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May not be anything but it’s interesting. Let’s hope.

While it may seem insane to complain about having a “Power 5” designation, I put forth that the Pac12 is holding back SC in the worst ways. Specifically:
- Officiating - how over-officiated our games are handicaps our teams when playing in games with refs from other conferences. We aren’t used to being able to play physically without fear of the zebras. That makes us “soft”
- Soft games make soft competition and it shows. Our team is rarely prepared to play OOC well because we get no challenge in conference. The team plays just well enough to beat the teams in conference which occasionally comes back to bite you when a fluke call / turnover / Madden-mode performance from an opponent knocks them off. There is no “killer instinct” to be the best. Just need enough to win, not be great.
- parity is NOT important... competition is all that matters. I don’t want to skew political here but there is this egalitarian culture more prevalent on the West Coast and I think it permeates the conference in football. It’s viewed as a negative to have the “haves” and “have nots” so equality is desired over competitive advantage. This needs to be shaken up or I am going to start agreeing with the “go independent” movement.
- the education supremacy push is noble, but can’t be the only goal. It’s all good and great building up the endowment and increasing the school’s profile, but success on the field is also a giant revenue generator and marketing tool. Since the Pac12 contract disadvantaged us to the rest of the country, SC admins are going to have to be willing to open the checkbook a bit more to compete until a better arrangement can be worked out.

This probably will not be popular, because he is a Trojan and has never coached or recruited in College, but if I am allowed to make a New Years DREAM WISH, and asssuming there would be no big changes in the Helton staff (which is possible) I would love to see us add Bruce Matthews as the add-on coach in January to help Neil Calloway with the OL, and eventually take over for Neil once he retires. Why?

He is a developer of great young men. Look at the family, his kids, their character, performance and achievements.

He is a GREAT Trojan, from the USC first family. I know some of you will say STOP with the USC family and legacy stuff. But frankly, I think that kind of connection that could lead to getting involvement from exceptional people who would otherwise never consider being involved.

NFL hall of famer. 14 Pro Bowls, throughout his NFL career he played every position on the offensive line, starting in 99 games as a left guard, 87 as a center, 67 as a right guard, 22 as a right tackle, and 17 as a left tackle.

He is a tough man (292 starts, never missed a game due to injury) and despite being such a nice man, he played mean. Maybe the only one tougher was his brother, Clay Jr. of USC and the Browns

He coached OL in the NFL for 5 years under HC Mike Munchak, another OL legend who is now the Steelers OL coach.

He has significant ties to Souther California. He went to Arcadia HS. His brother Clay Jr lives in Agoura (I think) and maybe still coaches at Oaks Christian.

I was just looking at his Facebook page. We are FB friends only because we went to Arcadia HS together. I barely knew him, but knew his younger twin brothers.

I know this would probably never happen. He looks happily retired, focused on raising his kids, and deeply entrenched in living in Texas. But, since this is a “dream” post, I can dream can’t I?

You said last week that OG was
45% ugly
40% SC
15% Tenn

I’ve heard we have a realistic shot at Tyreke Smith as well?

i have never seen such poor returns game in and game out...we’d be better off to let the ball roll into end zone

I'm so sick and tired of the excuses for Helton and this new one being used is really bothering me so I'm going to show this fact as an argument against this fallacy.

The following OL and DL players were named to the NFL Pro Bowl recently and went to HS in the west.

OL
-Taylor Lewan, OT (CA)
-David DeCastro, OG (CA)
-Richie Incognito, OG (AZ)
-Tyron Smith, OT (CA)
-Alex Mack, C (CA)
-Donald Penn, OT (CA)


DL
-Everson Griffen, DE (AZ)
-Cameron Jordan, DE (AZ)
-Jurrell Casey, DT (CA)
-Malik Jackson, DT (CA)
-Calais Campbell, DE (CO)

That's not counting Terrell Suggs from AZ, who really was a DE and played DE in college before being moved to LB in the NFL.

That's 11/28 (39%) of the Pro Bowl STARTERS on OL/DL ... not backups, not alternates, but STARTERS!

So 40% of the best OL/DL players in the world went to HS in states that are either CA or border California.

Many of these people went to USC themselves. The crazy part is how unheralded some of them were coming out of HS. Several of these players you won't find on the Rivals 100 lists.

That's the crazy thing about talent though... it takes good coaching to see it, develop it, and mold it.

Clay Helton and co are not good coaches.

California is at worst the 2nd best state in all of the country to recruit bar none. That includes OL and DL. Being USC in California without any major historical programs is the best recruiting situation bar none.

Stop complaining about the lack of talent in CA, or the lack of scholarships. A good coach can take good talent and turn them into great players.

95 yard kick return to the house. The guy is a stud. So proud he was a Trojan. With Adoree there at the same time, you have to wonder how many house calls JuJu could have made.

is out! The Raiders just didn’t improve. I personally don’t think he is that good of a coach. Look at the track record. For anybody clamoring here for him to be involved with SC ask anyone from the Bay Area. He is just not getting it done. Rumors of giving Gruden a piece of the team’s equity are more than smoke. However, would have to pass a vote from all owners. Not a good precedent would be set.

I honestly don't think any quality coordinator wants to work for Helton. I suspect the coaching fraternity is disgusted by the fact he ran to the AD to report Sark and was then handed a job he wasn't qualified for. Imagine how coordinators who have been grinding away for years and proving themselves feel about that. Nothing worse than reporting to someone you have no respect.

i just wanted to let everyone know I'm here and I made it!

Unfortunately my flight from Dallas to San Antonio was delayed four and a half hours, so I wasn't able to make it to the player check in as I orginally planned.

I will have updates starting tomorrow.

If Sam leaves, who are the next quarterbacks in order of ability to start next year?

Helton (our own Little Dabo) needs to heed and take notes.

http://www.espn.com/college-footbal...lture-alabama-crimson-tide-nick-saban-process

Yes... another Larry Scott thread, but how is this guy still at the helm? Both Pac 12 football and basketball have regressed the past couple of years which are the two major revenue generators for the athletic conference. The lack of money coming in and supporting the 12 institutions is a direct reflection of poor decisions made by this commish. I agree that USC needs to make a couple of coaching changes but there needs to be more pressure from the universities to make a change at the top. Pay off his contract or find a scandal to pin on him to get him out. 1-8 in Pac 12 bowl games is embarrassing. Scheduling games on a network that no one gets or at late times is unacceptable.

No question Wisconsin is a true Run First team (629 attempts, 223 yds/game). But their QB really impressed me vs. Miami. He's pretty damn good - and he doesn't have the WR Skill Players that USC has. Only a sophomore.

What Wisconsin has are kick ass Non-Skill Players on O-Line that eat glass and don't give a sh*t about the West Coast Hollywood Star system. (Star system means almost nothing with linemen. Star system mostly works for skill players.)

Back to Hornibrook...

1. 72.4 Total QBR (Sam Darnold = 74.6)
2. 149 Passing Efficiency (Sam Darnold = 148)
3. 25 TD passes (Sam Darnold = 26 TD passes)
4. Both made a ton of interceptions (15 for Hornibrook, 13 for SD but I'm sure SD has many more fumble turnovers compared to Hornibrook)
5. Hornibrook when interviewed actually sounds like Sam Darnold too...same voice and demeanor. Too funny. You would swear Hornibook was from Southern California/Orange County.

Imagine if Sam Darnold had Hornibrooks O-Line & O-Line coach? What a difference it would make.

Plug in Wisconsin O-Line & O-Line Coach into USC system and we are in the Final 4 CFP.

Levi Jones...

Albeit with a pretty weak schedule. Hard to believe richt couldn't beat a 3 star team at home with all of miami's talent.

Its been speculated that it’s poor recruiting and poor coaching. How about the system? Is the RPO system the best for OL?

-----aaaannd Go!

I am wondering what was Lynn Swann thinking last night. I heard he is not heavily involved in athletic department, if he does not what is his main mission to drive to usc campus every day???

USC must fire Helton, Tee, Callaway, Baxter, Ronnie if the program to cure itself. Helton does not have anything to provide no offense, no defense, no QB development, WR development either. Why are we keeping Helton,what does he bring to the table except he is the Pat Haden sanction on usc football program???

If you guys want to replace Calloway because you think he cant attract to level offensive linemen fine, but no new line or strength and conditioning coach would make a difference with the guys that started last night. The guys that started on our oline last night are future nfl free agents and low round draft picks at best. They are who they are, sure coaching helps but you cant turn rocks into gold. I like the center we recruited but Carman was the only other guy that could make a difference for us and he was on the other side of the country. For whatever reason there just not enough big uglies on the west coast year after year.

Lots of heat towards Tennessee, what’s up Chris?!

I say good riddance to the Nicoh Falah, Banner, Mama, and Wheeler era of exceptional softness on and off the field (weight room). The fact that Wheeler and Banner are enshrined as All-Americans on the McKay center walkway is one of the biggest acts of graffiti in South Central to date. Falah goes down as a three year starter who couldn't crack an "honorable" mention in the Pac-12.

Moving forward:

LT - Jackson (unproven)
LG - Chris Brown (worst game of career tonight)
C - Lobendahn (natural center & best lineman)
RG - Vorhees (freshman and worst game of career tonight)
RT - Edoga (mental disaster and meltdown against Bama still fresh in my mind. However, did OK tonight)

Anyone else severely concerned about recruiting Sewell? This just seems like another extremely overweight and slow player who we are dreaming the weight room will fix.

https://usc.rivals.com/news/smith-has-already-made-a-commitment

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That's what OSU got. That tells you what turnovers and 9 sacks will do.