Highlights from our interviews following USC's 31-27 loss to Utah...
COACH CLAY HELTON
--on how close he was to going for it on fourth down
"I was waiting to see the spot and it looked like it was fourth-and-3 at about the 40-yard line. We were up three. if you don't make that, you put them basically 30 yards away from field goal range. We got one of the better punters in our league that can place the ball in Chris Tilbey. He put them down on the 5-yard line and hope that they can't go 95 yards. Would I change the decision? No. It worked out how we wanted it and we planned."
--on the three fumbles
"I'll have to watch the tape but it's slick. We practiced all week with wet balls and practicing that. You got to have two arms on the ball. But I'll have to watch the tape to see what happened."
--on how to get over the hump
"I thought it was tonight. I'll be honest with you. I really thought the attitude and competitiveness this team was playing with, I'm heartbroken for them. I told them in there, if they compete like they did tonight, they're going to win a lot of football games. I really believe that. They're going to be a really good football team. We just got to finish with wins. We had our opportunity tonight and we let it slip away."
--on why Justin Davis didn't appear in the fourth quarter
"We mixed them in a little bit. We ended up mixing the three backs altogether and I thought they did a great job, 213 yards. Justin had a good night as well as the other two kids."
QB SAM DARNOLD
--on not going for it on fourth down
"I wanted it but it's Coach Helton’s decision. It was the right decision, to be honest. In the spur of the moment, I’m like, let’s go for it, let’s go for it. But in the way the game flows we have a punter that can really pin them down there, which he did and Coach Helton had really good trust in the defense. And if we could do it over again I’m sure he’d do the same thing."
--on the difference between starting and coming off the bench
"I thought I found myself in a really good rhythm. The coaches did a great job of calling the plays that I like. The coaches really prepared me well for this game. Credit to them. Credit to our receivers for catching the ball. Credit to our O-line. Everyone did a great job around me. I just got to get them the ball when needed."
--on the locker room after the game
"After the game we were all down but we have hope. We have hope for the season. Obviously we’re going to go out there and try to win every single game from now on. That’s the goal right now."
--on how to get over the hump
"You look at all the opportunities we had to put the game away and score touchdowns and we shot ourselves in the foot, to be honest. It’s a great Utah team, a great defense, but in the end we didn’t execute the way we wanted to. We put the ball on the ground too much. Limit the penalties and the turnovers and we’ll be fine."
--on the level of concern for Coach Helton after a 1-3 start
"No, we love Coach Helton and we know that he’s safe where he is. That’s not a question in our minds, We just got to start winning games and providing W’s for our great fan base."
--Darnold said AD Lynn Swann shook players' hands in postgame locker room and wished them well, but he did not address the team. “He’s not in there giving motivational speeches or anything.”
TB JUSTIN DAVIS
--on the gravity of this defeat
"This is one of the tougher losses just because we came off a really bad loss and we were in the game for such a long time. We lost it at the end. Those are the worst ones. It’s really going to show what type of team you are to bounce back from this. I don’t remember the last time we started off the season this bad. It’s really up to the team to determine what we’re going to do from this point."
OT CHAD WHEELER
--on the postgame locker room
"It affects us all. We’re all really disappointed. We had a two-score lead and we didn’t finish. It’s pretty disappointing. We should have come out here with a W. It’s two or three plays that really cost us the game."
--on Sam Darnold
"He played off the charts. It seemed like every ball he threw was completed 10, 15 yards, every third down. Third-down conversions, I wonder what that number is because it was pretty high." (Wheeler is right, of course. USC converted 6 of 10).
OC TEE MARTIN
--on whether he wanted to go for it on fourth down
"I’m not answering that question. It was the head coach’s decision. He made a decision and we roll with it."
--on Sam Darnold’s play
"He did a heck of a job, first start, hostile environment on the road, elements I thought he managed the game really well. He made some plays that quite honestly, you didn’t know (were there). He put us in a situation to win the game. We just didn’t do enough. Turnovers killed us in the first half, some unfortunate penalties in the second half, got us out of our rhythm of moving the ball. I thought we moved the ball well and just couldn’t get out of our own way in certain situations. We got to clean that up."
--on if Darnold played even better than he expected
"This is his first start. You know how talented he is but that’s practice. How’s he really going to play in a full game where for the first time he gets to see the coverages? For the first time he gets to see the blitz, as oppose to coming off the bench, and you’ve kind of seen it and have it in your mind what to do with the ball. I thought he responded well and gave us a chance to win the game."
--on how Darnold’s versatility impacted the play-calling
"He brings an extra dimension to the running game. Even if you’re not calling quarterback runs the threat to run gives defenses issues. I thought he did a good job, I thought he read them right. He brings that extra dimension. Even when guys aren’t open downfield he can create with his legs and do things with his legs. As a play-caller, you just feel like you’re calling the offense with a guy that can pretty much do everything."
S CHRIS HAWKINS
--on Utah’s final drive
"They were in a rhythm and they were going to what they were going to the whole game, single coverage to the boundary. They were hitting all Ps and Qs out there today. I don’t know if we were confused out there." (Hawkins wasn’t on the field.)
--on the level of concern for Coach Helton after a 1-3 start
"You never really want to take it that far but being realistic that’s not good. We know that’s not good. But as players we’re the ones that wanted him. We begged for him and got him and we’re not performing the way he needs us to perform -- 1-3 is not good enough, at all."
--on losing on the final drive
"The team (USC) played their heart out. That’s a good team over there, top-25 team. I thought we had control of the game. Everybody’s going to always have their surges against us and they had theirs late. It was insurmountable when they got in their real rhythm. It was hard to stop them."
--on Darnold’s play
"Sam Darnold played his butt off. He was great. The last few weeks everybody’s been talking about the offense needs to do this, the offense needs to do that. Tonight the defense didn’t come through for the offense. The offense put us in great position and we didn’t come through for them."
--on what needs to be cleaned up defensively
"Communication in the back end. We have to clean it up. It has to get better. Sometimes we’re not on the same page and it affects the whole defense, especially in the back end. When you give up explosive plays, most of the time we’re going to lose the game. We have to get better at communicating with each other. Everybody has to be on the same exact page."
--on why USC plays so much nickel even when the opposing team is run-first
"You got to go with the personnel they have on the field. If you go out there in base defense with just four DBs, you don’t want a linebacker covering No. 16 (Utah WR Cory Butler-Byrd). That’s not what you want. If you put one of your safeties down on him, then you’re just showing that you’re in a one-high defense. You got to try to disguise. You can’t just give away your defense that easily. They’re going to pound us anyway."
TB RONALD JONES II
--on what caused his fumble
"They got great penetration and it just happened too quickly and I wasn’t ready for that. But that’s on me. I got to hold on to the ball."
--on his struggles through four games
"I’m in a little bit of a slump right now. The rest of the offense is doing their part, the O-line and everything. I just got to get going. I think it's on me. My vision, I’m just not seeing the field. I’m in a slump right now. I think it's just mental. I got to get back on track."
--on Darnold’s play
"He was great. He stayed calm the whole game. He did everything to win us the football game. We just got to eliminate those turnovers. Those extra possessions we could have had, they were the difference."
--on the difference in leadership style between Browne and Darnold
"He’s more calm, cool and collected than Max. Max is really that general. Sam’s just kid of laid back, go with the flow but still makes sure everybody’s right. He played great tonight."
COACH CLAY HELTON
--on how close he was to going for it on fourth down
"I was waiting to see the spot and it looked like it was fourth-and-3 at about the 40-yard line. We were up three. if you don't make that, you put them basically 30 yards away from field goal range. We got one of the better punters in our league that can place the ball in Chris Tilbey. He put them down on the 5-yard line and hope that they can't go 95 yards. Would I change the decision? No. It worked out how we wanted it and we planned."
--on the three fumbles
"I'll have to watch the tape but it's slick. We practiced all week with wet balls and practicing that. You got to have two arms on the ball. But I'll have to watch the tape to see what happened."
--on how to get over the hump
"I thought it was tonight. I'll be honest with you. I really thought the attitude and competitiveness this team was playing with, I'm heartbroken for them. I told them in there, if they compete like they did tonight, they're going to win a lot of football games. I really believe that. They're going to be a really good football team. We just got to finish with wins. We had our opportunity tonight and we let it slip away."
--on why Justin Davis didn't appear in the fourth quarter
"We mixed them in a little bit. We ended up mixing the three backs altogether and I thought they did a great job, 213 yards. Justin had a good night as well as the other two kids."
QB SAM DARNOLD
--on not going for it on fourth down
"I wanted it but it's Coach Helton’s decision. It was the right decision, to be honest. In the spur of the moment, I’m like, let’s go for it, let’s go for it. But in the way the game flows we have a punter that can really pin them down there, which he did and Coach Helton had really good trust in the defense. And if we could do it over again I’m sure he’d do the same thing."
--on the difference between starting and coming off the bench
"I thought I found myself in a really good rhythm. The coaches did a great job of calling the plays that I like. The coaches really prepared me well for this game. Credit to them. Credit to our receivers for catching the ball. Credit to our O-line. Everyone did a great job around me. I just got to get them the ball when needed."
--on the locker room after the game
"After the game we were all down but we have hope. We have hope for the season. Obviously we’re going to go out there and try to win every single game from now on. That’s the goal right now."
--on how to get over the hump
"You look at all the opportunities we had to put the game away and score touchdowns and we shot ourselves in the foot, to be honest. It’s a great Utah team, a great defense, but in the end we didn’t execute the way we wanted to. We put the ball on the ground too much. Limit the penalties and the turnovers and we’ll be fine."
--on the level of concern for Coach Helton after a 1-3 start
"No, we love Coach Helton and we know that he’s safe where he is. That’s not a question in our minds, We just got to start winning games and providing W’s for our great fan base."
--Darnold said AD Lynn Swann shook players' hands in postgame locker room and wished them well, but he did not address the team. “He’s not in there giving motivational speeches or anything.”
TB JUSTIN DAVIS
--on the gravity of this defeat
"This is one of the tougher losses just because we came off a really bad loss and we were in the game for such a long time. We lost it at the end. Those are the worst ones. It’s really going to show what type of team you are to bounce back from this. I don’t remember the last time we started off the season this bad. It’s really up to the team to determine what we’re going to do from this point."
OT CHAD WHEELER
--on the postgame locker room
"It affects us all. We’re all really disappointed. We had a two-score lead and we didn’t finish. It’s pretty disappointing. We should have come out here with a W. It’s two or three plays that really cost us the game."
--on Sam Darnold
"He played off the charts. It seemed like every ball he threw was completed 10, 15 yards, every third down. Third-down conversions, I wonder what that number is because it was pretty high." (Wheeler is right, of course. USC converted 6 of 10).
OC TEE MARTIN
--on whether he wanted to go for it on fourth down
"I’m not answering that question. It was the head coach’s decision. He made a decision and we roll with it."
--on Sam Darnold’s play
"He did a heck of a job, first start, hostile environment on the road, elements I thought he managed the game really well. He made some plays that quite honestly, you didn’t know (were there). He put us in a situation to win the game. We just didn’t do enough. Turnovers killed us in the first half, some unfortunate penalties in the second half, got us out of our rhythm of moving the ball. I thought we moved the ball well and just couldn’t get out of our own way in certain situations. We got to clean that up."
--on if Darnold played even better than he expected
"This is his first start. You know how talented he is but that’s practice. How’s he really going to play in a full game where for the first time he gets to see the coverages? For the first time he gets to see the blitz, as oppose to coming off the bench, and you’ve kind of seen it and have it in your mind what to do with the ball. I thought he responded well and gave us a chance to win the game."
--on how Darnold’s versatility impacted the play-calling
"He brings an extra dimension to the running game. Even if you’re not calling quarterback runs the threat to run gives defenses issues. I thought he did a good job, I thought he read them right. He brings that extra dimension. Even when guys aren’t open downfield he can create with his legs and do things with his legs. As a play-caller, you just feel like you’re calling the offense with a guy that can pretty much do everything."
S CHRIS HAWKINS
--on Utah’s final drive
"They were in a rhythm and they were going to what they were going to the whole game, single coverage to the boundary. They were hitting all Ps and Qs out there today. I don’t know if we were confused out there." (Hawkins wasn’t on the field.)
--on the level of concern for Coach Helton after a 1-3 start
"You never really want to take it that far but being realistic that’s not good. We know that’s not good. But as players we’re the ones that wanted him. We begged for him and got him and we’re not performing the way he needs us to perform -- 1-3 is not good enough, at all."
--on losing on the final drive
"The team (USC) played their heart out. That’s a good team over there, top-25 team. I thought we had control of the game. Everybody’s going to always have their surges against us and they had theirs late. It was insurmountable when they got in their real rhythm. It was hard to stop them."
--on Darnold’s play
"Sam Darnold played his butt off. He was great. The last few weeks everybody’s been talking about the offense needs to do this, the offense needs to do that. Tonight the defense didn’t come through for the offense. The offense put us in great position and we didn’t come through for them."
--on what needs to be cleaned up defensively
"Communication in the back end. We have to clean it up. It has to get better. Sometimes we’re not on the same page and it affects the whole defense, especially in the back end. When you give up explosive plays, most of the time we’re going to lose the game. We have to get better at communicating with each other. Everybody has to be on the same exact page."
--on why USC plays so much nickel even when the opposing team is run-first
"You got to go with the personnel they have on the field. If you go out there in base defense with just four DBs, you don’t want a linebacker covering No. 16 (Utah WR Cory Butler-Byrd). That’s not what you want. If you put one of your safeties down on him, then you’re just showing that you’re in a one-high defense. You got to try to disguise. You can’t just give away your defense that easily. They’re going to pound us anyway."
TB RONALD JONES II
--on what caused his fumble
"They got great penetration and it just happened too quickly and I wasn’t ready for that. But that’s on me. I got to hold on to the ball."
--on his struggles through four games
"I’m in a little bit of a slump right now. The rest of the offense is doing their part, the O-line and everything. I just got to get going. I think it's on me. My vision, I’m just not seeing the field. I’m in a slump right now. I think it's just mental. I got to get back on track."
--on Darnold’s play
"He was great. He stayed calm the whole game. He did everything to win us the football game. We just got to eliminate those turnovers. Those extra possessions we could have had, they were the difference."
--on the difference in leadership style between Browne and Darnold
"He’s more calm, cool and collected than Max. Max is really that general. Sam’s just kid of laid back, go with the flow but still makes sure everybody’s right. He played great tonight."
