After the season I usually do a scan of things based on questions I had myself on the season. To Some of these may be interesting to you as a USC fan so I offer them in that regard.
1. Was the USC D better under Clancy Pendergast? Yes
Clancy was here for the 2013 season only but his defense showed better than the surrounding years. Compare that year with before (2012), after (2014) and last year (2015) per game stats.
2012-opposition: 24.3 pt. pg-167 yds run pg-227 yds pass pg-394 yds tot pg-5.3 yds ave. per play.
2013 (Pendergast) -opposition: 21.2 pt. pg-121 yds run pg-215 yds pass pg-335 yds tot pg-5.0 yds ave. per play.
2014-opposition: 25.2 pt. pg-133 yds run pg-275 yds pass pg-406 yds tot pg-5.3 yds ave. per play.
2015-opposition: 25.7 pt. pg-149 yds run pg-251 yds pass pg-400 yds tot pg-5.7 yds ave. per play.
Of course lots of things affect the numbers including schedule, Personnel, etc but it looks like the Pendergast D performed the best in that short span.
2. Penalties -was this a major problem? Duh, Yes (Edited)
Surveying the year there were 34 personal fouls, 13 pass interference, 18 false starts, `11 Offsides, 5 Unsportsmanlike Conducts, 5 teams fouls. and at least One intentional grounding. The Personal Fouls, Unsportsmanlike Conduct and Pass Interferences were killers mainly due to youth, and but the personal and unsportsmanlike penalties were done by all age groups, and need to be addressed as a team. Note: 2 offensive lineman and 1 Dback were responsible for a combined 22 of the total penalties. 39 major penalties (15 yards) in 14 games!
3. Was there a residual effect left by the NCAA sanctions? Sure it did.
USC was hit with sanctions in 2010 and opted to take the sanction in two parts - no bowls following the 2010 and 2011 seasons and then drop of 10 recruits' scholarship in each of three years (2012-2014). And the 2 year bowl ban also allowed seniors to transfer and it cost USC an additional 8 players of various talent levels before 2012inclduiong one incoming one 2010 recruit in Seantrell Henderson. Pretty thorough job of the NCAA to nail USC.
So what was the effect? USC loaded up the 2011 recruiting including some 4 JC players and a transfer (Redd) and as many freshmen as they could muster using early entrants in the last full 25 man incoming recruiting they would see for 3 years. So the makeup of the starters (22 players) went from 17 Upperclassmen (7 Sr, 10 Jr) and 5 Underclassmen (3 So, 2 Fr) in 2009, to 13 Upperclassmen (7 Sr, 6 Jr) and 9 Underclassmen (7 So, 2 Fr) in 2010. Then the losses hit and the need to start underclassmen (ready or not) began... resulting in 11 Upperclassmen (4 Sr, 7 Jr) and 11 Underclassmen (5 So, 6 Fr) in 2011.
That Freshman stocking followed into Sophs of 2012 (9 starters), into Jrs of 2013 (9 starters). But the restrictions of 15 incoming scholies also kept the frosh class low for three years (2,2,and 4 FR starters in 2012-2014 respectively) In 2015 the Upperclassmen starters were back up to the 14 (of 28) level.
The bottom line was the effect that USC grew smaller in numbers reaching a nadir of less than 50 suited players for a game) and also younger (less experience and more mistakes). USC will look more like the 2009, and 2010 classes this year, but the loss of thirty scholarship players will be with them for a little longer. However those prior missing 10 will now be coming to USC and not to rival schools.
I have other stuff, if you want me to post it.
1. Was the USC D better under Clancy Pendergast? Yes
Clancy was here for the 2013 season only but his defense showed better than the surrounding years. Compare that year with before (2012), after (2014) and last year (2015) per game stats.
2012-opposition: 24.3 pt. pg-167 yds run pg-227 yds pass pg-394 yds tot pg-5.3 yds ave. per play.
2013 (Pendergast) -opposition: 21.2 pt. pg-121 yds run pg-215 yds pass pg-335 yds tot pg-5.0 yds ave. per play.
2014-opposition: 25.2 pt. pg-133 yds run pg-275 yds pass pg-406 yds tot pg-5.3 yds ave. per play.
2015-opposition: 25.7 pt. pg-149 yds run pg-251 yds pass pg-400 yds tot pg-5.7 yds ave. per play.
Of course lots of things affect the numbers including schedule, Personnel, etc but it looks like the Pendergast D performed the best in that short span.
2. Penalties -was this a major problem? Duh, Yes (Edited)
Surveying the year there were 34 personal fouls, 13 pass interference, 18 false starts, `11 Offsides, 5 Unsportsmanlike Conducts, 5 teams fouls. and at least One intentional grounding. The Personal Fouls, Unsportsmanlike Conduct and Pass Interferences were killers mainly due to youth, and but the personal and unsportsmanlike penalties were done by all age groups, and need to be addressed as a team. Note: 2 offensive lineman and 1 Dback were responsible for a combined 22 of the total penalties. 39 major penalties (15 yards) in 14 games!
3. Was there a residual effect left by the NCAA sanctions? Sure it did.
USC was hit with sanctions in 2010 and opted to take the sanction in two parts - no bowls following the 2010 and 2011 seasons and then drop of 10 recruits' scholarship in each of three years (2012-2014). And the 2 year bowl ban also allowed seniors to transfer and it cost USC an additional 8 players of various talent levels before 2012inclduiong one incoming one 2010 recruit in Seantrell Henderson. Pretty thorough job of the NCAA to nail USC.
So what was the effect? USC loaded up the 2011 recruiting including some 4 JC players and a transfer (Redd) and as many freshmen as they could muster using early entrants in the last full 25 man incoming recruiting they would see for 3 years. So the makeup of the starters (22 players) went from 17 Upperclassmen (7 Sr, 10 Jr) and 5 Underclassmen (3 So, 2 Fr) in 2009, to 13 Upperclassmen (7 Sr, 6 Jr) and 9 Underclassmen (7 So, 2 Fr) in 2010. Then the losses hit and the need to start underclassmen (ready or not) began... resulting in 11 Upperclassmen (4 Sr, 7 Jr) and 11 Underclassmen (5 So, 6 Fr) in 2011.
That Freshman stocking followed into Sophs of 2012 (9 starters), into Jrs of 2013 (9 starters). But the restrictions of 15 incoming scholies also kept the frosh class low for three years (2,2,and 4 FR starters in 2012-2014 respectively) In 2015 the Upperclassmen starters were back up to the 14 (of 28) level.
The bottom line was the effect that USC grew smaller in numbers reaching a nadir of less than 50 suited players for a game) and also younger (less experience and more mistakes). USC will look more like the 2009, and 2010 classes this year, but the loss of thirty scholarship players will be with them for a little longer. However those prior missing 10 will now be coming to USC and not to rival schools.
I have other stuff, if you want me to post it.
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