Two Trojans QBs are not better than one in an aimless loss at Arizona State.
Absence of Drake London leaves a gaping void. Keaontay Ingram (28) bottled up.
Ryan Kartje (LA Times) — In and out they went, two USC quarterbacks aimlessly trading places, grasping for any semblance of rhythm or hope or something, anything in between. One drive, it was Kedon Slovis. The next, Jaxson Dart. The hope was to get the best out of both. The reality, in an ugly back-and-forth between two imploding Pac-12 foes, was that the Trojans got the best of no one.
Instead, they found themselves wandering aimlessly through the desert night, with seemingly no plan at all in Saturday’s 31-16 defeat at Arizona State. Even as the Sun Devils handed over every possible opportunity they could give the Trojans to win, USC (4-5, 3-4) found itself trading punts and field goals in a high-stakes game of who blinks first.
It was Slovis who ultimately trotted out to the huddle with the Trojans at their most desperate, after a devastating defensive holding penalty extended the Sun Devils’ previous drive and gave way to a 50-yd TD run. Down eight with just over eight minutes remaining, Slovis took the reins having played just three snaps during the course of the previous quarter. He said he felt loose, nonetheless, having learned his lesson from the rotation the previous week.
But Slovis lasted just three plays, gaining seven yards, before USC punted. Hope fizzled from there. Whether it can be conjured again this season remains to be seen, but for the fifth time since 2010, the Trojans guaranteed themselves at least a five-loss season. At this rate, with just three games remaining, it’s increasingly unlikely USC can conjure what it takes to scrounge out a bowl bid.
Jaxson Dart (2) jumps after rushing for a score against ASU Saturday in Tempe, Ariz. (Darryl Webb / AP)
It was a fitting finish for an offense that fell flat for most of the night, doomed by a run game that found no room and a rotation that found no rhythm through the air. Even interim coach Donte Williams seemed unwilling to defend USC’s plan to constantly switch up its passers.
“I can’t tell you it’s the right decision. I can’t tell you it’s the wrong decision,” Williams said. “We’re still trying to look for answers when it comes to that department.”
But all that emerged from Saturday’s defeat were more questions, namely how USC plans to proceed at quarterback, where its plan doesn’t seem to be working.
The quarterbacks didn’t help matters. Neither was sharp on Saturday. Both threw interceptions and struggled to adjust without Drake London, whose absence left a gaping void in USC’s aerial attack.
Slovis completed 57% of his passes and threw for 131 yards, both career lows for games he started. Dart was the more erratic of the two, completing 47% of his passes for just 89 yards.
“It’s not like either one of them lit it up tonight and was the clear-cut one above the other,” Williams said. “They both made mistakes, just like we all made mistakes.”
ASU RB Rachaad White is wrapped up by USC’s Calen Bullock and Chase Williams (7) during the first half. (Darryl Webb / AP)
But it was the context those mistakes were made in that raised concerns about where USC is heading from here.
Dart led two consecutive scoring drives in the second quarter, capping the latter with a nine-yard touchdown run. Then, he sat until midway through the third as he dealt with what Williams referred to as “a hand issue.”
Slovis struggled out of the gate but never had the chance to settle in and wound up battling throughout. Still, neither quarterback would criticize the rotation.
“There’s just too many mental errors, too many missed opportunities, missed passes, missed reads,” Slovis said. “That’s on me. I have to get better as we go.”
USC was expected to lean on the run to help ease the offense into life after London, but Arizona State adjusted accordingly. Coming off two of the best performances of his career, Keaontay Ingram was bottled up by an Arizona State front content to stack the box to stop him. Aside from a 24-yard scamper in the second quarter, Ingram had only 30 yards in 13 attempts and spent much of the second half battling through injuries.
USC’s Greg Bryant Jr. (1) returns the opening kickoff against Arizona State’s Ezra Dotson-Oyetade (52) and D.J. Taylor on Saturday in Tempe, Ariz. (Darryl Webb / AP)
He wasn’t the only one, as USC was down two offensive linemen during the game, with left tackle Courtland Ford and right guard Liam Jimmons out.
“We didn’t control the line of scrimmage,” Williams said. “They ran the ball on us and had big explosive plays in the run game, especially when it came to tackling. At the same time, we weren’t able to run the ball when we needed to.”
It was the explosive plays on the ground that ultimately did USC in, as its tackling issues returned in full force against a strong Arizona State rushing attack. Rachaad White ran roughshod over USC’s defense, racking up 202 yards and three touchdowns, the most any back has accumulated against the Trojans this season.
His final explosive run was the decisive blow Saturday. A defensive holding committed on third down by cornerback Chris Steele extended an Arizona State drive, giving the Sun Devils a shot. On the next play, White was off to the races, breathing some life into a season that threatened to go off the rails.
For USC, it was more like a death rattle, just another foreboding sign that its season was slipping further and further in the wrong direction.
latimes.com
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Was at the game …. ASU was markedly bigger and faster. Gomer and his staff’s awful recruiting is leaving the next coach well behind what Hackett left Carroll.
Clay and his staff truly dropped the ball in recruiting for years while the rest of the house was also burning down. Remember the year Clay literally skipped the post-signing press conference? “Faith, Family, and Foooosball.”
USC looks slower and smaller to me than I remember noticing before. They must have been this slow and small when dressed like Trojans before, right? I mean, Petros Papadakis played for and even captained USC under Paul Hackett in 2000.
Plus, USC football players seem like they’re always hurt and need to miss games. I’m sure this is just my imagination.
So Texas Tech hires an unknown as its head coach. Does SC have to hire a known name as its coach in order to appease the Trojan alumni who care about football? First of all, it will be difficult to reign in a top-name, and second of all, there are some fine young assistant coaches that would work out just fine. And this talk about Carol Folt ((did I get her name right?) having her legacy tarnished because the football team is performing poorly does not fly. She is the president of the University and all of its multiple intricate… Read more »
“And this talk about Carol Folt ((did I get her name right?) having her legacy tarnished because the football team is performing poorly does not fly.”
You’re correct, as long as she stays in her lane, if she, forces her opinions or preferences or impedes the positive actions of her Athletic
Director attempting to do his job benefiting the University, she will no doubt get some push back from the BOT or Faculty which could add fuel to any future discussion should she fall out of favor.
Down Goes Darnold Robby Anderson explodes at Sam Darnold as QB loses grip on Panthers job NY Post.com — Panthers receiver Robby Anderson couldn’t hold in his Sam Darnold frustration during Sunday’s 24-6 loss to the Patriots. Anderson was caught on the broadcast appearing to yell at the quarterback, who threw three interceptions, including a pick-six to J.C. Jackson. After Darnold’s third interception, Anderson repeatedly walked past him and threw his helmet. Darnold, meanwhile, put on a hat and didn’t appear to acknowledge his frustrated teammate. “That’s what comes with it,” the sixth-year wideout said. “My emotions — I know that… Read more »
Sam is about to join Cade McNown as great scrambling collegiate QBs who bombed in the NFL.
Cade McNown played in only 25 NFL games during ’99-00 and threw for only 3,011 yds/16TDs.
Darnold got to a 2nd contract on two teams and as of now, has actually started in 43 games, and thrown for 9,643 yds/51 TDs.
I’d say Darnold beat Cade out by a mile. Plus, Darnold’s grandfather, Dick Hammer, was a Marlboro Man actor and USC athlete, giving Darnold another huge edge over McNown. 😉
You forgot to list Sams interception total.
I’m sure you can tell us. 😀
I could…but I’ll let you stew for awhile -))
I wish it mattered to me @alfa1. But since it doesn’t even matter enough for you to print this well-known public fact, let’s just let it slide into oblivion, like Cade quickly did.
However, the Curse of Cade still lives on!!! — though it is very likely to soon be interrupted.
Since Cade last beat USC in 1998, USC is a whopping 17-5 on the field against the little gutties.
So, as bad as USC has been lately, imagine if you were an always hopeless and befuddled Bruin fan.
My goodness, your imagination has completely overwhelmed you. Where do you get the idea I’m a Bruin fan…I’m insulted.
I just like to put down barf boy Cade McNown. Sorry, you have nothing to do with it, or my imagination.
This is the place to answer your snide remark….referencing Darnold, you enthusiastically went to bat for Sam and chronicled his positives, yet couldn’t remain objective in your narrative…..! Sams career so far has been average or below. Career TD’s 52 Career Intcpt 50 Sam is a fine young man and I as well as many on this or any board wish him nothing but the best. I hope he can get himself together and have a career as good at better than Carson’s, but that is in his hands. Allen, I’m still upset with you and your smart a$$ remark… Read more »
Reprint right here where I ever called you a Bruin, and I’ll apologize.
But I don’t believe I ever did that. And if so, I never meant to because calling you a Bruin would never make any sense to any person with a rational mind.
“So, as bad as USC has been lately, imagine if you were an always hopeless and befuddled Bruin fan.”
There in lyes the invective !
Ya, sure. Nice try @alfa1. I told you I never called you a Bruin fan and I never did. Not even close.
Maybe you should just avoid all content that makes any reference to UCLA whatsoever. I’d say it’s bad for your health! 😂
I never thought I would see a coach at SC worse than Clay. But Donte is worse. To be expected, I suppose. He has never been a co-ordinator. I am not certain this team can win another game.
I really wonder how Bone or anyone else could even consider Donte having the experience or capabilities to perform as a head coach, that alone causes me great concerns about Bone’s capacity to function as an AD. Nothing he’s done so far shows knowledge or talent only bluster and hubris….and I might say with exception, his fundamental capacity to kiss Folt’s ass!
Would you rather have GH or TO as interim HC? Just a bunch of poor options.
Your suggestion is rather narrow, but correct regarding choices, though there are men that have much more experience than Williams on staff, he only became a focal point because of the incessant hubris and fluff that SC uses to get attention. His resume is rather bleak. On the other hand there is Jinx and Snyder who have much more experience in different programs that could have done, in my opinion, a better job of holding this mess together. It really doesn’t matter Allen if we if, if, if, this discussion, it’s irrelevant, because it doesn’t change anything. When this current… Read more »
Accepted….!
USC’s record for 2021 is the least of my concerns now, so I couldn’t care less who is USC’s interim, placeholder coach. The fact that The Cat is finally gone is what matters. And yes, I do blame that schmuck Helton for coaching USC into crappy oblivion. I blamed Paul Hackett, Ted Tollner, and Sark too. Just because USC hired them doesn’t let those clowns, especially Hackett, off the hook. You obviously don’t have much faith that Bohn will hire the right guy for USC, whereas I think he’ll hit at least a ground rule-double, and have hope for even… Read more »
I blame the state of the Trojan Football program 100% on the administration. Helton is just one symptom of numerous decisions to throw Trojan football under the bus by an irresponsible president as well as those he hired to run the program into the ground without a care in the World.
Update: Texas Tech has named Joey McGuire, from Baylor as their new head coach, McGuire background is all defensive, he will need an offensive coordinator… rumor has it Graham Harrell is interviewing with his alma mater, TT today. Interesting 🤨
Adam Rittenburgh (ESPN) — “Texas Tech is hiring Baylor associate head coach Joey McGuire as its next head football coach, sources told ESPN. “An official announcement is expected later Monday. McGuire, a successful longtime Texas high school coach, is in his fifth season at Baylor and his third as the team’s associate head coach. He has coached tight ends, defensive ends and inside linebackers with the Bears. “He replaces Matt Wells, who Texas Tech fired on Oct. 25 despite a 5-3 record in his third season. Texas Tech also considered Oklahoma defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, USC offensive coordinator and former… Read more »
I don’t care where Harrell goes… just that he goes !
I was on the Harrell bandwagon for a while — (“Just throw to the open space!”). It didn’t last, though I sure would have liked to see Kliff Kingsbury stick around.
SC was simply a ‘Pit Stop’ for Kingsbury on to bigger and better things.
That was such a crazy deal. Such bad luck for USC, and Lynn Swann too.
Suddenly, after USC signs him, the Arizona Cardinals totally open the bank for Kingsbury (who by the way is a Purple Heart recipient) to take over after going a going-nowhere 35-40 as the TT HC.
Pure bad luck and craziness for USC, amazing and sudden good fortune for Kliff Baby, who now has the Cardinals 8-1.
In your remarks something stand out that has been my feeling for a long time “after going a going-nowhere 35-40 as the TT HC.” The idea that based on the record, he somehow is not a winner. I’ve felt that FIT is as important as ability in the success of a Coach, enthusiasm, support, help make a man succeed. Without that, it’s a daily trudge. Kingsbury fits in Phoenix, has support and the necessary ingredients for success, his systems works because he has the cream of the crop executing it…and none of the daily drama and exposed corruption at SC… Read more »
Before getting your hopes up about thumping Cal because of their loss to Arizona…Don’t. Arizona was playing a Cal second and third string team.
Cal had 23 players restricted because of COVID prevention protocol, including QB Chase Garbers a real play maker for Cal.
Cal will be ready….I hope we are.
Thanks for that news, explains why Cal performed so poorly. Cal’s starters will be rested for SC.
To quote Chevy Chase in Christmas vacation, “does it really even matter, Eddie?” What I mean is, who cares if we lose to Cal, now? I’d rather not lose to UCLA, because I REALLY hate that, but that’s probably going to happen, so really, again, who cares if we lose to Cal at this point?
I’ve thought USC was losing to UCLA this season ever since we squeaked by last season over them at the Rose Bowl. They can both run and stop the run. Toothless USC is bad both on offense and defense. After rewatching ASU beat us, I’m more convinced than ever that this USC team is operating on mere fumes, while we pretend that #0 and #99 can really play DB. To beat UCLA and Choc Chip Kelly at the Coliseum on Nov. 20 would really be a dream come true. But dreaming about USC football these days usually produces nightmares, if… Read more »
If Graham Harrell and Todd Orlando were TRYING to throw our games, you would be hard pressed to tell the difference. Don’t those guys care AT ALL about what will be left of their coaching reputations after this season is over and they are fired by the incoming coach? I know our talent is suspect at this point — certainly not up to USC historical standards by any stretch — but I mean, come on. We should still at least be ON PAR with some of the teams that are blowing us out. Some of those calls on Saturday were… Read more »
If Helton can get another job, these two will find something.
i can’t help but feel bad for Sam Darnold. A class act who brought the buzz back to the Trojan program for awhile. I was really hoping that being drafted by the Jets was the problem, and he would prove himself with the Panthers, which he did for the first three games, but now can’t get out of his own way with poor decisions. It just proves that what goes on between the ears is more important than arm strength. I’ll always wish him the very best
Same with me. Darnold will always be one of my Trojan faves. I thought he would do well in the NFL, much better than he has. What a 2017 Rose Bowl!
GH can’t muster any passing game now that Drake is out? Are the rest of these 4-star receivers that poor? I am thinking the answer is this team has more or less given up on the coaches. It doesn’t help when the interim HC doesn’t know what’s right in choosing which QB to play. Just wish in some way Helton was still here to witness and defend how far this team has fallen since the start of the season in making him an even bigger target.
What’s next for USC? Last road trip to Cal USC update: The Trojans were officially eliminated from division contention with a 31-16 loss to Arizona State on Saturday. In the game, USC continued its two-quarterback experiment, but with less success than against Arizona. Kedon Slovis went 16-28 for 131 yards and an interception while Jaxson Dart went 8-17 for 89 yards and a pick. … RB Keaontay Ingram struggled with the new attention ASU showed toward clogging up the box, and wasn’t helped by an apparent ankle injury suffered in the second half. Interim head coach Donte Williams said he wasn’t… Read more »
It sure is fun watching the Rams play.
Just another reason USC has to fix this.
Tennessee Titans vs Arizona Cardinals Super Bowl coming up in February ?
I hope we can forget this season very soon. My new name for this team is Fauxjans. They aren’t Trojans in any sense of the word. The continued watering down of recruiting has become a horror story. Add to that the lack of management experience in the coaching and you have the perfect storm for fake football. The Fauxjans are aimless, listless clown troupe, who dress in Trojan gear and act like the Washington Generals. Donde is clueless and it showed throughout the game. Time management, quarterback rotation and lack of communication are just the tip of the iceberg. I… Read more »
Donte’s spineless QB Roulette Scheme has me floored, period. Good call Donte! Why not create more confusion just for good measure!
Earlier I posted my theory on the QB rotation and it is not about winning.
Sorry I missed it.
AP Top 25
1. Georgia (all 63 first-place votes)
2. Cincinnati
3. Alabama
4. Oklahoma
5. Oregon
6. Ohio State
7. Notre Dame
8. Michigan State
9. Michigan
10. Oklahoma State
11. Texas A&M
12. Ole Miss
13. Wake Forest
14. BYU
15. UTSA
16. Auburn
17. Houston
18. Baylor
19. Iowa
20. Wisconsin
21. North Carolina State
22. Coastal Carolina
23. Penn State
24. Louisiana-Lafayette
25. Pittsburgh
Others receiving votes: Purdue 174, Arkansas 139, San Diego State 84, Utah 32, Iowa State 26, Kentucky 22, Appalachian State 20, SMU 4, Mississippi State 1
They don’t need a national champions playoff. There is Georgia, then there is everyone else. Nobody in college football is good enough to beat Georgia this season. At seasons end just give them the trophy and be done with it. Any team they have to play in the playoffs will just get embarrassed and lose recruits.
For those super recruits who demand early playing time, GA might not be such a magical choice. CLEM now seems to be confronting what that is all about.
I think Alabama is suffering from it also. Probably the hardest part of staying on top.
Not so fast, my friend.
ND and Clemson played Georgia tightly. And Alabama is lurking in the shadows.
Wow, is the PAC bad! Utah is the only other team even getting votes!
I usually have to laugh when I see Pac-12 fans assert in various places about how all the P12 teams “cannibalize” each other. Unrestrained bias is a very powerful force!
I use that term to mean that it is hard to run the table. Somebody is always knocking off the front runner, often on a Friday night. The Big 10 is looking the same this year, we’ll see if Ohio St can run the table.
I would never refer to the horrible Pac-12 as “cannibalizing” itself. Not without trying to make a joke, at least.
Interesting word usage and definition divergences here.
The only poll that matters is the CFP. We’ll see if Cinci gets dissed again, though deserved after barely getting by Tulsa.
I am happy to see Mich St dropping, they are good but not that good.
5 key numbers from USC football’s loss to Arizona State (Adam Grosbard, OC Register) 4.3 That’s how many yards per play USC averaged, the lowest on the season for the Trojans. It’s a bad omen for the Trojan offense without WR Drake London. 3:52 This was USC’s time of possession in the fourth quarter. The Trojans could not stay on the field with two three-and-outs to open the frame. 0 That’s how many sacks the USC offensive line surrendered. Despite LT Courtland Ford being out and RG Liam Jimmons leaving with an injury, the front five did its job in… Read more »
A glass is neither half-full or half-empty, it is refillable. And so SC is favored to beat Cal, the same bears that just lost to Arizona 10-3. BYU is probably too tough for our presently constituted football players, but we cannot lose to sucla. Or can we? Off topic, but I just saw the most amazing athlete since Michael Jordan, and his name is Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens. I cannot stand to watch prancing NFL-football, although admittedly it is a prettier brand than the college style. But I can stand to watch 10-minutes of highlights, and this Jackson… Read more »
It’s Not Personal It’s Strictly Business-Michael Corleone. ASU -8.5 was an offer I couldn’t refuse Godfather. SC did stay in the game longer than I expected mostly do to ASU falling over themselves. Expecting ASU to add some points at the end was better than the frustration of hoping SC would pull out a win.
My “rebuke” was a rather light one, Golden Trojan, and nice to have you back in the running.
No offense, all in fun, it does tug at my heart to bet against my Trojans. 😥 But bad is bad.
Poor 4-5 USC football stinks. I’ve never seen a worse Trojan defense. They just get mauled and dragged along, play after play. Even Jaxson Dart has somehow managed to regress in a short time. Shell-shocked Slovis is detached and a ghost who must wonder what the heck happened to that Kurt Warner-coached freshman who had the world by the tail. The Trojans were basically a one-man team when the awesome Drake London was healthy. When he went down, he took USC’s hopes down even another big notch. Without him, USC is toothless. But CAL is so bad maybe the Trojans… Read more »
The ASU game was exactly what we all thought it would be. USC embarrassed itself on national tv again. Donte has proven he is clueless as HC. Harrell has proven he needs to go back to Texas. Orlando has shown us why he got fired at Texas. Lets just get this season over with, then we can have hope the new guy gets it right, cleans house, and rebuilds a program from the ground up. Everything about USC football needs to change. My opinion is put in a QB and leave him until he shows he cannot do it, then… Read more »
This season was partially done after the Stanford game. It was completely done after they rode Drake London literally into the ground and lost their offense. Anybody that believes otherwise is just a rah-rah. This season has become a series of scrimmages and a showcase for Slovis and Dart. That comes to my thoughts on the QB rotation. Number one, it keeps both of them fresh to avoid getting hurt. Number two, it provides game film of both that the next SC head coach can use. Number three, it provides game film for any other head coach to use to… Read more »
USC can’t tackle worth beans. Made the ASU RB look like a Heisman candidate. Tony Orlando could do a better job than Todd on coaching the Defense! Harrell/Williams have a mindless approach on who plays QB and when. It just boggles my mind that after Dart leads two scoring drives in the first half, Slovis comes in on the next series and, of course, does nothing. SMH!!
ASU was clearly faster and stronger than SC. The Trojans are mailing in the rest of the season. You would think some guys would like to make style points for the next head coach. But they are kids not thinking past tomorrow.
Agree with you 100% Golden Trojan. I played QB on a losing High School team and at least we tried hard to execute what we were coached to do. Big problem was that our HC was an idiot who lasted only 3 years. I’m hoping the next USC HC puts discipline and hard nosed football back into USC’s program. Over the past decade or so, SC must lead the Nation in mental mistakes and dumb penalties. SMH.
SC is 4-5 and was officially eliminated from the PAC 12 South race. For all practical purposes, it was also eliminated from 2nd place and is now fighting UCLA for 3rd place. Other teams at 4-5: UW, Texas (Sark was a great hire), and LSU. I wrote that Folt would turn SC into Vanderbilt in football. Well, I did not think it would happen so soon. Vandy is 2-7 but has played a much tougher schedule. Realize that SC has played only one ranked opponent (ND).
Right now Vandy would beat USC
Clay should be thanking his lucky stars that Bohn fired him early in the season. I am not sure that Georgia Southern woluld have hired him if he was still the coach and these losses were attributed to him and his record.
we are such a mess. I do not think next year will be a good season even with a great head coach. It’s a full purge and rebuild project. I am really hoping Bohn has a plan. If it’s Fickell, then so be it, I’ll wait. If we whiff on him and then up losing bidding wars to LSU and others (there will be others), I will be upset. If I were in charge I would get Peterson right now. I’d give him complete control and stupid money. We need a home run and nothing less or we could easily… Read more »
Petersen doesn’t want the USC job. And he never has.
It will take one to two years to get the talent and coach them up. Next year will be about improved culture and positive vibe for the future.
I have considered the future, and you are right about the culture. It could turn a lot of the players around real quickly when they find they are not playing because they are not working hard. Some will leave and good riddance.
It absolutely has to go back win your starting spot every day in practice like it used to be. Donte said he was going to do that but has failed as badly as Hugs.
Wake me when it’s (it = season) over, or sooner if there’s credible reporting about Bohner hiring a winning coach. I am curious to find out who is crazy enough to think they can raise this program from the dead.
That’s the best thing about this Trojan season so far. None of us has the faintest clue what Bohn is thinking, or who he will hire. We’re all in the dark. Then on weekends again, we watch the Trojans and it all becomes crystal clear again.
I can’t even imagine how loud the noise will be if the hire is a dud.
Or, instead of a lot of noise, maybe something much worse could actually set in — broad-based Trojan apathy.
A lot of people have already moved away from their forever-long attachment to Trojan football, in large part because USC has treated its fans downright horribly.
Another bomb hire would mean at least another three years of USC being a doormat. Because I doubt doormat days lie ahead for USC football, glossed-up mediocrity scares me more.