Early mistakes haunt USC in loss to Notre Dame
Adam Grosbard (OC Register) — SOUTH BEND, Ind. — It was a valiant effort by a USC team that entered the fourth quarter trailing by 21 to rival Notre Dame.
A 77-yard drive capped by a Keaontay Ingram touchdown made it a two-possession game, then a Chris Steele (left) interception set up another long march down the field and a Darwin Barlow touchdown. Even after a missed extra point, the Trojans had silenced the sellout crowd clad in navy and green by cutting the deficit down to eight with 8:51 to play.
But in the end, it wasn’t enough to overcome the mistakes USC made before and after its comeback attempt.
Notre Dame went 75 yards on eight plays on the ensuing drive, aided by a pass interference by Steele and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Xavion Alford. Backup quarterback Tyler Buchner rushed for a 3-yard touchdown to give the Irish breathing room, and USC ultimately fell 31-16.
“I feel like we ran out of time,” interim head coach Donte Williams said. “We made way too many mistakes against a really good football team. … We all made mistakes, and we took turns making them.”
If there is one sequence from the game that sums up where the Trojans (3-4, 2-3 in Pac-12) are at this point in the season, it came in the final minute of the first half.
Down 14 and needing a conversion on fourth-and-2 from the Notre Dame 47 with 39 seconds left before the break, USC tried to draw the Fighting Irish offsides but had to burn their final timeout when Notre Dame didn’t jump. The Trojans called a run, and Ingram got the first down, but the clock kept ticking.
Rather than a passing play to the sideline that could put USC in field goal range and stop the clock, the Trojans had a miscommunication from the sidelines that resulted in another Ingram run.
“That’s my fault,” Slovis said. Sixteen seconds left, Slovis rushed USC up to the line of scrimmage for a passing play. Unable to find a receiver, Slovis scrambled for an unnecessary first down rather than throwing the ball away to stop the clock. The remaining two seconds were not enough time for USC to get the ball off before the half ended, without the Trojans attempting a field goal or taking a shot at the end zone.
“If we would get the first down and the clock would stop with three seconds left, we should be able to spike it,” Slovis said. “But the chains weren’t set at all either, but I guess they ran it when the ball got down. I didn’t hear a whistle or anything so that’s on me again.”
Williams ripped his headset off in frustration. Meeting Slovis on the way to the locker room, he signaled to his quarterback that he should have spiked the ball to stop the clock.
The lack of awareness on all levels was damaging for USC. But it was one of many ways the Trojans cost themselves.
The USC offensive line was completely outmatched by the Notre Dame pass rush. Slovis was constantly under pressure, beginning when he was sacked on the first snap of the game. Tackle Jonah Monheim was replaced after his man blocked a pass that was intercepted by Bo Bauer at the line of scrimmage. But he was reinserted the next drive when his replacement, Jalen McKenzie, was called for a false start, one of nine USC penalties.
And the Trojans’ red zone issues popped up again. With 8:08 left in the third quarter, USC was actually out-gaining the Irish 267-218 but trailing 17-3 after one red-zone turnover and a missed field goal by Parker Lewis. This came against a Notre Dame defense missing All-American safety Kyle Hamilton, who left in the first quarter with a leg injury.
“The frustrating thing is it’s not like we’re going out here and having 50 yards of total offense,” Slovis said. “Some mistakes here, not executing here and you end up with 17 points on a day where you feel like you should have a lot more.”
The USC defense had its moments, like holding Notre Dame (6-1) to a field goal on a drive that began at the USC 5, a stand that was possible because Slovis sprinted 80 yards to tackle Bauer and prevent a pick-six.
But the old shortcomings like missed tackles were evident from the beginning. Three of Notre Dame’s first four drives went for at least 70 yards, the lone exception being the one that started at the USC 5.
The USC mistakes were enough to lose consecutive games for the first time this season, and overshadow a career-high 171 receiving yards by Drake London and a 138-yard rushing performance by Ingram.
“If it’s just one particular player [making mistakes], all of a sudden you can sub that player out,” Williams said of the pass-blocking issues, though he could have been speaking of USC as a whole. “But when it’s just a collective of different plays, it’s hard.”
ocregister.com
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Off topic, but what was the original topic after 130 comments?– Well, anyway, did anybody take note of the 9 ,yep, 9 overtimes in the Penn St vs Ilinois game?– The overtime rule in college football changed this year with the introduction of a mandatory 2-point try if after 2 overtimes there is no winner… So the ball is placed on the 3-yard line, and no one could put it in the end zone until the 9th overtime. A record I would bet will never be broken. Although it does conjure up the fact that scoring from the 3-yard line… Read more »
We have the single worst 2 point offense in the country. We could probably have 100 tries before we cashed in.
The Manning brother broadcast is much more fun.
Currents odds on who will be the next head coach at USC:
Here is the list from September.
James Franklin +450
Luke Fickell +450
Urban Meyer +500
Matt Campbell +950
PJ Fleck +1000
Mario Cristobal +1200
Tony Elliott +1600
Dave Aranda +1600
Bob Stoops +2000
Eric Bienemy +3000
Chris Peterson +5000
Lane Kiffin +5000
Steve Sarkisian +10000
Pete Caroll +10000
2023 SoCal RB Johnny Thompson Jr. commits to USC
Westlake Village (Calif.) Oaks Christian running back Johnny Thompson Jr. celebrated his birthday Monday by committing to USC.
Thompson is the first player in the 2023 cycle to commit to the Trojans and the second player to commit to the program since Clay Helton was fired on Sept. 14.
USC was Thompson’s first and only DI offer. He was offered by the Trojans two weeks ago.
on3.com
why isn’t Jack Del Rio or Kris Richard or Tim McDonald or about 20 other USC guys at Bohn’s office? If Fisher is under consideration, then every former players with NFL ties should be.
It seems every time USC makes a change, which is quite often compared to a lot of other schools, the same old names always come up. I think it is just part of the hiring fiasco that goes on at USC.
Here’s a little known past USC coaching search fact some of you may not know, but it’s absolutely true:
Former USC President Norman Topping first offered USC asst Ray George the job when Don Clark resigned. George had previous HCing experience at A&M, which was valued by Topping.
But George literally turned Topping down and instead recommended fellow asst John McKay for the job. Sometimes, lady luck is on your side!
Never knew that factoid.
Now here’s a rumor I can buy into! Totally logical! I might even like it!
Former Titans, Rams HC Jeff Fisher Reportedly ‘In Mix’ For USC Job
Former NFL head coach Jeff Fisher is among the candidates in USC’s coaching search following the firing of Clay Helton, according to The Action Network’s Brett McMurphy.
Fisher, an alumnus of USC, compiled a 173-165-1 record in 22 seasons with the Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Rams.
bleacherreport.com
Allen, you’re up for this….Jeff has an overall win % .512. His last stop the Rams, he had a win. %.414.
Im sure Bones can find a similar resume in many of the lower tier Power 5 teams or better Group 5 teams, Cheaper as well.
But if you’re all jacked on him, don’t let me curb your enthusiasm.
I said, “I might even like it!” But I’m not sold yet and the way he ended, it looked like the game had passed him by to me. But a lot of time has passed since then. I see this USC coaching search as a very complicated, unpredictable process as of now. And I can also see why many would say absolutely no to Fisher. He might easily be wrong. But when people are passing along rumors that Tomlin would seriously consider dropping down to USC, when we can all surmise that Fisher would kill for the job, it seems… Read more »
There was sure a lot of doubt about Herm Edwards. He took the HC job as the HC, nothing else. All the work is done by his assistants at his direction, and he has good assistants. Not a Fisher fan, but what if he came in and ran a professional organization at USC. Wow, what a change that would be.
The last I heard, Herm Edwards’ ASU Sun Devils were on the hook for a massive and widespread recruiting/cheating scandal.
Good luck Herm! Keep delegating to those cheaters, dude.
Looking at his product on the field of play, he has brought ASU up to new competitive levels is what I was referring to. Their recruiting fiasco is a different area of serious concern. Are you saying he didn’t accomplish anything good for ASU football?
It didn’t take Herm Edwards long to get ASU football into a heap of trouble. It’s very obvious that’s all I said.
I don’t see Fisher as a high energy HC running a high energy program inspiring the best athletes to come here. He’s too laid back for the college game.
I would rather have Jack Del Rio than Fisher. Carson Palmer on Dan Patrick today, admitted that he is being consulted about the coaching job, which makes me wonder how many former players are being consulted. It’s not a bad thing, and pretty smart by Bohn, because even if it’s window dressing, he at least makes them feel connected and part of the process. Palmer also agreed that Tomlin would be a home run, as do I. It would be intriguing in the way that rumors of John Harbaugh being interested a few years ago was. I know Cowherd is… Read more »
And let us not forget that like Kiffin and Sark, Fisher “knows SC.”
At his age he may have forgotten a lot of it.
No thanks. Take a flyer on a coordinator or group of 5 coach. This would be thoroughly uninspiring.
It’s definitely not inspiring. Hardly.
But it’s a lot more realistic than believing Tomlin is gonna show up here. Ya, right.
Just trying to live in the real world. And since I’m never afraid to stick my neck out here, unfortunately, I think you may have a lot to worry about.
It would be a very USC thing to do. Which is why we shouldn’t.
This is exactly the result that leadership at USC led them to. All the big wheels need to fall off. The new coach will not be someone world class, they will be the only person willing to take the job. Yes it is a good job, but what a shambles to walk in to and the person taking it will soon find out what kind of support he really has. Binks should have been interim, he has past experience. I think Bohn set up Donte to fail so he could clean the slate.
Steve do you think Bones is really that clever and foreword thinking ?
your suggestion has a certain intrigue quotient…or perhaps it’s Sosna doing the thinking.
At times we wonder if anything is thought through at USC. Bohn is not dumb, knows the political waters, and along with Sosna they could cook it up. The end result is CYA. I would imagine USC is a political nightmare these days.
How’s this for Donte Williams coaching doublespeak? Sounds to me like he’s a natural! OCRegister — “Asked Saturday night why his team made so many costly mistakes with an extra week to prepare for this game, Williams said that additional time to prepare didn’t necessarily mean a team would play cleaner football. But during his Sunday Zoom call with reports, Williams was asked why Notre Dame’s middling offense was able to put together four drives of 70 or more yards. “The reason why Notre Dame probably hasn’t had some of those drives [in previous weeks] is because they have a… Read more »
The Guy…doesn’t have a clue. Donte is out of his depth. And doesn’t when to defer a question.
No idea if Carson Palmer leaked info he shouldn’t have, but I like it.
I can’t see Tomlin diving into the chaos of college football. This isn’t Pete Carroll wanting to prove himself anywhere he could in 2000. And once he did that at SC, he went back to the pros in 2010. I see Tomlin leaving much sooner to go back to the pros. JMO
Were I Tomlin, I’d be working with the Steelers hard on bringing in Aaron Rodgers.
Seems like a natural move to me, and a great place for the usually disgruntled Rodgers to end his career.
Aaron Rodgers is a diva. Typical Berzerkely former student.
He’s been killing it with the national advertising lately. He’s been pretty amusing to watch really.
I can always say I was at the Coliseum the day he threw four straight incompletions towards the Trojan end zone for the Bears and handed USC a victory!
It was a nervous Trojan crowd at the coliseum that day as I turned to a friend and said this kid cannot miss. It looked like curtains for Troy towards the end with Cal camped just outside SC’s end zone. I believe Rodgers was something like 23 for 27 at that point.
Those were the days when 90K-plus would show up to watch USC take on CAL in the Coliseum.
That #4 ranked 2004 Bear team was really good, beating the heck out of teams like ORE ST (49-7), UCLA (45-28), ARIZ (38-0), ASU (27-0), UW (42-12) and STAN (41-6).
It definitely looked like the Bears and super hot Rodgers had us. But that undefeated 2004 Trojan team that wiped out OU for the NC was not to be denied.
He is, but he is also one of about five guys on the planet that can do what he does.
Let me correct your statement Chris….
Currently Playing !!!
There are retired guys that can go out there and play like him?
Rodgers has been flirting with the Steelers, for sure, but I think Rodgers gave up his no trade clause as part of renegotiating his contract this year to allow him to leave after the season, so I think that Green Bay can trade him wherever. I’m guessing that the Browns are going to pass on bringing back Baker Mayfield, and maybe they will go hard after Rodgers. Green Bay doesn’t want him traded to an NFC team if they can help it, and I wonder if Rodgers might like the challenge of being the hero who brings a championship to… Read more »
Exactly, completely different circumstances. In reality Pete was a little desperate to find a place to recreate his image.
Hello….do you believe all the noise you hear from players or sports talking heads….?
Pittsburg Post-Gazette
Monday, October 25, 2021, 4:24PM
Ron Cook
A informed quote.
”There also is one other important factor in play here: Tomlin is signed through the 2024 season. NFL coaching contracts are nearly impossible to break. There are no buyouts.”
Palmer slipped and is spreading manure like all the rest of those seeking attention.
Relax! Ricky Caruso told us he was going for the gold..”World Class”
Yeah….Right…Sure…Don’t Sweat it.
What are the odds on that John?
Can’t believe Carson is serious about leaking Tomlin’s name. He might be saying this to confuse those who are also looking at hiring new HCs? But I can’t fathom Tomlin making this career change.
Tomlin’s way too smart to leave a great NFL job for these has-been Trojans of 2021. What a mess. It took a long time for USC to get this bad. I’m not counting on any quick fixes, like the Carroll rebuild. But if Tomlin wants to prove he also likes to recruit high schoolers 24 hours a day in the wild west arena of NIL, more power to him. I suppose stranger things have happened, but I don’t see him taking the LSU job either. Maybe Lynn Swann can make amends to USC football by using his Steeler connections to… Read more »
Tomlin is the head coach of an older team whose window is now closed and needs to rebuild. With that, the Rooney family and the Steeler organization is as stable as it gets. He can ride out a few bad years and trust that they will be good again. He’s certainly young enough to do so. Either way, I hope it’s true.
No need to beat a dead horse here, everyone knows how bad we are, but ND is the worst top 15 team out there. If we don’t shoot ourselves in the foot over and over, they would have had a difficult time beating us, and we stink. I am not sure who is left on their schedule, but I would think some losses are coming.
At the beginning of the season I had SC at 5-2. I expected the last 2 losses and only planned on 2 more wins. The beat down by Stanford and OSU were a surprise at the time. Now down the stretch, I only expect a win against Arizona. We should all get ready for 4-8. Then the wait for the big announcement. 🤗
Golden, Does it really matter if SC goes 4-8 or 6-6? This is a bad team. It always was a bad team. We just did not see how bad it was until they actually played. In fact, it is the worst SC team I have ever seen (and I saw a lot of stinkers, like the Larry Smith 4-8 team with Reggie Perry at QB or the Paul Hackett team that finished dead last in the Pac 12). I really hope they decide to show up for one game – UCLA. They can lose the rest, but beat those Bruins!… Read more »
No it doesn’t matter. I’m just trying to prepare those still out there that some how think this team will gel and start to play well. There should be no expectations by anyone that is going to happen.
I am a little tired of turning on the USC/ND every year with no personal hope of winning the game.
I think the Trojans played as strong as they could. The Laurel and Hardyish end of the first half was a new part of Trojan lore I will never forget.
USC football has so many built-in deficiencies in so many areas, I tend to cut them A LOT of slack.
Fight On! Only five more games to go, if we’re lucky.
It is hard for me to not have hope at game time. The opening kickoff usually has me pumped up, but after the first series of plays I deflate back to my no expectations self.
I predicted 8-4 for the 2021 Trojans.
I just didn’t know I was dyslexic and that this “turd” was really polished up to be 4-8.
Beat the Wildcats! Let not the USC Trojans be the team to end their 19 game losing streak!
I remember looking at the schedule before the season thinking to myself that with a little luck they could go 10-2. Man, was I off. I really question whether can have the ability to beat Arizona.
Maybe this current USC program has a few more 4-star athletes than the other conference programs. But when there is no measurable player development, questionable position coaching and poor communication-game management, any advantage USC has is lost compared to other opponents who somewhat know what they’re doing.
Other programs in misery as well: Texas Tech football coach Matt Wells fired in third season with Red Raiders “Texas Tech has made the decision to fire head coach Matt Wells effective immediately, according to a report from Jarret Johnson of Inside the Red Raiders on the 247Sports Network. The news was first reported by Mac Engel of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “It is expected that offensive coordinator Sonny Cumbie to serve as the interim head coach for the Red Raiders for the rest of the 2021 season, though that decision has not yet been confirmed. Cumbie is in the first year of his second stint… Read more »
I fail to see how anyone could expect big success at Texas Tech. With A&M. Texas, TCU, SMU, OK St, and OK all devouring all the recruits in Texas, there isn’t much left for Tech. I watched Tech this weekend, they would beat USC. Wells wasn’t doing that bad of a job and the rest of their schedule is going to be really tough, every team is ranked. Poor timing on firing Wells.
Watch Texas Tech hire Harrell as its new football coach next year
OMG. That would be just too funny!
That we are this bad at the juncture in the season is mind boggling. Donte’s excuses sound Heltonesk “The younger players are having trouble adjusting to the speed of the game. What? They’ve been there since August at minimum are they really that slow or are they not getting reps in practice? “There are repeat offenders on false start penalties, but putting in a new faces might backfire.” What? Do you practice the whole team or just the stupid ones? I get that USC needs and wants to keep a good recruiting coach, but putting an inexperienced person in charge… Read more »
USC’s player evaluation system has been clearly substandard for years. A lot of USC’s players just don’t bring that much to the table IMO. Throw in the poor sinking ship coaching the Trojans provide and it’s no wonder USC usually looks forward to playing in some toilet bowl if they can even qualify. The ARIZ/USC game definitely brings some interesting angles: ARIZ finally just has to win someday, right? And feeble USC plays even worse at the Coliseum than it does on the road. This should be a clash of the titans, but not of the Desert Swarm vs the… Read more »
I cannot understand how USC is now a 21 point favorite. I see them winning by the skin of their teeth. Smart money would bet Arizona. To bad you are broke Allen. lol
You must have missed ARIZ losing to UW in the 2nd half. I missed it too. Nothing worth watching there, because the Huskies stink too. Jimmy Lake’s a non-keeper at UW for sure based on what I’ve seen.
I’d say USC should be hugely favored as they are.
Both teams are horrible, but at least USC isn’t riding a 19-game losing streak and there’s always hope Dart will get in and try to get off some quicker throws, or athletic scrambles. The Trojans will be very motivated to make people forget 3-4, even though nobody will.
Well it would be nice to see the Trojans motivated to do something. That is one ingredient they have been sorely missing. I would think Lake is done at season’s end along with several more to come. The carousel is going to be full come December.
USC’s leadership had a hard enough time as it is just getting Bohn to sign up, after several others declined. Imagine how many more ADs don’t want anything to do with the job now?
Maybe we can sell our new Pac-12 commish as a reason to take the USC job. Maybe not.
?
Rialto, who would you have named as interim HC? GH? TO? TO might have done a few things differently, especially having more intense physical practices. But what this team needs is another off season of getting quicker, smarter in your position duties and being more disciplined. Trying to do this today during the season is just too much in overcoming hurts-injuries, learning the new gameplan for the next opponent. When the removal of CH came this late, after the start of the season, everyone knew the season would be a matter of survival. Mike Bohn is responsible for how this… Read more »
Jamaica, Probably TO because he had better mentors than GH, to be honest I doubt any of the current staff will be employed after this season. I expected the Defense to be stronger and faster, instead they are dazed and confused. The offense was always on life support starting with the banishment of Bru McCoy. (What happened to Due Process?)
Due process? I’d say USC could use a lot more simple due diligence than due process.
Due process brings to mind scales of justice. The joke that USC football has become laughably brings to mind a guillotine.
Trojan football 2021, the end of the era of The Cat! A season to remember!
The answer is in the lyrics to Fight On
“Fight On For Ol’ SC”
Old SC? that’s what’s missing. I’ve said before this ain’t my father’s USC
I hate to admit this, but I think you are right Rialto.
I don’t really know what USC is like at all anymore. But I sure as hell liked it in 1970!
What I could not understand was that they didn’t name the running backs coach as interim, at least he has some past HC experience.
Rialto, Relax! As Rock stated below (in the post of year of me), this team is a turd. Accept it for what it is, not what the propaganda was this summer and fall. Bohn gave Donte the keys to the car. Donte clearly wanted them and clearly wanted this job. It never dawned on him (any more than it did Helton) that we was not only unqualified for it, but he was also incapable of doing it. Great move by Bohn I think. Remember Donte’s stated goal this year was to have Chris Steele go in the 1st Round –… Read more »
😃
Michael Pittman balling !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just heard that all fraternity activities at USC are on hold indefinitely following allegations of drugging and sexual assault at one of the houses. I guess the news was out yesterday but it is news to me. I wonder if USC will ever stop manufacturing this kind of news every couple of months or so. It is really embarrassing to deal with this stuff over and over again.
It appears that not only the football program but the University as well are in a melt down.
When I was a Greek at SC ’77-’80, the Sigma Nu’s were know as the “milk and cookies” boys. They have apparently changed the ingredients in the milk and/or cookies.
One thing I noticed against ND was USC did much better offensively when they threw the ball down the field instead of throwing underneath. Why they didn’t throw deep earlier had me baffled in the early part of the game. Especially when the ND safety went out hurt.
Steve, you are trying to analyze a turd! Why do things happen in USC football? Because they do. There is nothing strategic and complex going on with this team. We’re on autopilot to get out of this season now. Our season looks about as unmanaged as the last minute before halftime yesterday. I find it a little “tone deaf” for DW to have that happen under his watch and then say after the game that we “didn’t lose the game, we just ran out of time.”
A turd for sure. Harrell’s play calling sure leaves a lot to be desired.
It’s rather obvious and has been for the last three years, are you just noticing it ?
yep
Rock, you hit the bullseye, it’s not just the players that aren’t disciplined it’s the complete program inclusive of the coaching staff. For Williams, who is more a used car salesman than a position coach to use a Lombardi quip shows what a clown he is. For all the Steve’s on this blog, you’re simply making excuses for a lousy football team, if…if…if !
Alfa, where did you coach?
Palos Verdes pop warner. Mustangs, Mavericks.
how about you Chris?
Rock, The line of the year! You have convinced me to stop analyzing this team. It is a turd. And, Donte had best be very careful. GH and Orlando severely damaged (I would say for Orlando, it may be irrevocably damaged) their careers this year. Donte has shown himself to be incapable of being a head coach; the performance of the DBs calls into question his performance as a coach. He needs to preserve his credibility as a straight shooting recruiter. If he gets labeled a used car salesman (which his performance after the Notre Dame game is worthy of),… Read more »
So Donte’s quickly gone from the Pac-12’s overwhelming MVP asst/recruiter to a used car salesman in only 1/2 season at USC.
I’d say things are coming along very nicely, wouldn’t you Rjj?
I have no idea if Bohn intended this result or not, but he managed this brilliantly. Getting rid of The Cat early not only placated the alumni and fan base as well as removing SC from negative sports press but, as an added bonus, exposed the existing staff for what it is. Really an amazing management move. A true rarity at SC.
I’ve been joking with some STAN alums a lot lately that at least we fired Clay — while they remain stuck forever with David Shaw, who is headed for his 2nd losing season in three years and can only beat teams like downtrodden USC, having just lost to recently dismanted WSU. I like to tease them about how maybe Shaw will hire Gentleman Clay, which makes their blood run cold!
Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water. Donte can recruit and I’m sure Oregon would take him back in a second. If the new guy doesn’t want him, so be it. But Donte inherited the titanic.
Rjj’s the one who called Donte a “used car salesman.” Personally, I think we should give him a little more credit, even though ORE obviously doesn’t need him.
I don’t really care if USC keeps him or not. Hopefully, if he stays at USC, he’ll learn how to coach DBs better, because he’s sure not getting that job done right either.
Some of Donte’s public statements after the ND wipeout were absolutely ridiculous, especially about the Trojans “just needing more time.” I don’t know what game Donte was watching. Maybe he needs glasses!
I stand by my warning concerning Donte. Careers are now on the line. He is not simply a recruiter selling a vision to a young man. He is now responsible for delivering that on that vision. His reputation as a straight shooter is now on the line. Would you say that the statements after the ND game were that of a straight shooter? Or becoming a used car salesman? He is not at the level of Clay yet in PR (any relationship between what Clay said 0ver the last 4 years and what actually happened was purely coincidental) but he… Read more »
For that reason I tend to give Donte some grace. He is not ready to be a HC, that is obvious. He had Helton to work under and I do believe that has effected every person on staff. Half of the college game is recruiting which he can do. I would not want to see him go to ucla that is for sure. Bohn did expose him, but I have to ask, who gave Donte the Asst. HC title to begin with.
Donte, aka the world’s so-called best recruiter, has no more business being USC’s HC than the man on the moon now. I’ve been around many of the best CFB recruiters who ever lived over the years and at least 80% of them had no business being a HFC ever. USC has a crappy staff, as the world knows. I can’t believe how badly GH and TO turned out. I also can’t wait to see where they end up. Donte got the USC HC gig only by default. I admire him for actually accepting USC’s interim HC role. That took guts!… Read more »
Does anyone think there is any truth to the Mike Tomlin rumors coming to USC?
Steveg, I was just listening to Carson Palmer’s interview with Dan Patrick and Carson did throw Tomlin’s name out there. So he has not coached in college for 20 years. so what! Herm Edwards never coached in college or was a HC in the pros. So what! Tomlin since 2007 does not have a losing season at PITTSBURGH. He is only 49 years old. Do you think the football recruits would not have an interest in playing for a former NFL HC? I think so. Everything is on the table. Big Ben is almost done in PITT folks. It makes… Read more »
Tomlin would be a total fool to leave the venerable Steelers for USC. It’ll never happen anyway, but the USC football program is so desperate now that lots of impossible names get thrown into the ring.
I just don’t think Mike Bohn is sophisticated enough to deal with hiring a current NFL coach. I think he would also be intimidated working with one.
I can’t imagine any NFL HC taking the USC job, unless he’s gonna be fired, in which case why would we want him anyway?
This hiring by Bohn is shaping up to be the biggest news by far about Trojan football since Carroll announced he was a Seahawk and the NCAA tried to cripple the Trojans.
None of us has the faintest clue about what’s gonna happen. That’s still 1000% better than being led by Clay The Cat Helton. I’m very grateful and still living on the Thank God He’s Been Fired Honeymoon!
Sam Darnold got benched vs the Giants …..And rightfully so ……He looked like crap .
He’s the same guy now as he always has been, hasn’t really progressed. He just turns it over and doesn’t seem to care. He will not be a starter again after this year.
That blows me away too. I really thought Darnold, one of my favorite USC players ever, would make it, at least decently, in the NFL.
can you name the USC quarterbacks besides Palmer who made it in the League….
Pat Haden was an L.A. Ram from ’76 – ’81 despite also attending Oxford as a Rhodes scholar. Does “The Capper” make it per your parameters? 😉
Other than losing his position to Harris and Ferragamo and being injured most of his career and never winning a NFC Championship….if that is what you consider a good career, we just have different standards….So, the Capper doesn’t quite ring the bell, middling career at best. Five years in the league and he’s done. What evah’
I never said I thought Haden belonged as a QB who “made it” in the NFL. He obviously doesn’t.
On that, we agree!
He had a reprieve with Rhule picking him up and a chance to redeem himself, if he doesn’t get it together now he will follow the footsteps of Barkley and Kessler.
With the exception of that fouled up play before the half by Slovis to save a few extra seconds on the playclock and get another score. I don’t know if playing Dart would have made a difference enough to win this game. What was lacking in this game by the trojan team is what has haunted it for some 5-6 years. Attention to details in limiting the penalties & executing blocking assignments in controlling the LOS more. I remember HC Chris Peterson at Boise St whose teams were fundamentally sound in never beating themselves and making plays both on defense… Read more »
Associated Press Poll
1. Georgia
2. Cincinnati
3. Alabama
4. Oklahoma
5. Ohio State
6. Michigan
7. Oregon
8. Michigan State
9. Iowa
10. Ole Miss
11. Notre Dame
12. Kentucky
13. Wake Forest
14. Texas A&M
15. Oklahoma State
16. Baylor
17. Pittsburgh
18. Auburn
19. SMU
20. Penn State
21. San Diego State
22. Iowa State
23. UTSA
24. Coastal Carolina
25. BYU
Sorry Alabama, Ohio State, you lost a game you should have won. You don’t deserve a top 5 spot till you can beat an undefeated team. It will get sorted out over the next month. Georgia has a trap game with Florida this week. Then Georgia/Alabama in the SEC CCG. Cincy’s only challenge is SMU Nov 20. The Big 10 will beat each other up. Oklahoma still has some tough ones ahead.
My #21, 7-0, SDSU Aztecs take on 6-2 Fresno St this Saturday. John should list that game for the sake of Mr & Mrs SteveG and myself if for no other reason. The trouble with San Diego sports teams they find a way to blow a great season. I can just feel that train wreck coming for the Aztecs.
I agree Golden, it will be a great game and I don’t think I will be heart broken no matter who wins.
Good suggestion, I will put the game on the list and I will watch it too. Thanks for the heads up.
I don’t know why you are complaining. Isn’t this “mess” what you, the alumni with deep pockets and the media and social medias, wanted when you used your money and power to pressure AD Bohn to tear the relationship between the team and Coach Helton apart before they had time to iron out their own problems and let the season play out? You mean you didn’t have the best interests of the student-athletes in mind? If you did, you would have at least waited until the end of the season to make your demands. These are young kids with emotions. They aren’t robots. They lost a… Read more »
Not a mistake to let Clay go, the mistake was to let him stay as long as he did. These problems are the exact same now as they have been. To think if Clay were here it would make a difference is silly. The problem with our current team is all his to own a d has been addressed over and over for the last 3 or 4 years. But soon enough we will have a new coach and hopefully it will be better. I’m certain it can’t be much worse.
I agree, it is a lesson in life for these kids. Yes they lost their friend and HC, but we all face loses in life and we learn to keep on going. I really am not sure that many of the players are that heart broken about it, like they didn’t see it coming. Marty needs to lose his bleeding heart.
W. T. F?
Pretty sure it’s a troll. Not sure why I responded.
martyosborne’s first post on this site, and probably the last.
Who is your favorite team Marty? That would be amusing to know so as to put some real honest context to your infantile thoughts, What kind of school pops out people like you? As far as Gentleman Clay goes, thankfully he was mercifully and immediately fired after another miserably bad STAN outfit slaughtered USC 42-28 in the Coliseum. For you to charge that USC’s “deep pocked alumni” have somehow created this “mess” is one of the most idiotic, yet laughable statements I have ever heard. But since I literally don’t take this 3rd comment of yours seriously in any regard,… Read more »
Anyone opposed to firing Helton when they did is a fool. Clay helped destroy the program through 6 years of incompetence, lying to the media and fan base., lack of accountability, destruction of winning culture, etc. Do you really think under Clay they would ” iron out their problems”? Trust me, no other Power 5 school will ever hire him as their head coach. He will most likely end up in Conference USA, as a QB coach.
The sooner his stench was removed, the better. It’s just a shame it didn’t happen 3 years ago.
No doubt the direction of the football program could have been handled differently if the right moves were made at an earlier right time. And who’s to say if Mike Bohn was kept from making a HC change earlier? It didn’t take much of a brain to realize this football program was going nowhere and lead by an incompetent. But there is a hierarchy in place here that has such egos you have to find wiggle room to bypass the darling-hanger ons that have endeared themselves to this power and maybe just maybe this is the real challenge Mike Bohn… Read more »
I will keep repeating this as long as people keep bringing it up. Over the past 2 years, Folt had bigger problems to deal with than the football coach. Those have been settled and now they can move on to fix football. I’m sure they have a budget in place for a new football staff. Lets hope it is a boat load.
Thank you for the vintage whine, Clay. How’s Ozzie?
I just can’t take this seriously.
Arguably the worst day in Los Angeles sports’ history: Lakers’ loss exposes over-the-hill Superstars. A tragedy?– No The Keystone Cops, a.k.a. as the Trojans’ football team, clumsily loses to ND again. A tragedy?– No The Dodgers fumble-bumble their pitching staff rotation to lose out on a possible World Series run. A tragedy?– No sucla cannot hold onto a 14-0 opening lead, and the Ducks prevail once again. A tragedy?– No On a far-away movie set a mother and beloved movie worker cries out that she has just lost her best friends when her co-workers leave the set due to a… Read more »
What I don’t understand is why would live ammo be used on a movie set? It should all be blanks and special effects. Maybe low budget movies like this can’t afford the special effects. Stupid and dangerous.
This accidental shooting on Alec Baldwin’s movie set is one of the saddest, inexplicable deaths imaginable. I agree, Why would live ammo ever be allowed on a movie set? No answers.
We all knew it was going to happen. SC lost a game it could have easily won. If nothing else, what is going on with this team should make it clear what happens when you hire a person who is unqualified for the job, who turns out to be totally incompetent, and you let him run the program for 6 years. I like Arledge’s metaphor of leaving your yacht to 10 year olds. Perhaps a better one would have been leaving your yacht to unsupervised four year olds for six years and hoping they figure it out as they grow… Read more »
The Cat was given a yacht and left it like Gilligan’s boat after his infamous 3 hour tour.
Penn State’s loss to the worst power 5 team is a serious head scratcher. Can’t win the big one. Can’t win the little one. Hopefully Franklin has been removed from Bohn’s wish list, if he was ever on it.
Rushmore, A legitimate thought, but I view a bit differently. For example, SC should have beat ND last night. The problem is SC has incompetent coaching. I will give several examples in a post above. IL has good coaching (much better than SC has). Penn State is likewise well coached. This Penn State team is not very talented on offense but has a great D. The problem with Penn State is I think that Franklin’s status is unknown. Right now, he is either going to LSU, SC, or potentially staying (personally, I think he is coming to SC). Franklin is… Read more »
Franklin’s shine is losing its luster in my eyes. I think he’d kill it recruiting, but for some reason he loses more than he should at PSU. Did great at Vandy, but since, meh….
I actually got excited when USC drove and scored and got within 8 points. In fact I was partially in disbelief, but going with it anyway. That was my highlight of the game, the rest was a painful mess. Our lack of O line has done to Slovis what it did to JT, made them scared to take the snap. At least JT got out in time. Now I wonder what will this same lack of blocking do to Dart and Moss, or will it get fixed. I can’t see huge changes next year, perhaps some in a couple of… Read more »
Our line is not great, but it’s not terrible either. It’s significantly better than last year. Slovis holds the ball way too long. He just sits and waits. Eventually pressure will come, you just can’t be back there for that long and expect the blocking to hold up.
It was good to see Bohn in the press box looking down on this mess. If he has any football sense, USC sense of tradition, leadership ability, and common sense, he easily can see the housecleaning that needs to be done, and that only a “world class” replacement will resurrect this moribund program anytime soon. I’m holding him to world class, per his proclamation.
As each painful week of Trojan football passes by, I wonder sometimes, How have we won the games we have during these past years under Hugs Helton? It had to be on pure super athletes beating a weaker team. It certainly was not because of super coaching or fundamentals and discipline or tackling and blocking techniques being taught. It is hard to recall how long ago we were so fundamentally unfit to play at this level. Penalties, mental mistakes poor tackling, play calling, etc. it just goes on and on and on. This is truly watching insanity in football. We… Read more »
USC=Unfocused, Sloppy, Childish. I’m done with this football season. After the near pick six in the first part of the game, I turned off the TV and went to bed. I could tell it was going to be another loss and am tired of all the mental mistakes. I’ll follow USC Men’s Water Polo and Basketball this Fall/Winter.