Pac 12. The previous poster's comments regarding Oregon are extremely valid, if any of Bennett, Barner or DAT goes down, their O is extremely hobbled.

As for SC, we had a pretty lackluster WR corps the year Fred Davis stepped up and into the role of the go to threat, so should we have WR depth issues, who's to say Grimble, Telfer and Co. don't go off?

USC has the luxury of having the best and deepest group of TE's in the country. I think they can survive a WR injury.

As far as running back goes, McNeal's health is critical this season. Farmer, Morgan, and Allen are the guys to watch on offense this year. If Farmer can be a playmaker at the #3 WR spot and if Morgan and Allen provide good production as back-ups then SC will be impossible to stop offensively.

Still waiting for Mr misinformation to post that Armstead is back at USC and enrolled. Wow what a surprise he is not going to ND. Nobody is going to take him with his condition. His only shot is a desperate SEC team or NFL.

hah! i see once again the wolfman and me are in complete harmony!! my brilliant post inspired this awakening to the fact the trOXans are fatally flawed in a key area!!

sure the Pious Passer padded his stats against lousy teams in a meaningless season last year....it means nothing.

BUT with the pressure on this season, the Pious One will falter like he does whenever things go wrong!! remember: NO COMEBACKS!!

Not that I have any particular fondness for USC, but what is up with the UCLA people? Reminds me of OSU and the little brother syndrome. So as a public service to little brother programs everywhere let me address a few things:

- if you're doing it right, you don't need a comeback. I don't know what Barkley's record is, but it's better than that crap I saw from UCLA at Autzen the last two years.

- if your team is being mentioned as a potential bottom half finisher in your division and you're bashing a team considered a potential top 5 team, you should probably hold your water. Probably better to worry about being bowl eligible.

Armond Armstead is enrolling in USC's graduate school for the spring semester, and will make a decision on his future this summer. @ We Are SC. Sounds like USC is not abandoning the kid.

Haven't we learned anything from 2005? Don't fall in love with the offense. With the exception of the Former Disassociated Athlete years, USC has always been about defense. The D-Line will tell the tale of 2012 success or failure. An objective barameter that historically has held true...the number of games allowing more than 30 points. The better USC defenses had few if any of these. Last year's defense was improved over 2009, but not at the level that could have beat LSU or Alabama last year despite what the offense may have been able to do. I am more pleased that McDonald came back than Barkley.

Quack Attack: you are missing the point, bird. the Bruins and trOXans are like Dems vs GOP. the BRUINS are the clever, intellectuals who love to outwit, and make fun of the slow-witted, monied, dolts who are blind to their own follies and who run to mommy and her money bags whenever they fail. it's so fun, it makes me feel ALIVE! and also tingly.

and now with the Pious Passer, the fat little rich boy with the smug grin and the big mouth, leading them on their doomed quest for a title....oh lets just say this could be the biggest crash and burn in NCAA history!!!

and the Cadre will be there to scatter the pieces!!!