Highlights from our latest interviews heading into USC's meeting with Stanford for the Pac-12 title
Su’a Cravens
--on Clay Helton’s promotion
"I’m happy, plain and simple. I’m happy."
--on whether Helton has been any different
"He said when he first was named the interim coach, he said he’s going to stay the same. Now he’s the head coach and he’s staying the same."
--on what USC needs to do different this time around vs. Stanford
"I think we just got to be disciplined. Physicality won’t be a question in this game. I think that’s why they beat us in the fourth quarter the last time we played them. Hey out-physicaled us and got about six or seven yards a carry. We got o stop that this time."
--on Christian McCaffrey
"He’s just athletic. He’s like their Adoree'. You put him anywhere and he’s going to make a play. He’s very fast and he’s got some strength to him, running inside. … You got to tackle him when you get the chance. Week 3 when we played them he broke a lot of tackles and created second chance yardage."
--on how USC is different than it was in its first meeting with Stanford
"I think we’re a better team all around. We know our playbook, we know the guys that we’re working with, and we trust each other. That was a problem at the beginning of the season. We didn’t trust each other and we were trying to do everybody else’s job and make the big play instead of just playing (our own) game."
--on whether there is a difference playing a big game in December compared to September
"Yeah, it’s championship season. If we win we’re going to the Rose Bowl. If we lose, we don’t know where we’re going. We’re going to do it like we did last week, not make the game bigger than it is. We know what’s on the line. Just play. We’re not going to treat this like a special game. Just play."
--on what impressed him about USC”s performance vs. UCLA
"One-on-one wins. We played man most of the game, , probably 90 percent of the game we were in man coverage. Just win. It’s competition. When ‘SC was really successful, it was all about competition and competing. Your job was on the line every play. Last week we had a lot of positions open for competition and this week we’re doing the same."
--on Stanford’s offense
"We know what they’re going to try to do. They’re going to try to run the ball, they’re going to try to attack the edge and when they have to pass it they’re going to pass it to their big tight ends. We knew what they were going to do Week 3, it was just a matter of executing. They’re not going to hide it. They’re not the team to run gimmick plays or gimmick formations. What you see is what you get."
Marvell Tell
--on Helton being promoted
"We got this solidified, security. I love Coach Helton, so it’s all good. … I expected it. Even when he was positioned as the interim coach, I knew if we win out or get to the Pac-12 championship, just basically do good things with him there, we would make that position for him solid."
--on why the team is playing better football under Helton
"He’s genuine. He’s real, he’s down to earth. He looks out for us, so we’re going to look out for him."
--on what’s different about the defense since the last meeting with Stanford
"We got better as a defense over time. We have a lot more chemistry as a group. It almost a whole new defense, not as far as scheme, but we’re together now. Before it was kind of iffy."
--on what he sees on film from the Cardinal
"Traditional Stanford. They’re going to try to muscle you. We just got to be more physical."
JuJu Smith-Schuster
--on Helton being promoted
"We were all pushing for him to be the head coach and he got the job and we’re all excited. There’s no more need to worry about what’s going on with that. Just focus on Stanford."
Darreus Rogers
--on Helton being promoted
"It was the best news I’ve heard. It was a great way to start my Monday. Once he got the job we all just gathered around, gave him hugs, congratulated him, and then came out for business. It’s a championship game."
Zach Banner
--on Stanford's defensive front
"They’re a huge, physical front. They’re great. Their front seven’s great. I applaud them, It’s going to be a great matchup. We know on both sides of the ball we’re going to have to get nitty and gritty. It’s going to feel good."
Justin Davis
--on how a greater workload is spurring his instincts
"It happened all the time in high school. And I’m starting to feel that same feeling a little bit more with more carries. Being in the zone, there’s no other feeling like it. I hope we can keep it going. With the way the O-line is playing I think we can just run for however many yards we want to."
--on Helton being promoted
"I was probably happier than he was that day. I’ve been with Coach Helton the whole ride. I’ve known him since he recruited me, and the type of person he is. People outside might not know about him, but if they just met him, sat down 10 minutes with him, they would now that this is the right decision."
--on what’s different about USC now compared to when it first played Stanford
"Towards the beginning of the season I feel like we kind of didn’t have an identity as a team. These past few weeks we kind of established this physical, hard-nosed football identity. Going forward I think that’s the best chance that we have to win against Stanford. They’re going to bring it because they’re physical too and it’s going to be a great challenge."
--on his rare show of emotion in the fourth quarter vs. UCLA
"The O-line, they were just getting me fired up. Zach Banner said just run right behind me, same with Damien. They’re just two massive dudes. It’s the best thing to run behind them. For Coach Helton to come in the huddle and say this is the time to end it right here, it just got us all fired up. It felt good that we were moving the chains, one after another, and just seeing the UCLA defense get angry, frustrated, it made us get even more fired up."
Su’a Cravens
--on Clay Helton’s promotion
"I’m happy, plain and simple. I’m happy."
--on whether Helton has been any different
"He said when he first was named the interim coach, he said he’s going to stay the same. Now he’s the head coach and he’s staying the same."
--on what USC needs to do different this time around vs. Stanford
"I think we just got to be disciplined. Physicality won’t be a question in this game. I think that’s why they beat us in the fourth quarter the last time we played them. Hey out-physicaled us and got about six or seven yards a carry. We got o stop that this time."
--on Christian McCaffrey
"He’s just athletic. He’s like their Adoree'. You put him anywhere and he’s going to make a play. He’s very fast and he’s got some strength to him, running inside. … You got to tackle him when you get the chance. Week 3 when we played them he broke a lot of tackles and created second chance yardage."
--on how USC is different than it was in its first meeting with Stanford
"I think we’re a better team all around. We know our playbook, we know the guys that we’re working with, and we trust each other. That was a problem at the beginning of the season. We didn’t trust each other and we were trying to do everybody else’s job and make the big play instead of just playing (our own) game."
--on whether there is a difference playing a big game in December compared to September
"Yeah, it’s championship season. If we win we’re going to the Rose Bowl. If we lose, we don’t know where we’re going. We’re going to do it like we did last week, not make the game bigger than it is. We know what’s on the line. Just play. We’re not going to treat this like a special game. Just play."
--on what impressed him about USC”s performance vs. UCLA
"One-on-one wins. We played man most of the game, , probably 90 percent of the game we were in man coverage. Just win. It’s competition. When ‘SC was really successful, it was all about competition and competing. Your job was on the line every play. Last week we had a lot of positions open for competition and this week we’re doing the same."
--on Stanford’s offense
"We know what they’re going to try to do. They’re going to try to run the ball, they’re going to try to attack the edge and when they have to pass it they’re going to pass it to their big tight ends. We knew what they were going to do Week 3, it was just a matter of executing. They’re not going to hide it. They’re not the team to run gimmick plays or gimmick formations. What you see is what you get."
Marvell Tell
--on Helton being promoted
"We got this solidified, security. I love Coach Helton, so it’s all good. … I expected it. Even when he was positioned as the interim coach, I knew if we win out or get to the Pac-12 championship, just basically do good things with him there, we would make that position for him solid."
--on why the team is playing better football under Helton
"He’s genuine. He’s real, he’s down to earth. He looks out for us, so we’re going to look out for him."
--on what’s different about the defense since the last meeting with Stanford
"We got better as a defense over time. We have a lot more chemistry as a group. It almost a whole new defense, not as far as scheme, but we’re together now. Before it was kind of iffy."
--on what he sees on film from the Cardinal
"Traditional Stanford. They’re going to try to muscle you. We just got to be more physical."
JuJu Smith-Schuster
--on Helton being promoted
"We were all pushing for him to be the head coach and he got the job and we’re all excited. There’s no more need to worry about what’s going on with that. Just focus on Stanford."
Darreus Rogers
--on Helton being promoted
"It was the best news I’ve heard. It was a great way to start my Monday. Once he got the job we all just gathered around, gave him hugs, congratulated him, and then came out for business. It’s a championship game."
Zach Banner
--on Stanford's defensive front
"They’re a huge, physical front. They’re great. Their front seven’s great. I applaud them, It’s going to be a great matchup. We know on both sides of the ball we’re going to have to get nitty and gritty. It’s going to feel good."
Justin Davis
--on how a greater workload is spurring his instincts
"It happened all the time in high school. And I’m starting to feel that same feeling a little bit more with more carries. Being in the zone, there’s no other feeling like it. I hope we can keep it going. With the way the O-line is playing I think we can just run for however many yards we want to."
--on Helton being promoted
"I was probably happier than he was that day. I’ve been with Coach Helton the whole ride. I’ve known him since he recruited me, and the type of person he is. People outside might not know about him, but if they just met him, sat down 10 minutes with him, they would now that this is the right decision."
--on what’s different about USC now compared to when it first played Stanford
"Towards the beginning of the season I feel like we kind of didn’t have an identity as a team. These past few weeks we kind of established this physical, hard-nosed football identity. Going forward I think that’s the best chance that we have to win against Stanford. They’re going to bring it because they’re physical too and it’s going to be a great challenge."
--on his rare show of emotion in the fourth quarter vs. UCLA
"The O-line, they were just getting me fired up. Zach Banner said just run right behind me, same with Damien. They’re just two massive dudes. It’s the best thing to run behind them. For Coach Helton to come in the huddle and say this is the time to end it right here, it just got us all fired up. It felt good that we were moving the chains, one after another, and just seeing the UCLA defense get angry, frustrated, it made us get even more fired up."
