Clay Helton led the weekly teleconference with USC’s head coach. Here’s a complete transcript from the call.
This part one. Part two is below.
Tim Tessalone on Pat Haden: “Clay and I did have a chance to talk to Pat today. You saw probably a tweet from Pat. He is feeling great, so that was very encouraging, just kind of back to normal.”
Clay Helton opening statement: “I’m very proud of the effort that our team gave yesterday in a fierce rivalry game. But anytime that you get two really good teams together, you have to eliminate mistakes to win the game. Effort alone can’t win. Being able to have ten penalties in the game and have a blocked kick for a touchdown, miss a field goal and have two turnovers in the fourth quarter really cost us a game against a good opponent. As a head coach, obviously I have to get those cleaned up, I understand I have to get those cleaned up going into a game with Utah, who is a very, very good football team. I’m proud of how our kids represented USC. We look forward to the second half of the season and our march to try to win a Pac-12 South Championship.”
Q: What did you and Pat Haden talk about and how was he?
Clay Helton: “We talked twice today, one he called me this morning, checking in. He wanted to let me know that he was doing well. That basically he was very, very supportive of us, wanted to know what I thought of the tape. And then while we were watching tape with the offensive staff, came in, extremely chipper, gave his full support and looked like his regular self. So very, very glad that he was feeling better and he’s a big part of us moving forward so I’m glad he’s doing well.”
Q: Why were there so many short passes on the last drive?
CH: “We had verticals called if you look at the last couple plays of the game. And they were actually dropping into cover two with the mike backer dropping to the deep third. It was almost like a 33 double cloud look. And obviously in that scenario, you have to be able to check the ball down… We were trying to push the ball down the field, we knew the time situation and had actually talked about if we got into field goal range and got into a fourth down, kicking a field goal, getting the onside kick and trying to take a shot. So there was a tremendous sense of urgency, it was not due to the lack of calling (deep) passes. We were trying to push the ball down the field and Cody was doing his job. It just wasn’t there and he was checking the ball down.”
Q: What happened for things to turn around so drastically defensively late?
CH: “I thought one of the things they did a nice job on late in the game was they hit their one on one match ups. If you look at some of the throws that they made, especially I think of the one throw to (Will) Fuller down our boundary, how good a ball that was by (DeShone) Kizer. Really dropping a dime right on Fuller, making a great catch knowing he was in position. I just feel like late in the game they won their one on one match ups. Obviously we missed some opportunities to get them off the field on third down, especially in that one drive when we had them on the eight yard line and it’s third and six and we have a chance to get the quarterback down on the scramble and just, we missed the tackle. We didn’t get off the field on third down and then offensively, we needed to do our job also in the fourth quarter and put up points and we didn’t get that done. So it’s a collective effort and we need to play better in the fourth.”
Q: Why does the tackling come and go
CH: “Even Coach (Justin) Wilcox said, it’s just the level of consistency we have to improve. I thought in the second and third quarter, we were tremendous. I really felt like they changed the momentum of the game, especially when Adoree’ (Jackson) knocks that ball out on the goal line and gives us an opportunity to get back in it down two touchdowns. I thought that was a huge play. We have to play with a better level of consistency and I know the kids will.”
Q: How do you improve the two minute drills
CH: “I thought the first two minute drill in the first half was a productive one. It got down and put us in field goal range on the twenty yard line, to be able to go up before half and we missed a field goal. That’s what you’re trying to do offensively. You know, when you’re in a desperation situation, down by ten, Notre Dame played it the right way. They played their guys excessively deep, protected the middle of the field and even though we’re trying to be aggressive forcing the ball downfield, the quarterback’s not going to put it in position to create a turnover. He’s going to do what he’s taught to do and check the ball down and try to get as much as there. We had a drop or two in that last series that could have helped us but there was extensive urgency to score. If you look at it, you go for it on fourth down on your own five yard line. We’re trying to score as hard as humanly possible and continue to fight to win the game.”
This part one. Part two is below.
Tim Tessalone on Pat Haden: “Clay and I did have a chance to talk to Pat today. You saw probably a tweet from Pat. He is feeling great, so that was very encouraging, just kind of back to normal.”
Clay Helton opening statement: “I’m very proud of the effort that our team gave yesterday in a fierce rivalry game. But anytime that you get two really good teams together, you have to eliminate mistakes to win the game. Effort alone can’t win. Being able to have ten penalties in the game and have a blocked kick for a touchdown, miss a field goal and have two turnovers in the fourth quarter really cost us a game against a good opponent. As a head coach, obviously I have to get those cleaned up, I understand I have to get those cleaned up going into a game with Utah, who is a very, very good football team. I’m proud of how our kids represented USC. We look forward to the second half of the season and our march to try to win a Pac-12 South Championship.”
Q: What did you and Pat Haden talk about and how was he?
Clay Helton: “We talked twice today, one he called me this morning, checking in. He wanted to let me know that he was doing well. That basically he was very, very supportive of us, wanted to know what I thought of the tape. And then while we were watching tape with the offensive staff, came in, extremely chipper, gave his full support and looked like his regular self. So very, very glad that he was feeling better and he’s a big part of us moving forward so I’m glad he’s doing well.”
Q: Why were there so many short passes on the last drive?
CH: “We had verticals called if you look at the last couple plays of the game. And they were actually dropping into cover two with the mike backer dropping to the deep third. It was almost like a 33 double cloud look. And obviously in that scenario, you have to be able to check the ball down… We were trying to push the ball down the field, we knew the time situation and had actually talked about if we got into field goal range and got into a fourth down, kicking a field goal, getting the onside kick and trying to take a shot. So there was a tremendous sense of urgency, it was not due to the lack of calling (deep) passes. We were trying to push the ball down the field and Cody was doing his job. It just wasn’t there and he was checking the ball down.”
Q: What happened for things to turn around so drastically defensively late?
CH: “I thought one of the things they did a nice job on late in the game was they hit their one on one match ups. If you look at some of the throws that they made, especially I think of the one throw to (Will) Fuller down our boundary, how good a ball that was by (DeShone) Kizer. Really dropping a dime right on Fuller, making a great catch knowing he was in position. I just feel like late in the game they won their one on one match ups. Obviously we missed some opportunities to get them off the field on third down, especially in that one drive when we had them on the eight yard line and it’s third and six and we have a chance to get the quarterback down on the scramble and just, we missed the tackle. We didn’t get off the field on third down and then offensively, we needed to do our job also in the fourth quarter and put up points and we didn’t get that done. So it’s a collective effort and we need to play better in the fourth.”
Q: Why does the tackling come and go
CH: “Even Coach (Justin) Wilcox said, it’s just the level of consistency we have to improve. I thought in the second and third quarter, we were tremendous. I really felt like they changed the momentum of the game, especially when Adoree’ (Jackson) knocks that ball out on the goal line and gives us an opportunity to get back in it down two touchdowns. I thought that was a huge play. We have to play with a better level of consistency and I know the kids will.”
Q: How do you improve the two minute drills
CH: “I thought the first two minute drill in the first half was a productive one. It got down and put us in field goal range on the twenty yard line, to be able to go up before half and we missed a field goal. That’s what you’re trying to do offensively. You know, when you’re in a desperation situation, down by ten, Notre Dame played it the right way. They played their guys excessively deep, protected the middle of the field and even though we’re trying to be aggressive forcing the ball downfield, the quarterback’s not going to put it in position to create a turnover. He’s going to do what he’s taught to do and check the ball down and try to get as much as there. We had a drop or two in that last series that could have helped us but there was extensive urgency to score. If you look at it, you go for it on fourth down on your own five yard line. We’re trying to score as hard as humanly possible and continue to fight to win the game.”
