Guys on ESPN ……Just now 1st discussed that is it has moved to the “Likely Mode” that Texas and OU move to the SEC . And then they discussed a scrambling of conferences and asked “What football programs have an attractive brand that would make them an desired football program to add ..say …some sort of “Super Conference “.
I’ve been reading a lot on this and frankly, I already consider it a done deal. I don’t know how long it will take, but it could be quicker than a lot of us think. People like A&M and MO don’t want it of course, but they won’t be able to stop it. When the SEC adds these two football behemoths, they will move out even further in front, and by a pretty large margin, I would say. UTAH, CU, ARIZ, and ASU might all be persuaded to join the Big 12 I suppose, because that conference is going to… Read more »
In my lifetime and 55 years of being a USC Trojan fan I can say that if 20-30 years ago they put together a “Super Conference” in college football my USC Trojans would have been one of the first five programs in the entire country considered for that conference ……….Now we might still be considered but REGRETFULLY not one of the first five (In my opinion ) . But as always ………FIGHT ON !
I almost agree, but I still think USC comes in as a modern times choice at #5, behind ALA, CLEM, OU, and ND. No higher because of the 1989-2001 stretch where USC lost to UCLA straight times, didn’t have a single 10-win season, and were about a .500 club. This current bad stretch under Kiffin/Sark/Helton since Pete Carroll left and the NCAA tried to ruin USC with probation would put USC out of the top five in the minds of some. My top two would be ALA and OHIO ST, even though USC is 13-10-1 against the Buckeyes overall. Unfortunately,… Read more »
Interesting because Texas already has the lucrative Longhorn network, their own channel, so if anything you would think they would go independent. Instead of joining the SEC, it would be a bold move if Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St, and either Texas Tech or TCU, join forces with the PAC 12 schools, maybe minus Oregon St, and Wash St, and form their own super conference. They can call it the Pacific Southwest conference, with two divisions. The money provided from TV and other sources, would at least rival the Big 10 payouts, and provide fertile recruiting grounds for all involved. The… Read more »
Right now, unfortunately, it looks like the Pac-12 will be left behind, in the biggest move of all — TEXAS and OU to the SEC. Those schools approached the SEC because they already control TV.
Also, it appears that TEXAS is willing to give up the back half of its Longhorn Network contract if it can get into the SEC. That’s an offer that was never made to the Pac-12 back when TEXAS almost came our way.
Thanks for the extra info. Didn’t know about the concessions with the Longhorn network. Still, outside of more money, why would you want to join such a top heavy conference where you beat each other up? Even if the playoffs are expanded and 3 or more conference teams get in each year, there is only one conference winner, and if Texas struggles in the Big 12, how soon before fickle young recruits decide to go to one of the “other” schools in the conference. Clemson has the right idea by knowing there is little competition in the ACC to recruit… Read more »
I think TEXAS has always been very jealous of A&M’s move to the SEC. That was an exceedingly smart move and the Big 12 looks like a total afterthought as a conference compared to the almighty SEC. A&M really got out from under the Longhorns’ shadow, which is why they want TEXAS to stay put. That really irks the Hook ‘Em crowd, which isn’t doing that well in the Big 12 anyway and has only won three Big 12 titles in 25 years. It’s also about money (as always). TEXAS and OU approached ESPN and Fox early about the Big… Read more »
i don’t like the ACC/PAC merger because of alumni and team travel. It’s seems too desperate and not a good fit, like West Virginia being part of the Big Twelve, but I wholeheartedly agree that something has to be done, and quick.
I don’t think the Pac-12 has many options, which is the only reason I would even consider combining with the ACC, or even the Big Ten, to become a Super Conference. Those are obviously big reaches that don’t seem realistic. You’d need two to tango as well. But just adding mediocre teams to the Pac-12 like BYU and BOISE ST (or Big 12 leftovers) isn’t gonna do much, if anything. No real value there. If the SEC absorbs OU and TEXAS, and becomes even more almighty, where does that leave USC? I think TEXAS saw itself falling behind, so they… Read more »
Good morning Allen. I agree that options for USC, PAC-12 & BIG12 are limited. There really isn’t anyone that the PAC-12 could add that would actually improve the competition of the league. Being on the west coast makes a USC move to another league impractical. IMO joining up with the BIG10 is the best of the less than overwhelming choices. I Think going independent is even less of an option than it was before. But I still think that USC , even in its weakened state, is the school with the most options and leverage. Oregon has leverage too. The… Read more »
Imagine if ORE and USC suddenly told the sporting world they had decided to leave the Pac-12 and join the Big 12 to super jolt the conference and team up with TEXAS and OU to leave the Pac-12 in the dust. I doubt the Pac-12 would ever recover. The Big 12 must feel devastated and desperate to somehow keep TEXAS and OU from reducing them to permanent second class forever. I tend to think this decimation of the Big 12 by its only two real bell cows is not good for CFB overall. How it all affects the Pac-12, and… Read more »
I don’t think you are overreacting at all. At least you are trying to think outside the box, which is something the new commish and PAC 12 presidents and AD’s better do quickly. I have a feeling the Big 10 is very comfortable with their present setup,and payout structure, and would probably be good adding Norte Dame and maybe Iowa State. Just my opinion
I think the best way for the PAC to be relevant again is a commitment from every school President to be ready to invest in the best facilities, coaches, NIL, etc, and start scheduling more out of conference big dogs, and BEAT them on a regular basis, including bowls games. Make the playoffs on a regular basis, and just as important, make sure the games are on early enough that people across the country can see them! I agree that you just don’t want to add second tier schools as filler. Sometimes more is less
@San Diego Trojan Which brings up another interesting facet of CFB — the enduring vehement independence of ND. Will the Irish ever feel threatened enough to join the Big Ten, a totally natural and logical fit?
Based on the history of the Big Ten vs ND, I doubt it, which may mean it’s somehow in the cards!
Not sure where this should be posted or if it already has — but I just learned that Bobby Bowden (91) is terminal. Of all the winning coaches of that era, IMO Bobby was classy and one of the good guys. They didn’y say what he had.
I met Bobby once and he could make you feel like you were old buddies pretty much as fast as anyone I have ever come across. He just exuded goodwill, quick humor, self-deprecation and had such easy-going, friendly nature.
Bobby absolutely suffered some of the worst defeats I’ve ever seen against MIA because of his undependable kicking game. Wide Right! Always gracious. Very charismatic.
I’m very sorry to hear about his condition. As you say, he was most definitely one of the good guys, and will be missed. He built the ‘Noles from nothing if I’m not mistaken.
Yahoo Sports is reporting that Oklahoma and Texas have reached out to the SEC about joining their conference. At their respective media days, they all said that they had no comment on the report.
Q: Is this legit? Stewart Mandel (The Athletic) A: “It sure seems so. While Texas A&M beat writer Brent Zwerneman’s report Wednesday blindsided most of the industry, sources have since told The Athletic that A) Texas has been exploring possible conference contingencies for some time. And B) The Big 12 recently initiated conversations with ESPN about extending its contract (which runs through 2025) only to be met with tepid interest. Texas Tech’s president hinted at such in May, saying, ‘ESPN and Fox are not interested in acting preemptively with regard to our contract.’ “The timing of which lines up almost exactly with other… Read more »
The Athletic’s Stewart Mandel predicts Clay Helton’s last season at USC will actually be this upcoming season. Question to Mandel — Do you think it is fair to say this is a make-or-break season for the coaches of Los Angeles’ two college football teams, USC and UCLA? If so, who survives to see another season: Chip Kelly or Clay Helton? Both? Neither? — “I don’t think there’s any question. Not only have both had disappointing tenures, but the ADs who hired them are long gone. USC’s Mike Bohn started in November 2019 and UCLA’s Martin Jarmond in May 2020. Both… Read more »
I just had to post. Please forgive me for you all you know my position – I see The 2021 SC Helton Cats at 6-6 and in 4th in the Pac 12 South. I believe UCLA, ASU and Utah all have better teams and are better coached. The only chance SC has in 2021 is its schedule, which is the easiest in decades. On the other hand, UCLA has a brutal schedule; give 2021 UCLA schedule to the 2021 SC team and SC would probably be 4-8. Give SC schedule to UCLA and it is probably 10-2. I do not… Read more »
I find it amusing and curious that the CFB media seems so constantly surprised (for lack of a better word) that there remains such a consistent groundswell of anti-Helton sentiment. Says Mandel — “It’s frankly astounding how seemingly united they (USC fans) are in their lack of confidence in him.” It’s not astounding to me at all, as a person who has come to fully accept Helton’s teams as annually disappointing, sloppy, incapable of beating good teams, one-dimensional (sorry, no run game), hugely mistake-prone, generally lackluster, and totally unable to protect the QB — remember how Sam Darnold was always… Read more »
Time and time again I read from the authors of various USC football breakdowns that USC fans should get over it, or at least just sit tight. One said, “You don’t have to get upset at the spotty line play or the shotgun on third and inches, followed by the use of a timeout instead of a simple QB sneak…Relax. Laugh a little. Trust me: It’s the better way to approach all of this. Try it. You might just like it…“ That’s one way of addressing the current USC football landscape. It’s like saying no one is sure these days… Read more »
I would say most news media is very unprofessional and sports media is worse. Most sports media don’t watch games and don’t know what they are talking about. The quote “Clay Helton has suffered mightily”! Clay Helton has been paid mightly for a job he is under qualified for! USC fans remember Howard Jones, John McKay, John Robinson and Pete Carroll! We know a great coach when we see one. Clay Helton is not! Hell, Lane Kiffen, Ed Orgeron and Steve Sarkisian (drunk) are better coaches than Kitty Cat!
I would even take Paul Hackett over The Cat. At least Hackett was never this holier-than-thou weak-minded liar. The real problem of course is the current USC upper admin and BOTs who tolerate The Cat. Nikias and Swann deserve most of the blame IMO. Both were woefully incompetent. They got it all started because Nikias was trying to fundraise his way out of disgrace and he needed a total brownnosing lightweight like Helton to help hide his ineptness. It’s a real shame what has been done to USC football. Once TEXAS and OU join the SEC, the already marginal Pac-12… Read more »
I will still give USC Admin a break because 2020 was nothing in a generation event. Hard to make big moves when there is such turmoil. It will take well into 2022 for the world to get some stability. I still say December 2021 USC has a new head football coach.
The Cat could have easily lost three reg season games last year (probably should have, but I’ll have to watch the tape to know for sure) and finished 1-3, and managed to avoid another predictable loss to the Ducks. He’d still probably have a job as USC would have given him a free Covid pass. Fine. We don’t know if anyone any good really wants the job with this admin anyway (Meyer didn’t), or what USC is prepared to pay. This 2021 season should be a fantastic thing to see. So many new moving parts, unanswered questions, and massive uncertainty… Read more »
This is just a hunch, based on Bohn’s moves so far, but I can see, if Clay struggles again, like we expect, that he is replaced by Donte Williams. It would be an easy move for Bohn, especially if the defensive staff is performing well, because he doesn’t want to lose the best recruiter, and the head coach is the motivator and staff manager, and if he can talk a kid into coming to SC, then maybe he can get more out of them than Clay. All he would have to do is change the offense and staff and install… Read more »
Hopefully, Williams also has the chops to be a superior HC. Unfortunately, CFB is littered with superior recruiters who would (or already have) failed miserably as head coaches — especially at big-time, overwhelming programs.
USC’s situation seems extraordinarily dynamic. Sure glad we have Bohn instead of Swann on this, as well as Kliavkoff instead of Scott. Thank goodness!
WOW!!! That’s a little more than stipend money! Is he even the most marquee player in the country? We thought it could get crazy but that is putting it mildly.
Allen, This is exactly what I thought would happen. Clay CANNOT survive in this environment. The true stars will be making 7-8 figures per year. With the transfer rules AND the Trojan Family despising Clay (and we all do) AND Folt having declared war on the Trojan Family (and she did), if Clay does what we except next year, unless changes are made quickly, SC will become AZ in 2022. The stars at SC have to potential at make 7 figures a year. But, if the Trojan Family walks away, that potential disappears. Clay simply cannot stay. If he does,… Read more »
Ya. You know me. I’ve always thought USC’s football brand was way too big and glorious to ever allow its dismantling by any piddly ol’ USC president. If necessary, Folt will fall in line.
Now with ALA suddenly showing what they’re getting for even last season’s second-stringers, the pressure is on the other bigger names to start making moves in this fantastic NIL race we see developing. Saban’s stock value just went up again, while The Cat’s became even a little murkier IMO.
Suddenly, I bolted upright. I was watching Big 12 Media Day stuff, and some of the coaches’ comments.
I couldn’t help but flash forward to The Cat giving his worthless little Faith, Family and Football spiel when the Pac-12 Media Days begin on Tuesday, July 27.
Lincoln Riley, owner of the Big 12,said, “Everbody’s a good coach in the Big 12.” He obviously didn’t mean that. Some Pac-12 coach will probably say the same thing. He’s not gonna mean it either.
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey sets his sights on the NCAA and calls for changes to the NCAA system: ‘We must begin to adapt…’ Sankey addressing SEC Media Days — “The expectations, demands, and pressures that are present on the campuses of this conference are not uniform across all of Division I, and expecting every conference to come together to debate, discuss and produce effective decisions for everyone is not our modern reality. We must begin to adapt.” Will the Power Five split from the rest of the NCAA? When asked if it’s time for the Power Five conferences to break… Read more »
No surprise here that The Cat, and Chip Kelly are the two coaches sitting on the Hottest of Seats per Pete Fiutak of Yahoo/CFN. I always find it interesting that the media ALWAYS totally hedges their bets when addressing Helton. The media seems to enjoy laying the USC football problem at the feet of the USC fans — as though we’re just this unreasonable group that expects too much from The Cat. Here, Fiutak suggests that Helton could still keep his job even if the Trojans don’t win the weak South. Fiutak views Helton as a success in 2020, like… Read more »
Mr Wallace,
There is a difference between Helton and Chip Kelly.
Coach Kelly coached for Oregon and led them to the NC game. Did you know that?
And he also coached in the NFL.
He is not a new coach on his job and was a good bet.
But Helton had NeVEr coached as a head coach ever.
Is that a difference in vetting?
And the results are proving it.
The USC basketball is doing better than football.
USC is not a football school anymore.
Sorry, but USC will always be a football school. Always, just like UCLA will always be a basketball school. You can take that to the bank. Andy Enfield’s never gonna change that just because he reached the Elite Eight one single time with one great one-and-done phenom, where USC promptly got slaughtered. Of course there’s a huge diff between The Cat and Choc Chip Kelly. Kelly used to be good a long, long time ago, before his innovations were fully absorbed by the game and he was neutered. Now he’s just a woefully disappointing, arrogant, overly dismissive fat guy who… Read more »
While you are technically correct in your assessment of Chip Kelly 50, he is not the coach that beat a hasty retreat from college football several years ago. At Oregon Kelly was a gimmick coach. He used the rules of football to create and use the no huddle offense. Basically when the ball was marked ready for play they snapped the ball. He used the platoon system to an advantage. Often the only reason his team advanced the ball was because they caught the defense between changes. Once this system was figured out, substitution rules changed, and most teams adjusted… Read more »
Good point about Choc Chip Kelly. He was caught red-handed sending money to evaluators in Texas to illegally recruit for the Ducks. The NCAA let him off super easy, but he still got a show cause order before he went to the NFL, if I am not mistaken. As far as The Cat goes, it’ll be very interesting to see where he lands on those little kitty paws of his when he’s finally done completely neutering USC football. I can’t imagine any FBS school making him a HC, but once you’re in the club, they work hard to keep you… Read more »
I’ve been saying 9-3 for months now and am sticking to that. Losses to ND, ASU and a random one such as UCLA, BYU or Utah. In my heart I hope my alma mater does better than that, but I don’t see a miracle in South Bend and we’ve always had problems against dual threat QBs like Daniels at ASU. I’m just looking forward to the upcoming season now that we are in the “dog days of Summer”. Fight On!
Speaking of “Dog Days of Summer,” one wonders — does this USC team have enough “dogs” in the group to be good? That’s the parlance today that coaches use when referring to a team’s player makeup in terms of toughness and football-playing ability. “They’ve got a lot of dogs on that team.” Would other coaches (or you) say that about the 2021 USC Trojans? Or does that only apply to the teams like ALA, OHIO ST, CLEM, OU, and maybe even ND — who have both a lot of “dogs” on their squads, as well as superior coaching and overall… Read more »
I wouldn’t say SC has a lot of “dogs”. IMHO, USC will never be tough under Clay Helton. As we all know, he’d rather hug than fight. Clay’s a nice guy in the wrong job. I think we all know that. I long for the day he is gone!
Interesting split on this Board; you are the optimist at 9-3 (most of the main line media and the authors of the above article agree with you), Allen (and Greg Katz) are at 8-4, Rock is at 7-5 and I am the most pessimistic (or realistic) at 6-6 (Stu Mandel is the only analyst I know of who sees things as I do). I agree with Allen that the above piece is pure fantasy. But I give the authors a break as that Board came up the the nickname of the The Cat for Clay. It will be interesting to… Read more »
Rose colored glasses only work if you are myopic. The Cat is too busy playing with balls of yarn (yes I am referring to his manhood) and sniffing catnip to be effective. Every coordinator on the team thinks they run the team and all they have to do is wave a laser pointer up field and they’ve disarmed the Cat. It’s time for the administration to get their eyes checked. They can have all the toys in the box, but without direction and protection, they will break easily. Without effective leadership the Trojans are Washington State wannabe with one failed… Read more »
Maybe SC went Air-Raid because it did not have the horses up front to create a stout running game. Besides, SC had an over-stocked stable of NFL-caliber receivers, and pass-blocking is easier to implement than run-blocking. More importantly, the SC coaches were desperate to immediately win some games in order to salvage their jobs…. But an over-emphasis on passing is a short-sighted approach to winning because balanced attacks are the time-tested recipe for long-term success…. Passing may overwhelm a San Jose State, but the Trojans lack of a running attack gives it virtually no chance to stay with a Notre… Read more »
Talking about running, when asked how could he burden O.J. Simpson with running the ball 30 to 40 times a game, McKay said, “The ball is not that heavy.”.
Somebody hit the sauce early. We have a sub par OL…..we have no above average LB’s except Jackson….. our best LB’s, aside from Jackson are freshmen……we have an uncertain DL with almost no depth, we are depending on a player that is coming off injury that could not beat out two freshmen for a critical NT position with no one behind him…….our safeties are questionable……one of our starting corners is coming off injury, the other should be a safety……McCoy is almost a freshman……Foreman is a freshman……Slovis forgets which color to throw to twice a game in most games……Dart is a… Read more »
How could I think USC will go 8-4 @illinoisusc? You make a very strong case here for USC’s stuck-in-the-mud mediocrity. Well-done. Maybe “Elephant Head Toia” saw the writing on the wall before he bolted across town ASAP after dominating USC’s test tube OL in the so-called “spring game”. I thought Dane Miller’s SportsPac12.com piece was basically a fantasy for all the reasons you point out. The only thing I would add is that Talanoa Hufanga was a one-man team on D in 2020. Some act like he won’t even be missed, like they just grow those guys on trees. He… Read more »
Thanks for not kicking me in the gonads…..I am a USC fan but since Helton I find myself expecting the worst…..I sure hope a few things work out and we go 10-2………but……I’am not expecting much after reviewing every OL we face. Heck, even Oregon State has 4 pac 12 honorees on their O line. The Utah, UDub, Oregon, Az St,Wa St, ND, Stanford and even UCLA lines look improved. This dude from bama we brought in better be ready to play at NT…..report was he was not much of a pass rusher but very difficult to move off the line.… Read more »
Ishmael Sopsher is a total mystery to me. You really have to be a rose-colored glasses guy to expect the ALA rebounder to be as good as Trojan fans hope. That will be one of the earliest things people will be looking for when the season begins.
Is it even guaranteed that he’ll be physically ready? Not that I know.
The one area I disagree with the author is that Mr. Cat would pull out HIS starting QB if he is having a hard time. That has not happened before and won’t as long as Mr. Cat is the HC. He has proven that time after time. He would leave in JT even when he had the dazed look of a deer in the headlights, and then we always have Toa.
Guys on ESPN ……Just now 1st discussed that is it has moved to the “Likely Mode” that Texas and OU move to the SEC . And then they discussed a scrambling of conferences and asked “What football programs have an attractive brand that would make them an desired football program to add ..say …some sort of “Super Conference “.
Could this really happen ↑↑↑↑↑ ?
I’ve been reading a lot on this and frankly, I already consider it a done deal. I don’t know how long it will take, but it could be quicker than a lot of us think. People like A&M and MO don’t want it of course, but they won’t be able to stop it. When the SEC adds these two football behemoths, they will move out even further in front, and by a pretty large margin, I would say. UTAH, CU, ARIZ, and ASU might all be persuaded to join the Big 12 I suppose, because that conference is going to… Read more »
In my lifetime and 55 years of being a USC Trojan fan I can say that if 20-30 years ago they put together a “Super Conference” in college football my USC Trojans would have been one of the first five programs in the entire country considered for that conference ……….Now we might still be considered but REGRETFULLY not one of the first five (In my opinion ) . But as always ………FIGHT ON !
I almost agree, but I still think USC comes in as a modern times choice at #5, behind ALA, CLEM, OU, and ND. No higher because of the 1989-2001 stretch where USC lost to UCLA straight times, didn’t have a single 10-win season, and were about a .500 club. This current bad stretch under Kiffin/Sark/Helton since Pete Carroll left and the NCAA tried to ruin USC with probation would put USC out of the top five in the minds of some. My top two would be ALA and OHIO ST, even though USC is 13-10-1 against the Buckeyes overall. Unfortunately,… Read more »
Interesting because Texas already has the lucrative Longhorn network, their own channel, so if anything you would think they would go independent. Instead of joining the SEC, it would be a bold move if Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma St, and either Texas Tech or TCU, join forces with the PAC 12 schools, maybe minus Oregon St, and Wash St, and form their own super conference. They can call it the Pacific Southwest conference, with two divisions. The money provided from TV and other sources, would at least rival the Big 10 payouts, and provide fertile recruiting grounds for all involved. The… Read more »
Right now, unfortunately, it looks like the Pac-12 will be left behind, in the biggest move of all — TEXAS and OU to the SEC. Those schools approached the SEC because they already control TV.
Also, it appears that TEXAS is willing to give up the back half of its Longhorn Network contract if it can get into the SEC. That’s an offer that was never made to the Pac-12 back when TEXAS almost came our way.
Read my latest post – TEXAS and OU to SEC Seems Inevitable; Teetering Big 12 Fighting For Its Life
Thanks for the extra info. Didn’t know about the concessions with the Longhorn network. Still, outside of more money, why would you want to join such a top heavy conference where you beat each other up? Even if the playoffs are expanded and 3 or more conference teams get in each year, there is only one conference winner, and if Texas struggles in the Big 12, how soon before fickle young recruits decide to go to one of the “other” schools in the conference. Clemson has the right idea by knowing there is little competition in the ACC to recruit… Read more »
I think TEXAS has always been very jealous of A&M’s move to the SEC. That was an exceedingly smart move and the Big 12 looks like a total afterthought as a conference compared to the almighty SEC. A&M really got out from under the Longhorns’ shadow, which is why they want TEXAS to stay put. That really irks the Hook ‘Em crowd, which isn’t doing that well in the Big 12 anyway and has only won three Big 12 titles in 25 years. It’s also about money (as always). TEXAS and OU approached ESPN and Fox early about the Big… Read more »
i don’t like the ACC/PAC merger because of alumni and team travel. It’s seems too desperate and not a good fit, like West Virginia being part of the Big Twelve, but I wholeheartedly agree that something has to be done, and quick.
I don’t think the Pac-12 has many options, which is the only reason I would even consider combining with the ACC, or even the Big Ten, to become a Super Conference. Those are obviously big reaches that don’t seem realistic. You’d need two to tango as well. But just adding mediocre teams to the Pac-12 like BYU and BOISE ST (or Big 12 leftovers) isn’t gonna do much, if anything. No real value there. If the SEC absorbs OU and TEXAS, and becomes even more almighty, where does that leave USC? I think TEXAS saw itself falling behind, so they… Read more »
Good morning Allen. I agree that options for USC, PAC-12 & BIG12 are limited. There really isn’t anyone that the PAC-12 could add that would actually improve the competition of the league. Being on the west coast makes a USC move to another league impractical. IMO joining up with the BIG10 is the best of the less than overwhelming choices. I Think going independent is even less of an option than it was before. But I still think that USC , even in its weakened state, is the school with the most options and leverage. Oregon has leverage too. The… Read more »
Imagine if ORE and USC suddenly told the sporting world they had decided to leave the Pac-12 and join the Big 12 to super jolt the conference and team up with TEXAS and OU to leave the Pac-12 in the dust. I doubt the Pac-12 would ever recover. The Big 12 must feel devastated and desperate to somehow keep TEXAS and OU from reducing them to permanent second class forever. I tend to think this decimation of the Big 12 by its only two real bell cows is not good for CFB overall. How it all affects the Pac-12, and… Read more »
I don’t think you are overreacting at all. At least you are trying to think outside the box, which is something the new commish and PAC 12 presidents and AD’s better do quickly. I have a feeling the Big 10 is very comfortable with their present setup,and payout structure, and would probably be good adding Norte Dame and maybe Iowa State. Just my opinion
I think the best way for the PAC to be relevant again is a commitment from every school President to be ready to invest in the best facilities, coaches, NIL, etc, and start scheduling more out of conference big dogs, and BEAT them on a regular basis, including bowls games. Make the playoffs on a regular basis, and just as important, make sure the games are on early enough that people across the country can see them! I agree that you just don’t want to add second tier schools as filler. Sometimes more is less
@San Diego Trojan Which brings up another interesting facet of CFB — the enduring vehement independence of ND. Will the Irish ever feel threatened enough to join the Big Ten, a totally natural and logical fit?
Based on the history of the Big Ten vs ND, I doubt it, which may mean it’s somehow in the cards!
Not sure where this should be posted or if it already has — but I just learned that Bobby Bowden (91) is terminal. Of all the winning coaches of that era, IMO Bobby was classy and one of the good guys. They didn’y say what he had.
I met Bobby once and he could make you feel like you were old buddies pretty much as fast as anyone I have ever come across. He just exuded goodwill, quick humor, self-deprecation and had such easy-going, friendly nature.
Bobby absolutely suffered some of the worst defeats I’ve ever seen against MIA because of his undependable kicking game. Wide Right! Always gracious. Very charismatic.
I’m very sorry to hear about his condition. As you say, he was most definitely one of the good guys, and will be missed. He built the ‘Noles from nothing if I’m not mistaken.
Yahoo Sports is reporting that Oklahoma and Texas have reached out to the SEC about joining their conference. At their respective media days, they all said that they had no comment on the report.
So, OK and TX rebuff the P-12, we got Colorado and Utah instead, and now OK and TX want into the SEC. Another L. Scott missed opportunity.
I’ll be interested to see if the Pac-12’s new commish is forced into any reaction of any sort by this move by OU and TEXAS.
Q: Is this legit? Stewart Mandel (The Athletic) A: “It sure seems so. While Texas A&M beat writer Brent Zwerneman’s report Wednesday blindsided most of the industry, sources have since told The Athletic that A) Texas has been exploring possible conference contingencies for some time. And B) The Big 12 recently initiated conversations with ESPN about extending its contract (which runs through 2025) only to be met with tepid interest. Texas Tech’s president hinted at such in May, saying, ‘ESPN and Fox are not interested in acting preemptively with regard to our contract.’ “The timing of which lines up almost exactly with other… Read more »
Still cracks me up the the Big 10 has 12 teams and the Big 12 has 10. These are major academic universities in the world! But they can’t count to 10!
Kedon Slovis and Drake London will represent USC at the Pac-12 Media Day next Tuesday, July 27, in Hollywood.
Coverage will take place all day on Pac-12 Network.
Pac-12 Media Day
The Athletic’s Stewart Mandel predicts Clay Helton’s last season at USC will actually be this upcoming season. Question to Mandel — Do you think it is fair to say this is a make-or-break season for the coaches of Los Angeles’ two college football teams, USC and UCLA? If so, who survives to see another season: Chip Kelly or Clay Helton? Both? Neither? — “I don’t think there’s any question. Not only have both had disappointing tenures, but the ADs who hired them are long gone. USC’s Mike Bohn started in November 2019 and UCLA’s Martin Jarmond in May 2020. Both… Read more »
Tick Tock Tick Tock… Only 4 months and 11 days till December 1st. The Helton Era will be over by then.
I just had to post. Please forgive me for you all you know my position – I see The 2021 SC Helton Cats at 6-6 and in 4th in the Pac 12 South. I believe UCLA, ASU and Utah all have better teams and are better coached. The only chance SC has in 2021 is its schedule, which is the easiest in decades. On the other hand, UCLA has a brutal schedule; give 2021 UCLA schedule to the 2021 SC team and SC would probably be 4-8. Give SC schedule to UCLA and it is probably 10-2. I do not… Read more »
I find it amusing and curious that the CFB media seems so constantly surprised (for lack of a better word) that there remains such a consistent groundswell of anti-Helton sentiment. Says Mandel — “It’s frankly astounding how seemingly united they (USC fans) are in their lack of confidence in him.” It’s not astounding to me at all, as a person who has come to fully accept Helton’s teams as annually disappointing, sloppy, incapable of beating good teams, one-dimensional (sorry, no run game), hugely mistake-prone, generally lackluster, and totally unable to protect the QB — remember how Sam Darnold was always… Read more »
Allen, That is an all time post. Best summary of The Cat I have read! Epic! The man who turn SC into Boise State in six short years.
Time and time again I read from the authors of various USC football breakdowns that USC fans should get over it, or at least just sit tight. One said, “You don’t have to get upset at the spotty line play or the shotgun on third and inches, followed by the use of a timeout instead of a simple QB sneak…Relax. Laugh a little. Trust me: It’s the better way to approach all of this. Try it. You might just like it…“ That’s one way of addressing the current USC football landscape. It’s like saying no one is sure these days… Read more »
I would say most news media is very unprofessional and sports media is worse. Most sports media don’t watch games and don’t know what they are talking about. The quote “Clay Helton has suffered mightily”! Clay Helton has been paid mightly for a job he is under qualified for! USC fans remember Howard Jones, John McKay, John Robinson and Pete Carroll! We know a great coach when we see one. Clay Helton is not! Hell, Lane Kiffen, Ed Orgeron and Steve Sarkisian (drunk) are better coaches than Kitty Cat!
I would even take Paul Hackett over The Cat. At least Hackett was never this holier-than-thou weak-minded liar. The real problem of course is the current USC upper admin and BOTs who tolerate The Cat. Nikias and Swann deserve most of the blame IMO. Both were woefully incompetent. They got it all started because Nikias was trying to fundraise his way out of disgrace and he needed a total brownnosing lightweight like Helton to help hide his ineptness. It’s a real shame what has been done to USC football. Once TEXAS and OU join the SEC, the already marginal Pac-12… Read more »
I will still give USC Admin a break because 2020 was nothing in a generation event. Hard to make big moves when there is such turmoil. It will take well into 2022 for the world to get some stability. I still say December 2021 USC has a new head football coach.
The Cat could have easily lost three reg season games last year (probably should have, but I’ll have to watch the tape to know for sure) and finished 1-3, and managed to avoid another predictable loss to the Ducks. He’d still probably have a job as USC would have given him a free Covid pass. Fine. We don’t know if anyone any good really wants the job with this admin anyway (Meyer didn’t), or what USC is prepared to pay. This 2021 season should be a fantastic thing to see. So many new moving parts, unanswered questions, and massive uncertainty… Read more »
This is just a hunch, based on Bohn’s moves so far, but I can see, if Clay struggles again, like we expect, that he is replaced by Donte Williams. It would be an easy move for Bohn, especially if the defensive staff is performing well, because he doesn’t want to lose the best recruiter, and the head coach is the motivator and staff manager, and if he can talk a kid into coming to SC, then maybe he can get more out of them than Clay. All he would have to do is change the offense and staff and install… Read more »
Hopefully, Williams also has the chops to be a superior HC. Unfortunately, CFB is littered with superior recruiters who would (or already have) failed miserably as head coaches — especially at big-time, overwhelming programs.
USC’s situation seems extraordinarily dynamic. Sure glad we have Bohn instead of Swann on this, as well as Kliavkoff instead of Scott. Thank goodness!
Bama QB Earns $1M in NIL Deals — Bleacher Report
Nick Saban is talking at the Texas HS Coaches Association convention today. He was asked about NIL. Apparently, Bryce Young is doing quite well.
“Our QB has already approached ungodly numbers, and he hasn’t even played yet. If I told you what it is … it’s almost 7-figures.”
WOW!!! That’s a little more than stipend money! Is he even the most marquee player in the country? We thought it could get crazy but that is putting it mildly.
Absolutely huge brand name, plus fantastic current success and great coach equals massive NIL value for players.
USC has the brand, but Trojan football is so much below the elite Trojan area we all know USC can occupy.
It will be very interesting to see what type of money the USC players command this season.
Allen, This is exactly what I thought would happen. Clay CANNOT survive in this environment. The true stars will be making 7-8 figures per year. With the transfer rules AND the Trojan Family despising Clay (and we all do) AND Folt having declared war on the Trojan Family (and she did), if Clay does what we except next year, unless changes are made quickly, SC will become AZ in 2022. The stars at SC have to potential at make 7 figures a year. But, if the Trojan Family walks away, that potential disappears. Clay simply cannot stay. If he does,… Read more »
Ya. You know me. I’ve always thought USC’s football brand was way too big and glorious to ever allow its dismantling by any piddly ol’ USC president. If necessary, Folt will fall in line.
Now with ALA suddenly showing what they’re getting for even last season’s second-stringers, the pressure is on the other bigger names to start making moves in this fantastic NIL race we see developing. Saban’s stock value just went up again, while The Cat’s became even a little murkier IMO.
Suddenly, I bolted upright. I was watching Big 12 Media Day stuff, and some of the coaches’ comments.
I couldn’t help but flash forward to The Cat giving his worthless little Faith, Family and Football spiel when the Pac-12 Media Days begin on Tuesday, July 27.
Lincoln Riley, owner of the Big 12, said, “Everbody’s a good coach in the Big 12.” He obviously didn’t mean that. Some Pac-12 coach will probably say the same thing. He’s not gonna mean it either.
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey sets his sights on the NCAA and calls for changes to the NCAA system: ‘We must begin to adapt…’ Sankey addressing SEC Media Days — “The expectations, demands, and pressures that are present on the campuses of this conference are not uniform across all of Division I, and expecting every conference to come together to debate, discuss and produce effective decisions for everyone is not our modern reality. We must begin to adapt.” Will the Power Five split from the rest of the NCAA? When asked if it’s time for the Power Five conferences to break… Read more »
No surprise here that The Cat, and Chip Kelly are the two coaches sitting on the Hottest of Seats per Pete Fiutak of Yahoo/CFN. I always find it interesting that the media ALWAYS totally hedges their bets when addressing Helton. The media seems to enjoy laying the USC football problem at the feet of the USC fans — as though we’re just this unreasonable group that expects too much from The Cat. Here, Fiutak suggests that Helton could still keep his job even if the Trojans don’t win the weak South. Fiutak views Helton as a success in 2020, like… Read more »
Mr Wallace,
There is a difference between Helton and Chip Kelly.
Coach Kelly coached for Oregon and led them to the NC game. Did you know that?
And he also coached in the NFL.
He is not a new coach on his job and was a good bet.
But Helton had NeVEr coached as a head coach ever.
Is that a difference in vetting?
And the results are proving it.
The USC basketball is doing better than football.
USC is not a football school anymore.
Sorry, but USC will always be a football school. Always, just like UCLA will always be a basketball school. You can take that to the bank. Andy Enfield’s never gonna change that just because he reached the Elite Eight one single time with one great one-and-done phenom, where USC promptly got slaughtered. Of course there’s a huge diff between The Cat and Choc Chip Kelly. Kelly used to be good a long, long time ago, before his innovations were fully absorbed by the game and he was neutered. Now he’s just a woefully disappointing, arrogant, overly dismissive fat guy who… Read more »
While you are technically correct in your assessment of Chip Kelly 50, he is not the coach that beat a hasty retreat from college football several years ago. At Oregon Kelly was a gimmick coach. He used the rules of football to create and use the no huddle offense. Basically when the ball was marked ready for play they snapped the ball. He used the platoon system to an advantage. Often the only reason his team advanced the ball was because they caught the defense between changes. Once this system was figured out, substitution rules changed, and most teams adjusted… Read more »
Good point about Choc Chip Kelly. He was caught red-handed sending money to evaluators in Texas to illegally recruit for the Ducks. The NCAA let him off super easy, but he still got a show cause order before he went to the NFL, if I am not mistaken. As far as The Cat goes, it’ll be very interesting to see where he lands on those little kitty paws of his when he’s finally done completely neutering USC football. I can’t imagine any FBS school making him a HC, but once you’re in the club, they work hard to keep you… Read more »
I’ve been saying 9-3 for months now and am sticking to that. Losses to ND, ASU and a random one such as UCLA, BYU or Utah. In my heart I hope my alma mater does better than that, but I don’t see a miracle in South Bend and we’ve always had problems against dual threat QBs like Daniels at ASU. I’m just looking forward to the upcoming season now that we are in the “dog days of Summer”. Fight On!
Speaking of “Dog Days of Summer,” one wonders — does this USC team have enough “dogs” in the group to be good? That’s the parlance today that coaches use when referring to a team’s player makeup in terms of toughness and football-playing ability. “They’ve got a lot of dogs on that team.” Would other coaches (or you) say that about the 2021 USC Trojans? Or does that only apply to the teams like ALA, OHIO ST, CLEM, OU, and maybe even ND — who have both a lot of “dogs” on their squads, as well as superior coaching and overall… Read more »
I wouldn’t say SC has a lot of “dogs”. IMHO, USC will never be tough under Clay Helton. As we all know, he’d rather hug than fight. Clay’s a nice guy in the wrong job. I think we all know that. I long for the day he is gone!
Interesting split on this Board; you are the optimist at 9-3 (most of the main line media and the authors of the above article agree with you), Allen (and Greg Katz) are at 8-4, Rock is at 7-5 and I am the most pessimistic (or realistic) at 6-6 (Stu Mandel is the only analyst I know of who sees things as I do). I agree with Allen that the above piece is pure fantasy. But I give the authors a break as that Board came up the the nickname of the The Cat for Clay. It will be interesting to… Read more »
Alicia hasn’t posted on Reign of Troy since mid-April. What’s up with that?
Rose colored glasses only work if you are myopic. The Cat is too busy playing with balls of yarn (yes I am referring to his manhood) and sniffing catnip to be effective. Every coordinator on the team thinks they run the team and all they have to do is wave a laser pointer up field and they’ve disarmed the Cat. It’s time for the administration to get their eyes checked. They can have all the toys in the box, but without direction and protection, they will break easily. Without effective leadership the Trojans are Washington State wannabe with one failed… Read more »
Maybe SC went Air-Raid because it did not have the horses up front to create a stout running game. Besides, SC had an over-stocked stable of NFL-caliber receivers, and pass-blocking is easier to implement than run-blocking. More importantly, the SC coaches were desperate to immediately win some games in order to salvage their jobs…. But an over-emphasis on passing is a short-sighted approach to winning because balanced attacks are the time-tested recipe for long-term success…. Passing may overwhelm a San Jose State, but the Trojans lack of a running attack gives it virtually no chance to stay with a Notre… Read more »
McKay’s quivering on the Coliseum grass. I couldn’t resist.
Talking about running, when asked how could he burden O.J. Simpson with running the ball 30 to 40 times a game, McKay said, “The ball is not that heavy.”.
Plus he wasn’t a member of a union. 🙂
Somebody hit the sauce early. We have a sub par OL…..we have no above average LB’s except Jackson….. our best LB’s, aside from Jackson are freshmen……we have an uncertain DL with almost no depth, we are depending on a player that is coming off injury that could not beat out two freshmen for a critical NT position with no one behind him…….our safeties are questionable……one of our starting corners is coming off injury, the other should be a safety……McCoy is almost a freshman……Foreman is a freshman……Slovis forgets which color to throw to twice a game in most games……Dart is a… Read more »
How could I think USC will go 8-4 @illinoisusc? You make a very strong case here for USC’s stuck-in-the-mud mediocrity. Well-done. Maybe “Elephant Head Toia” saw the writing on the wall before he bolted across town ASAP after dominating USC’s test tube OL in the so-called “spring game”. I thought Dane Miller’s SportsPac12.com piece was basically a fantasy for all the reasons you point out. The only thing I would add is that Talanoa Hufanga was a one-man team on D in 2020. Some act like he won’t even be missed, like they just grow those guys on trees. He… Read more »
Thanks for not kicking me in the gonads…..I am a USC fan but since Helton I find myself expecting the worst…..I sure hope a few things work out and we go 10-2………but……I’am not expecting much after reviewing every OL we face. Heck, even Oregon State has 4 pac 12 honorees on their O line. The Utah, UDub, Oregon, Az St,Wa St, ND, Stanford and even UCLA lines look improved. This dude from bama we brought in better be ready to play at NT…..report was he was not much of a pass rusher but very difficult to move off the line.… Read more »
Ishmael Sopsher is a total mystery to me. You really have to be a rose-colored glasses guy to expect the ALA rebounder to be as good as Trojan fans hope. That will be one of the earliest things people will be looking for when the season begins.
Is it even guaranteed that he’ll be physically ready? Not that I know.
My glasses are just not this rosy.
The one area I disagree with the author is that Mr. Cat would pull out HIS starting QB if he is having a hard time. That has not happened before and won’t as long as Mr. Cat is the HC. He has proven that time after time. He would leave in JT even when he had the dazed look of a deer in the headlights, and then we always have Toa.
Toa is the love of his life, leave him alone.
😂 😂