Adam asked Clay Helton after the game about his two late fourth-down decisions.
First, on the decision after a timeout to go for it on a long fourth-and-1, rather than kick a potential game-tying 37-yard field goal down 31-28. (Aca'Cedric Ware was stuffed short of the first down).
"It was on the far hash and I didn't know exactly where we were at first. When I saw that we were fourth-and-1, I called timeout. I told our kids we'd be aggressive in this game -- whether it was a flea-flicker, whether it was a double pass, we were going to be ultra aggressive and not play scared," Helton said. "I thought we had a good play called and we got penetration in the A gap on a power play that had worked for us earlier for big runs."
Adam also asked why Helton used Ware rather than bigger rusher Vavae Malepeai.
"I have total faith in Ced Ware. Ced Ware is a senior, a vet, and I know he is as physical as all get out and was running the ball extremely well. As a matter of fact, he was right at 5 yards a carry," Helton said. "So I have total faith in him to be able to do that. ... Would I change anything? No. I went into the game to be aggressive."
Later in the fourth, USC faced a fourth-and-3 from its own 24 with about 4 minutes left. Helton elected to punt, trusting the defense would give the Trojans a change. Instead, Arizona State went 66 yards in 5 plays for a back-breaking touchdown on a 45-yard Manny Wilkins scamper.
"Being backed up and looking up and there was 4 minutes left on the clock and still having a timeout, I knew if we could punt it down and be able to get a three-and-out, we were probably going to have about two and a half [minutes] and some change, rather than basically if you don't make the fourth-and-[3] that's pretty much ballgame," Helton said. "I'm trusting our defense to be able to do that. ... And we still had the opportunity there to stop on the third-and-1 and we just didn't get it done."
First, on the decision after a timeout to go for it on a long fourth-and-1, rather than kick a potential game-tying 37-yard field goal down 31-28. (Aca'Cedric Ware was stuffed short of the first down).
"It was on the far hash and I didn't know exactly where we were at first. When I saw that we were fourth-and-1, I called timeout. I told our kids we'd be aggressive in this game -- whether it was a flea-flicker, whether it was a double pass, we were going to be ultra aggressive and not play scared," Helton said. "I thought we had a good play called and we got penetration in the A gap on a power play that had worked for us earlier for big runs."
Adam also asked why Helton used Ware rather than bigger rusher Vavae Malepeai.
"I have total faith in Ced Ware. Ced Ware is a senior, a vet, and I know he is as physical as all get out and was running the ball extremely well. As a matter of fact, he was right at 5 yards a carry," Helton said. "So I have total faith in him to be able to do that. ... Would I change anything? No. I went into the game to be aggressive."
Later in the fourth, USC faced a fourth-and-3 from its own 24 with about 4 minutes left. Helton elected to punt, trusting the defense would give the Trojans a change. Instead, Arizona State went 66 yards in 5 plays for a back-breaking touchdown on a 45-yard Manny Wilkins scamper.
"Being backed up and looking up and there was 4 minutes left on the clock and still having a timeout, I knew if we could punt it down and be able to get a three-and-out, we were probably going to have about two and a half [minutes] and some change, rather than basically if you don't make the fourth-and-[3] that's pretty much ballgame," Helton said. "I'm trusting our defense to be able to do that. ... And we still had the opportunity there to stop on the third-and-1 and we just didn't get it done."
