CBS Sportsline (Barton Simmons):
Losers in Los Angeles
UCLA: Already working on a disappointing class that came into the day ranked 43rd in the country, UCLA had five targets it was focused on adding. The batting average at the end of the day was .000 with one pending. The lineup isn’t pretty:
- Linebacker Tuasivi Nomura signed with USC.
- Defensive back Kenyon Reed signed with Kansas State.
- Linebacker Drew Fowler elected to walk-on at Washington instead of accepting a scholarship at UCLA. Ouch.
- Running back Jordan Wilmore signed with Utah.
- Wide receiver Puka Nacua has yet to sign but is projected by most to land at Washington, Oregon or Utah.
- Chip Kelly’s recruiting effort will need a facelift in the 2020 cycle.
USC: The Trojans are finishing up their lowest-ranked class of the internet recruiting era. Wednesday featured a few commitments but nothing like we’re used to seeing with USC. More notable were the losses. Hawaiian offensive lineman Enokk Vimahi chose Ohio State over USC, but more expected was the loss to Ohio State for Midwest offensive lineman Dawand Jones. The Trojans did get a National Letter of Intent from five-star wide receiver Kyle Ford, but another highly-regarded wide receiver in Puka Nacua declined to sign. In fact, despite Nacua being committed to the Trojans, he’s got about four other programs in a better position as his decision approaches. USC may have found some future stars and NFL talents on Wednesday but they weren’t the kind of players that other programs were valuing in the same way we’ve come to expect.
A HC has to know what his recruiting will do for his program the following years. If CH can’t recruit high school linement, he”ll have to go junior college or walkons. Otherwise his only other option is to convert other position players to play linemen? Only a dummy thinks linemen don’t get dinged up & injured more often than the others positions. We are seeing a lack of depth recruitment replenishment here as I have never seen before. Yes, Kiffen brought in numerous receivers also when he was here. But he did sign a top linemen every year. Sark did… Read more »
Some of the best college players turn out to be the ones that were not recruited or walk ons. Cream always rises to the top. Let’s see how this plays out! Positive vibes! ✌️✌️✌️We are SC!
Does anyone see the lower ranking of UCLA as even more reason to beat the bRuins? If our players are at least twice as good as theirs we should beat them…. Right?
Try as I might I haven’t been able to put a positive spin on this situation. I guess the fact that Toa wasn’t invited to the NFL combine is a reminder of how crazy the football team looked last season. The fact that Helton allowed this to continue is a reminder of how bad things will get. Turning the program around will take turning the coaching around.
I recently rewatched the 4th Q of the USC/UCLA game. USC was totally harmless and got beat senseless by the two-win Bruins at the Rose Bowl. The game was easily USC’s for the taking but they had nothing.
It was a stark reminder of just how low USC sunk last year. To hear Clay Helton describe it as a “close defeat” is unnerving. In the 4th Q, when UCLA rolled USC 13-0, it didn’t look close at all to me.
Yeah, and if I remember correctly, CH was calling the plays then? If a HC doesn’t know his player’s strengths and execution abilities, then who does? You have to believe the team gave up on Helton. But Swann didn’t see this?
I honestly believe Swann kept Helton because of money, the buy-out and the fact he and the BOTs had always planned to keep Helton at least through the 2019 season. Swann didn’t have stomach for a change-of-course, despite the 2018 disaster, and hasn’t been “inspired” in any of his USC coaching hires — for instance, he brought back Mark Trakh to coach women’s hoops — who had already been fired before. He doesn’t know how to hire or find a new football HC, and as we’re finding out, his admin acumen seems limited to holding his position with the BOTs.
I did hear that by the end of the season that the team had turned a deaf ear to CH and didn’t respect his “rah-rah”, nice guy approach.
Here’s a first-hand Recruiting Dinner (very low turn-out apparently) report with info from Clay Helton about his frame of mind and USC’s signees: “Give Clay Helton credit, he did have energy and used his booming voice, but his usual analysis of future enrollees included the words big, physical, violent a little too often, I would have appreciated a little more “game prep”. Maybe he was just tired from the hustle of recruiting. “Clay started by saying he preaches family and the Trojan family for life. In December, 19 were signed, and seven more today. They concentrated on big bodies and… Read more »
i got to watch film on some of these dudes, Jason R(OL) is a big physical beast with some good coaching he could be a force on the line. the corners and safeties looked pretty solid. I think the new DL, LB, DB coaches will get our defense right this is Clancy’s goat to screw. One thing i’ve learned a lot is when you empower your subordinates they will produce results with minimal help so Helton stepping back may be the blessing he needs and let these coaches earn their money and show why they came to usc. The two… Read more »
What big bodies? Unless those athletes he was talking about are way out of shape?
Not getting the “big men” is becoming a real problem out west. All roads seem to always lead back to USC.
Jim Mora chimes in. Skip the ad for the first 30 secs.
OMG we are gonners
Does that mean you think USC will win the Pac-12 in 2019? You could win some serious money on that bet!
Au Contrere; I’m reacting to posts and comments about the recruiting class and our prospects for 19
A feigned response is a form of non-verbal communication, and generally requires seeing the face of the person. However, communicating, say a feigned shock response, in print requires some kind of external device, like emojis as you did. Excellent fifth grade communication on your part. Now do you have anything substantive to say on the current topic?
I guess you missed the point, as simple as it was. And BTW, there is no requirement in posting to be substantive as that term is laden with your individual needs!
can we just take a second and have a laugh at the fact the ucla prospect turned them down to walk on in Washington Lol, Chip still doing chip things in recruiting. I think the biggest take away from this is the fact USC is slowly dying and this upcoming year is gonna be one of the biggest for the program, because either our program is gonna outperform expectations or they will be cleaning house again. So Helton seems to understand what is needed by implementing competitions and a new coaching staff, I’m having faith in the system so hopefully… Read more »
I think the biggest fear is that USC will improve enough with a better offense to automatically win 8-9 games, but the program will remain underachieving because of ingrained Clay Helton traits that will never allow a return to greatness. The program may continue to tread water long past 2019, if you know what I mean.
Allen, I understand this point of view and agree we won’t be in the natty until we get a higher caliber coach but i also just wanna have some hope for this season and the changes they’ve made i think our defensive will be solid. Burns seem to know who he wants and how hes gonna develop them, the offense will have competition if helton follows through and will make it better hopefully. I’m just having a lot of hope and optimism for this season
Step away from the pitcher, that is the same kool-aid we all sucked down last season. Talk is cheap we have all learned, wait until we see the fruit of their actions.
Clay Helton is already hedging on the lack of ability to go full-speed contact as much as he would like because of lower team numbers in the spring. I think we know where this is headed.
At least officials will be at practices to see if USC’s rampant penalty problem can be corrected.
My fear also…. the longer CH can hold onto his job, we could easily become a UCLA clone that will come to boast, “yeah, we did lose 6-7 games this year, but we beat UCLA to save our season!”
Jamaica, I mean we couldn’t beat them this year with a terrible season. Beating Chip Kelly should be an easy job considering the man is known for being a terrible recruiter, and yet again his class shows how bad he is. I don’t think USC will ever fall that low that we make losing seasons normal, regardless of how much swann protects helton there won’t be much protecting once he starts losing again.
The tradition of USC closing strong has been diminished by the early signing period and most all of the excitement has diminished also. As I watch the transfer portal I see names that were undecided now having a destination attached as other schools have made a move, USC obviously sits and does little there. With slots open, some one year guys could be beneficial. It sure seems the scholarships are going to dealt with differently in the future, not so many going to high schoolers, but some being held back for the new “free agents” that will be looking to… Read more »
The problem with USC is, they didn’t intentionally leave any spots open. The preps just failed to show in sufficient numbers, so USC has to backpedal its way now, or wait to recruit a better, and probably much smaller 2020 class.
Thinking about the skill talent the team still has accumilated, I think our worst nightmare will be injuries will decimate our depth during the 1st half of the season, playing those teams on our schedule and then it could very well become a struggle the rest of the way and any chance to make a bowl game with a win over Chip Kelly?
Fortunately, Kelly recruited atrociously and has had a tremendous amount of attrition in his program. I think UCLA is still a ways away from running at a high level and Kelly definitely needs to revamp his recruiting approach if he wants to start reeling in recruits who aren’t sleepers to the max. He really looks a little juvenile with his boot camp approach to cafeteria dinner wooing of recruits. Wednesday was a freaking disaster for Kelly. With Graham Harrell on board, USC’s offense should be able to beat UCLA in the Coliseum, and the Bruins have to play the Trojans… Read more »
Yup, I was thinking the same thing…. Helton is going to pull another rabbit out of the recruitment bag at the last moment like he has done the last 2-3 years even though they were becoming skinnier rabbits. But this time he didn’t and now our depth is going to suck like we’re still on scholarship sanctions.
If it’s just this one class, it won’t be so decimating to depth. If we are not vastly improved next season (10 wins or better, Pac12 South champs minimum without backing into it) so as to energize recruits, we’re going to have to fire Helton and get a big name in as HC in time to have a good class next year. Let’s not jump off a Kliff just yet!
My concern is that I don’t believe Helton will be fired if he wins 8-9 games and gets into a small-time bowl game. That will still be viewed as a large improvement over Disaster ’18 and get him a 2020 gig too. JMHO.
Agree. Once we take our third loss, anywhere during the season, I’m going to root for the wheels to come off (which angers me since that would mean again losing to UCLA). SO, what I really want is a 10 or better win season, or three very early losses so that I can root for our wheels to come off (to eject Helton) but still beat ND and UCLA!
This keeps me awake at nights more than anything. I can take one more year, but not anymore than that with this regime.