The game: In their 88th meeting, ND-USC goes through long stretches of dominance on one side (ND 12-0-1 , 1983-1985) or the other (USC 9-1, 2002- 2011). But rarely have the two teams been so mismatched as this year, ND partly through injury and graduating seniors. But they averaged a 5 point deficit in all 7 of their losses (by 3 or less in 4 of them). ND played well at times but were down 24 points before their last TD. The game attendance was down as the rain and wind dampened the bodily spirits and there seemed a near total lack of Notre Dame fans due to their record. The Domers did hold a lead at 7-3 lead on a on a blown defensive play leading to a long 74 yard run.
It seemed those at the game went through climate change 3-4 times. It started with a clear sunny day through the tailgating and the first quarter. Then a steady rain, sometimes heavy, into halftime. A drying out in the third quarter followed by more rain on the drive home. Note to me :a poncho is more effective than a rain shielded windbreaker. My knees were swimming in water. Key play: After ND scored following an interception (7-3), Ronald Jones almost in a repeat form the UCLA game bounced outside and got into their backfield and outran them for a 51 yard TD..
Offense: Helton is now 15-7 (.682) overall as USC head coach. That's above Kiffin (.651), Sarkisian (667) and back of Orgeron (.750). What was interesting was that every time ND scored, USC responded immediately on their next drive. Ultimately the KOR, PR and pick 6 TDs padded the number. Long plays had us fans jumping up and creating miniature waterfalls from the accrued precipitation. USC had 5 plays of 30-52 yards and ND had two of 74,and 40.
QB: Grade: B+. Sam Darnold was efficient again (66 %, 205 Yards, 2 TDs, no sacks). He ran but 3 times for 16 yards. No interceptions but he came close twice. You have to enjoy his play once using a jump pass to complete a 3rd and 2. That’s something you see in playground plays. . He hit on 13 passes of over 10 yards, of which 2 were between 20-29 yards and 3 were 30 yards, 51 yards (TD) and 52 yards (TD). His first 5 passes were completions.
Receiving Game: Grade: A. There were completions to 8 receivers with 16 to WR/Slot and 3 to TEs. Among the receivers Darreus Rogers, Juju, Adore Jackson and Whitney likely played their last game at the coliseum. The receivers averaged 10.8 yards per catch. with 2 TDs. Adoree had the long of 52 yards, a TD.
Running Game: Grade: A-. 6 rushers carried the ball with the spotlight on Justin Davis (10-3.6ypc-2FD). And Ronald Jones II (16-8.4ypc-1TD-6FD). Jones had a long of 51 yards. He now meets tacklers head on when necessary to gain valuable yards. And his fluid side step without losing speed reminds me a lot of Reggie Bush. Adoree Jackson also had a 12 yard run for a First down.
Oline: Grade: B+. There were 0 sacks vs. USC. The RBs averaged a good 5.4 ypc. Pass protection was also good with USC getting a hefty 10.8 YPC. 5 tackles for losses were allowed . This unit dissapointing in the 1-3 record has proven to be what they were expected for the remainder of the year. ND's Jerry Tilley has officially entered the USC-ND Hall of Shame, first nudging the head of a fallen RB Ware with his foot, and them with Zach Banner laying prostate on a USC TD stepping purposely on his laid out ankle.
Defense: Grade: A- USC gave up 154 yards rushing for an average of 4.16 ypc toa scrappy Fighting Irish team. But half of that came on Notre Dames first play of 74 Yards. USC had 5-6 men in the box and often blitzed that 6th man on a delay with one of the up men falling back into pass protection. They sacked Kizer 6 times vs. a team that gives up less than 2 sacks per game. Those that think that running QBs kill USC still remember Brett Hundley, and not this year. More on that later
Special Teams- Grade: A-. There were 14 punts in this game and the punters legs must have been hanging by a thread, Boormeester showed, like most kickers he has the soul of a tackler, by catapulting a KO returner through 5 feet of air. He had 2 touchbacks on 6 KOs. Tilbey punted 5 times, 2 inside the 20. Then there was Adoree, returner extraordinaire. He had 161 yards of kick return and 66 yards of punt returns. His hurdle over a tackler was classic. Overall USC outgained ND in the return department by 227 to 88 yards. Everyone yelled "one more year" to Adoree, our own everyman Christian McCaffrey Jr., but I 'm greedy and yelled " 10 more years".
Miscellaneous- The refs were OK , calling 14 total penalties but they seemed lost after the head ref went down from an inadvertent hit. A safety was called back due to the ref taking his time getting into position and ND snapped it anyway. It cost USC 2 points. But they did have to kick and USC Adoree ran the punt back for a TD. We always called the good bounce of a ball after a poorly called play "The ball knows!". An Incomplete pass called was clear to fans a lateral and a fumble recovery TD runback, another 7 points. And the refs did not see Ware get clocked on a targeting and it took 2 reviews to get it right. The game was late on TV due to the beloved Ohio State-Michigan game, at which point with action going on Griese and his partner discusses the completed game for 5 minutes before acknowledging the USC-ND game. And thenthey want 2 Big 10 teams over UW.
Kelly is back in 2007. He kept his guys on the field at halftime and berated them, making the Trojan Band have to work around them to get on the field. QB Kizer is intent on leaving. USC had 14 seniors..among them are starters WR Darreus Rogers, TE Tyler McNamara, OTs BZB (Big Zach Banner) and Chad Wheeler, NT Stevie Tu'ikalovatu, LB Michael Hutchings, and Leon McQuay. And likely Jrs Juju Smith-Shuster and Adoree Jackson.
Bottom line - This was the 20th year where USC has won ownership of the Victory Bell (UCLA game) and the jeweled Shillelagh (ND). Helton is now 3-1 versus our rivals. The South title is gone to Colorado but here's a way that can get us into the Rose Bowl. UW annihilates ranked Colorado and goes to the BCS playoff. The Rose bowl picks between 3 loss USC and 3 loss Colorado. We know how that should go. Forecast: USC: in the Rose Bowl versus Michigan. And next year's home schedule is a dilly-Western Michigan and Texas (with Herman as HC) as OOC. In conference is Arizona, Stanford, UCLA, Utah, and likely Washington State.
It seemed those at the game went through climate change 3-4 times. It started with a clear sunny day through the tailgating and the first quarter. Then a steady rain, sometimes heavy, into halftime. A drying out in the third quarter followed by more rain on the drive home. Note to me :a poncho is more effective than a rain shielded windbreaker. My knees were swimming in water. Key play: After ND scored following an interception (7-3), Ronald Jones almost in a repeat form the UCLA game bounced outside and got into their backfield and outran them for a 51 yard TD..
Offense: Helton is now 15-7 (.682) overall as USC head coach. That's above Kiffin (.651), Sarkisian (667) and back of Orgeron (.750). What was interesting was that every time ND scored, USC responded immediately on their next drive. Ultimately the KOR, PR and pick 6 TDs padded the number. Long plays had us fans jumping up and creating miniature waterfalls from the accrued precipitation. USC had 5 plays of 30-52 yards and ND had two of 74,and 40.
QB: Grade: B+. Sam Darnold was efficient again (66 %, 205 Yards, 2 TDs, no sacks). He ran but 3 times for 16 yards. No interceptions but he came close twice. You have to enjoy his play once using a jump pass to complete a 3rd and 2. That’s something you see in playground plays. . He hit on 13 passes of over 10 yards, of which 2 were between 20-29 yards and 3 were 30 yards, 51 yards (TD) and 52 yards (TD). His first 5 passes were completions.
Receiving Game: Grade: A. There were completions to 8 receivers with 16 to WR/Slot and 3 to TEs. Among the receivers Darreus Rogers, Juju, Adore Jackson and Whitney likely played their last game at the coliseum. The receivers averaged 10.8 yards per catch. with 2 TDs. Adoree had the long of 52 yards, a TD.
Running Game: Grade: A-. 6 rushers carried the ball with the spotlight on Justin Davis (10-3.6ypc-2FD). And Ronald Jones II (16-8.4ypc-1TD-6FD). Jones had a long of 51 yards. He now meets tacklers head on when necessary to gain valuable yards. And his fluid side step without losing speed reminds me a lot of Reggie Bush. Adoree Jackson also had a 12 yard run for a First down.
Oline: Grade: B+. There were 0 sacks vs. USC. The RBs averaged a good 5.4 ypc. Pass protection was also good with USC getting a hefty 10.8 YPC. 5 tackles for losses were allowed . This unit dissapointing in the 1-3 record has proven to be what they were expected for the remainder of the year. ND's Jerry Tilley has officially entered the USC-ND Hall of Shame, first nudging the head of a fallen RB Ware with his foot, and them with Zach Banner laying prostate on a USC TD stepping purposely on his laid out ankle.
Defense: Grade: A- USC gave up 154 yards rushing for an average of 4.16 ypc toa scrappy Fighting Irish team. But half of that came on Notre Dames first play of 74 Yards. USC had 5-6 men in the box and often blitzed that 6th man on a delay with one of the up men falling back into pass protection. They sacked Kizer 6 times vs. a team that gives up less than 2 sacks per game. Those that think that running QBs kill USC still remember Brett Hundley, and not this year. More on that later
Special Teams- Grade: A-. There were 14 punts in this game and the punters legs must have been hanging by a thread, Boormeester showed, like most kickers he has the soul of a tackler, by catapulting a KO returner through 5 feet of air. He had 2 touchbacks on 6 KOs. Tilbey punted 5 times, 2 inside the 20. Then there was Adoree, returner extraordinaire. He had 161 yards of kick return and 66 yards of punt returns. His hurdle over a tackler was classic. Overall USC outgained ND in the return department by 227 to 88 yards. Everyone yelled "one more year" to Adoree, our own everyman Christian McCaffrey Jr., but I 'm greedy and yelled " 10 more years".
Miscellaneous- The refs were OK , calling 14 total penalties but they seemed lost after the head ref went down from an inadvertent hit. A safety was called back due to the ref taking his time getting into position and ND snapped it anyway. It cost USC 2 points. But they did have to kick and USC Adoree ran the punt back for a TD. We always called the good bounce of a ball after a poorly called play "The ball knows!". An Incomplete pass called was clear to fans a lateral and a fumble recovery TD runback, another 7 points. And the refs did not see Ware get clocked on a targeting and it took 2 reviews to get it right. The game was late on TV due to the beloved Ohio State-Michigan game, at which point with action going on Griese and his partner discusses the completed game for 5 minutes before acknowledging the USC-ND game. And thenthey want 2 Big 10 teams over UW.
Kelly is back in 2007. He kept his guys on the field at halftime and berated them, making the Trojan Band have to work around them to get on the field. QB Kizer is intent on leaving. USC had 14 seniors..among them are starters WR Darreus Rogers, TE Tyler McNamara, OTs BZB (Big Zach Banner) and Chad Wheeler, NT Stevie Tu'ikalovatu, LB Michael Hutchings, and Leon McQuay. And likely Jrs Juju Smith-Shuster and Adoree Jackson.
Bottom line - This was the 20th year where USC has won ownership of the Victory Bell (UCLA game) and the jeweled Shillelagh (ND). Helton is now 3-1 versus our rivals. The South title is gone to Colorado but here's a way that can get us into the Rose Bowl. UW annihilates ranked Colorado and goes to the BCS playoff. The Rose bowl picks between 3 loss USC and 3 loss Colorado. We know how that should go. Forecast: USC: in the Rose Bowl versus Michigan. And next year's home schedule is a dilly-Western Michigan and Texas (with Herman as HC) as OOC. In conference is Arizona, Stanford, UCLA, Utah, and likely Washington State.
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