Thought of the day...

by Paragon SC on Oct 27, 2009 5:00 AM PDT in USC Football Comment 8 comments

Just something I was thinking about on way in to work this morning...

Earlier this season there was some chatter in various places that Pete Carroll was too involved with the offense. His support for and his alleged obsession of Matt Barkley left a lot of people thinking that there were to many chef's in the kitchen.

Maybe...maybe not.

But in seeing how the defense performed in the second half against both Notre Dame and Oregon St. it might give some people pause to think that there could be a lack of attention to detail in regards to game prep on the defense.

We have not seen a Pete Carroll defense get scored on like that in a very long time...not with the talent.

So, it begs the very open-ended question.

I realize I am way out on the fringes with this but I just thought I would throw it out there. I could be very wrong, maybe Weis and Riley found some chinks in the armor. Maybe this USC defense is not as good as advertised...who knows. But one thing is for sure, the last two games have left many of us scratching our heads at how one of the more dominating defenses in the nation could let ND and OSU hang around so late in those games.

Let me know your thoughts...

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No preparation isn't the issue.

In both the games you are talking about the big issues came in the second half, so the issue would be adjustments rather than preparation. I think in the case of Notre Dame there was a let up in intensity a little bit and the momentum swung. In the case of Oregon State, Mike Riley is a really good coach. Had he been hired back instead of Pete I suspect that he would have also brought USC “back”. I really doubt that the past 7 years would be as dominant as they have been under Pete, but looking at the results Riley achieved at OSU and factoring in the talent and recruiting advantages at USC leads to the easy conclusion that he would have done very well if he had taken the job at SC.

oc phil

by oc phil on Oct 27, 2009 7:38 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Totally Agree!

Mike Riley, one of the top 5 best coaches in the country. Consistently top 3 in PacX with +8 win seasons. Corvallis has a population of 50k and the state of Oregon under 4 million. Very impressive.

by DFWTrojan on Oct 27, 2009 1:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe this USC defense is not as good as advertised

I think it depends on what the ad campaign was.

Look, you guys lost a ton of talent to the NFL — of course this defense wouldn’t be as good as last year! No offense, but anyone thinking you’d skate by the season without giving up a TD is as deluded as the folks at BN for thinking that an 8-4 season was possible.

Let’s be honest — there are good teams out there and with the right planning, talent, players, and a bit of luck, they will move the ball and score on any defense. It happens. Nothing to panic over.

Think of it this way … it may be a situation of “it’s not you, it’s them.”

On ATQ I'm known as JSoCal Oski

It's spelled J-etc

by SoCal Oski on Oct 27, 2009 8:26 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Tend to Agree

I don’t think it’s time to freak out about the defense. We are young and inexperienced, and we just played two of the best QBs in the country. With Fangupo out, and Spicer and Tupou injured, we are dangerously shallow on the interior. All season long, we have been dangerously shallow at LB.

Youth, Inexperience, Lack of Depth vs Top notch offensive opposition and offensive coaching = points scored on USC.

I’m not too worried about it yet. A bit more worried that the offense can’t score 50 points against some terrible defenses.

by DFWTrojan on Oct 27, 2009 1:48 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Young and inexperienced?!?!?!?

WTF!

Are you kidding me? You’re out of your goddamn mind!

What do think this is ucla???

I am kidding of course…..

Conquest Chronicles

by Paragon SC on Oct 27, 2009 2:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

young & inexperienced

I was just thinking today, that the folks at BN have the same answer to every problem their football team is having: Blame Karl Dorrell. He instilled a losing attitude. He recruited poorly. He left the cupboard bare. Etc.

It’s all very reminiscent of how the republicans would blame any problem the Bush administration had on Clinton. Iraq? Clinton! Unemployment? Clinton! Etc.

There has to come a time when the problem is no longer the other guy’s. Maybe next year?

On ATQ I'm known as JSoCal Oski

It's spelled J-etc

by SoCal Oski on Oct 28, 2009 8:22 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs