USC 34 ASU 33...and it was ugly
by Paragon SC on Nov 6, 2010 11:11 PM PDT
in USC Football
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PrintWell, this game had it all.
Blocked Punts.
Three missed field goals....two for USC, one for ASU
A kick off return for a TD.
A blocked PAT that turned into a 2-point conversion going the other way for USC.
And not one, but TWO pick-6's.
What did I miss.............?
I don't know what to say.
Short of ASU's first drive, the USC defense played a pretty good game in the first half tonight. In the second half, they had a trouble defending ASU's screen and ASU's zone read package. Monte Kiffin didn't really adjust or have an answer for ASU's adjustments in the 2nd half. The USC defense played on pure will...even though the tackling got spotty as the game wore on.
I don't even want to talk about the offense.
Mark Tyler and Stanley Havili are the reason we won this game. Dillon Baxter was OK...it is clear he still thinks he is in high school with all his juking and jiving looking for a hole instead of just plowing forward. He is still learning, I know, and I think he learned a thing or two tonight because if Tyler is out next week D-Bax is going to get a lot of touches. Bradford is pretty much a no show with his lack of ball control.
The passing game was non existent tonight. Barkley had Woods open on USC's very first play from scrimmage but overthrew him by four yards.
After that it was unremarkable.
I think it's time to really give Matt Barkley some serious scrutiny. As Zoulou said in the comments...does Matt Barkley suddenly hit the wall after six games? Sure the play calling got conservative and head scratching at times but Barkley needs to make better progress than this. Ausberry should have made that catch that resulted in the Pick-6 but Barkley also threw it a little high.
Barkley is just not improving his accuracy and he is still making horrible decisions when things break down like the INT after USC blocked the punt. The throw was behind the receiver and it was in traffic...so that was two instances where Barkley prevented the offense from scoring points...the other is the Woods overthrow.
I will leave it there for now...there is plenty of time to dissect it in the coming days.
I know a win is a win, but jeez........
Rant away here, this our post game thread.
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That's because they gave the two points from the blocked extra point to ASU and not us....
Wankers!
"Understanding is a virtue, hard to come by"
J. Airplane
im ok with what you said except for
Aus,.. It was his fault only. He didn’t run at full speed and he didn’t bat it down but up? Unexcusible! He has a good catch here and there biut he is lazy. TE at best. But the special temas lost and won this game. It is what it is. Fight On!!!
by USC_Fire on Nov 6, 2010 11:40 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
Disagree on Ausberry – that was a crappy pass – if one of the “tree” WRs can’t get to it, it was a floater.
"When the seagulls follow the trawler, it's because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea"
Right Lono he really didn't make a very good effort, he is part of the oh-well PC shit left over.
I love national championships it makes me feel superior to others, my whole place has USC stuff everywhere, it's painted red and gold, my car is the same colors my asscrack is bruin blue.
by so.cal.native1952 on Nov 7, 2010 4:19 AM PDT up reply actions
In Ausberry's defense,
he has good hands and has made difficult catches all season. He has made several drive saving-catches, over the middle, in traffic. That said, he should have caught Barkley’s pass. A lapse in conncentration isn’t the same as a lapse in effort. Fact is, the ball was high and hard. Under pressure, Barkley’s judegment and execution still need to improve.
Totally agree
And hate the notion: “Well, it hit him in the hands, so it’s all on him.” No, The pass way high, and the mere fact Ausberry was able to get two-hands on the ball is an achievement on his part. Barkley’s accuracy can be rather aggravating at times.
Follow me on twitter @Joey_Kaufman
by Joey Kaufman on Nov 7, 2010 10:57 AM PST up reply actions
Butt Ugly Win
Beginning to have major doubts about Kiffin’s leadership. He’s dour as hell -which would not be so bad if his team’s played with the discipline of say a Brian Kelly or Jim Harbaugh-coached team- but he leaves a lot of questions. Offensive play calling tonight was weak. Baxter barely moved the ball and yet we kept going to him. Not enough Tyler and now he may be out. What happened to Woods? Kiffin wasted time calling the TO after ASU tanked with just under 2 minutes. Even the fans on TV knew enough to call that TO.
The play calling was weak???
Jeez, is it just a standard complaint in any close win or loss that the “play calling was weak”? What was weak about the play calling that enabled Barkley to have a wide open RoJo for a long TD on our first offensive play, put us in FG range for 2 misses, and put us in the red zone for MB7 to throw a pick. Our “weak play calling” put USC in position to score 54 points tonight? Weak? Really?
If you look at the offensive stats, USC’s 34 points, 24 1st downs, 402 yards, and 36:48 time of possession was the best overall performance against the ASU defense all season. Our turnovers and Barkely mistakes kept this game close.
The offense did very well, in light of Barkley’s mistakes and the FG kicking. We were playing a very good defense.
You can't put sanctions on the fkn endzone! Bowls are for salad!
I think the play calling and offensive game plan were excellent
It’s too bad that Marc Tyler got hurt, and that Robert Woods was limited due to illness this weak.
Kudos to Brice Butler for having a nice game. I hope we’ll use him more. Our top two receivers lack a strong physical presence.
You can't put sanctions on the fkn endzone! Bowls are for salad!
it got a little conservative you have to admit
running on 3rd and 25?
Tyler got hurt late…he should have seen a few more reps instead of D-Bax.
I can buy into Woods being sick so it was nice to see BB get some throws but RoJo hardly had his name called.
Our turnovers and Barkely mistakes kept this game close
There should be some improvement in his bad decision making. The ASU defense is a little bit better than most we have seen this season, he grooved that INT into traffic behind the receiver…he should know better after 21 starts. He also dodged a bullet by the crappy officiating when he crossed the LOS on that one pass play deep in ASU territory.
I can live with a mistake here or there but he had more than a few last night…
Time for him to man up…all the great offensive stats in the world won’t win us games if he puts a crappy kicker in the position to matter or expects our iffy defense to close these games out.
James MacArthur - RIP "Book 'em Danno!"
He still throws a wobbly pass and threw behind many recievers last night.
"Understanding is a virtue, hard to come by"
J. Airplane
Thats my point...I can live with an occasion screw up
I just want to see him use his head better in some of these situations…
great example is Sanchez…better than last year but still making some of those mistakes that frustrate coaches at the next level…
James MacArthur - RIP "Book 'em Danno!"
Barkley had Havili wide open on the 3 yard-line on first down. Instead the throws a pick in the endzone going for the kill. Joe Houston misses two fieldgoals.
We leave 13 points on the field and people still think it’s Kiffins faul?!
The Sanchez comparison is spot on.
Football season is here
U feeling Loco?
10-3 season looks well within reach
Not bad. With a few lucky bounces we actually could be 7-1. We just are not closing out and polished like we all have come to expect. Hell, maybe there really was a letdown after Oregon game, and maybe these guys don’t have much to play for, but I’d like to see consistent improvement instead of 1-step-forward-1-step-back. Rest of season will be very telling. Either we gel and get firing on all cylinders, or …
I just got back from the Coliseum and boy am I tired..........................
after a brilliant start to the days activities with lunch @ Langer’s, with my oldest & then rolling into the Lab for some beers and to watch the end of the bRuins game “enjoyed” one of the weirdest SC football games in a long time. Where was EVERYBODY? oh I forgot there was a 30% chance of rain.
Thank God for that “personal foul machine” Vontaze Burfict otherwise Sunday would be a day of deep depression. All I can say is SCOREBOARD & a W is A W.
Where’s my Vodka?
"Understanding is a virtue, hard to come by"
J. Airplane
the referees taketh away, and Vontaze Burfict giveth back
"When the seagulls follow the trawler, it's because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea"
G-man... I don't know HOW the hell I got home.
I had two (just two) beers but it felt like a keg… Please Max, no more 7:30 starts.
Football season is here
U feeling Loco?
Agree two Sapporo drafts at the lab I needed a nap
you notice all the idiots leaving the the Coli with the game still in doubt, it’s mind boggling. Why bother going?
"Understanding is a virtue, hard to come by"
J. Airplane
Section 23 held tight (at least in my neighborhood)
but yeah, the bandwagon crowd (and a lot of Sundevils) was out by the beginning of the 4th quarter. It’s a sad state of affairs.
Football season is here
U feeling Loco?
Whew, Indian givers - give it away, just to take it right back
This team seems to be better at finding ways to lose than win. Yet, our potential remains relatively high. It almost feels like this team has forgotten how to win, or lacks the confidence to win. Given the sanctions, lack of depth, brutal last second losses, no bowl game, yada, yada, yada, I guess this season will just be a struggle all the way through.
Again, our potential is high. USC left 20 points on the board in the 1st half. USC should have been leading 34-7 at the half in a blowout a al Kal. Two FGs misses by less than 12 inches, a wide open missed deep pass, and an endzone INT. 20 points, left on the board. USC dominated and outclassed ASU early.
Some less sophisticated fans will try to lay blame on Kiffin for not winning decisively. Yet, Kiffin does not kick FGs or make passes for Barkley. The fact is that Kiffin inherited a program on the decline led by a true frosh QB. Barkley’s blunders – missed deep pass to RoWo, high pass pick six, endzone INT – are what almost cost USC this game. It’s not Kiffin’s fault that his USC team had no FG kicker, had a mistake-prone true soph QB who should never have started as a frosh, or had only 70 scholie players after NCAA sanctions.
A win is a win, and USC needs some tough wins to learn how to be a winner again. I still think we can finish with a 10-win season, as our remaining opponents aren’t much better than ASU. USC just needs to keep fightin’ on in 2010, and give Kiff and CEO a chance to bring in some new recruits.
You can't put sanctions on the fkn endzone! Bowls are for salad!
I'm going to say, FN Rec'd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Very eloquent, it’s going to be a struggle, but hey we could be Texas! Who’s Mack going to blame this week?
"Understanding is a virtue, hard to come by"
J. Airplane
Barkley's 2nd Int
was just the kind of thing that will happen from time to time. The first one, throwing into coverage in the red zone on FIRST DOWN was a mindboggling decision.
John Baxter is the man of the year. With quality kicking personnel, which we will have next year, the special teams squads could be outrageous… the kickoff return we gave up aside…
oof. A WIN IS A WIN.
"I have a commanding voice." - Ed Orgeron
Let's face it a win is a win and they really have the nothing to play for attitude.
Some of the players give a darn and some dont, I think doesnt have to much leverage. Not enough good players to keep others in line.
I love national championships it makes me feel superior to others, my whole place has USC stuff everywhere, it's painted red and gold, my car is the same colors my asscrack is bruin blue.
by so.cal.native1952 on Nov 7, 2010 4:23 AM PDT reply actions
One play that was NOT ugly...
Tyrone Smith hurdling over 2 offensive lineman, charging untouched up the middle, and blocking a PAT with his facemask. Looks even better in slo-mo. There’s a play you don’t see every day!
I'm surprised the ASU kicker didn't bolt
I would have.
"When the seagulls follow the trawler, it's because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea"
With all the mistakes and blunders in this game
It shows some tough character on the Trojans’ part to pull it out.
It is also worth pointing out, as I did in the open thread, that Joe Houston came back from those two ball-breaking misses in the first half to hit the game winning FG – even if it was only a 29 yarder, clearly nothing is a given for him, so thank goodness he gets to come away from this game not having his confidence in complete tatters.
As to the whole point about Barkley hitting a wall after 6 games – could it be that other teams simply have enough film on us and that the same offensive plays we’ve been calling all year and just well defended now? For not giving up many sacks this year, the O-line was getting beat by ASU with some relative frequency tonight and Barkley was under a lot of pressure. Combine that with guys not being as open and Barkley suddenly has to make tighter throws under duress.
If we win them all 34-33 I’ll still be happy, so I can’t complain too much about getting away with a crazy one like this one.
Good point.
USC fought through some adversity to win this game. If they had lost, there are a lot of plays that you could look back upon as pivotal. Obviously, the two missed FGs, ASU’s KO return for the TD, and the Barkley/Ausberry pick-6 come to mind as these directly effected the score. These plays were breakdowns in execution (or outstanding execution by ASU) which quite honestly is to be expected over the course of a game.
Just as big, IMO, were the two late Barkley sacks, which were drive-killers in crunch time. I’d have to question these two plays at the play-calling/scheme level. I can understand that Kiffin desired to go downfield to the WRs, but USC was not able to protect Barkley on those DEEP dropbacks. In both plays, he turned his back to the field and dropped back about 10 yards. There was not a “pocket”, not chance to step up…he was too deep. Plus his accuracy was spotty on the deeper throws. Credit ASU. They did a great job of taking USC WRs out of the game, but USC was moving the ball well without them. In retrospect, I’m not sure the risk-reward was worth it on those plays, even if Barkley would have had a little more time. In the future, a 5-7 step drop with quicker routes might be a preferrable options on these late-game critical drives.
To be clear
I agree with DFW’s point above that the play-calling and game plan were both very good overall…better than agaisnt Oregon, against probably a better defense. I do think a little more patience late in the game would have been wise. If Tyler is out, USC will need to work around this in future games. He’s the most consistent of the backs. Barkley will have to do more, and Kiffin will need to set him up to succeed.
don't nessarily disagree
so lets call Barkley what he is…an above average QB that still makes freshman mistakes…he needs to keep improving so that all that film that teams have on him won’t matter. If he under pressure throw it away…I understand that it happens.
James MacArthur - RIP "Book 'em Danno!"
Does anyone think that there is a ceiling with Barkley
At least the last two years Barkley has reached a ceiling after 6-7 games.
Is it a physical thing? Does he wear out? Do hit’s affect him more than we believe?
Note that it took Carson Palmer about five years to get it. In PC’s first year, Plaschke asked if Pete ever thought of replacing Palmer, and PC aggressively shot that down.
It may take Barkley 5 years to be the “unstoppable” QB PC predicted. But then he may never be that kind of QB. As I said before, he may not be Palmer, Leinart, JDB or Sanchez. He might be Rob Johnson.
really hard to know...
everyone of those guys you mentioned above sat AT LEAST one year and some two before taking over the helm. Palmer only flourished after Chow got into his head.
MB got thrown into the deep end of the pool right out of the gate…he had to learn on the fly with no time to really get a feel for this level of play.
I mean I love PC but is he really a developer of QB’s? What about the garbage Bates brought last season?
We are where we are…Mustain isn’t going to help now…maybe if he started the season but past the point of no return…we just have to nut up.
James MacArthur - RIP "Book 'em Danno!"
Agree completely
Hard to know and I’m not sure it matters. You play the guy who gives you the best chance to win and keep developing him. I think Kiffin is doing a much better job with Barkely than Bates did, but Barkley also some a year’s worth of experience before Kiffin started.
No way to know anything about a ‘ceiling’. So far Barkley has had to overcome: starting as a true freshman, a complete coaching change after one season, playing one of the highest profile positions in CFB (USC QB), and playing on a team with poor defense. For a young QB, the latter represents an enormous challenge, as there is always pressure on him. And except for Rojo, he’s working mostly with a group of inexperienced WRs. He seems to have the mental fortitude to overcome a lot. Only time will determine how good he can become.
Maybe I should have put it this way
Assume that Barkley enters each year better than he entered the previous year.
So he entered the 2010 season a better quarterback than he did in 2009, obviously. So he’ll enter 2011 better than he entered 2010.
I wonder if it’s a combination of Barkley’s talent level plus the team he has surrounding him that means that Barkley will peak around the middle of the year. That suggests, at least to me, that Barkley will not be the “unstoppbale” QB Carroll predicted. Maybe Barkley is at best a system QB, the type of facilitating Quarterback who will never be any better than the players he is surrounded by.
I guess what I am trying to saying is that maybe Barkley will never take over games like Cam Newton, or Tim Tebow, or Andrew Luck yesterday, or a Carson Palmer of the last 7 games of his USC career, where they each where the best player on the field, taking over games and carrying their teammates along. I understand a lot of people comment “he doesn’t need to be that kind of QB” but I think if USC wants to be a 9-10 win team this season and next, he will need to be because we don’t have a Reggie or a LenDale or a BMW, a Sam or Winston or a Duece or a Matt, or a Rey, Cush and Sed to lean on when he might be “off.”
SOUR GRAPES AS USUAL
I love national championships it makes me feel superior to others, my whole place has USC stuff everywhere, it's painted red and gold, my car is the same colors my asscrack is bruin blue.
by so.cal.native1952 on Nov 7, 2010 1:09 PM PST up reply actions
No, I think this spot on...
Barkley has been put on a pedestal by many…he hasn’t shown us if he deserves that lofty hype.
The kid is a gamer no question but he isn’t yet the game changer that many think he is…
James MacArthur - RIP "Book 'em Danno!"
I never thought he was a game changer, nor do I think any HS or College QB are until maybe junior or senior year.
Barkley is a good QB learning to get better every day, a college QB cannot be a game changer unless he is calling at least the majority of the game. College and even pro coaches involve themselves way to much in a game just look at Houston Texans today first half they gave the rock to the RB (foster) 2nd half no such luck, most OCs never played any sport at all and thats why they Suck.
It’s a team sport and the way USC staff runs it is truly that, as I said Lets Face It this season really means nothing but entertainment and overall team improvement. Take pro tennis for example a player just doesn’t step in and get to # 1, most fans don’t understand that he or she has to lose and learn from their loses. Para i even in sales do you go out and hit perfect numbers in the first 6-12 months, no you keep knocking on doors and take a lot of bad with the occasional good.
I love national championships it makes me feel superior to others, my whole place has USC stuff everywhere, it's painted red and gold, my car is the same colors my asscrack is bruin blue.
by so.cal.native1952 on Nov 7, 2010 4:25 PM PST up reply actions
Barkley should be a RS Frosh riding the pine right now
PC never should have started a true frosh. Mustain should be on his 19th start or so. MB7 should still be learning from the bench.
I think the analogy of Carson, Leinart, and Sanchez is appropriate. MB7 may never be that good. But, we will not know until 2011, or 2012, because Pete played him prematurely.
Personally, I put JDB more on the level of Rob Johnson. And, I loved Rob Johnson. He had two left feet, but threw a beautiful ball. USC can win with a Rob Johnson. USC won Rose Bowls with JDB. Barkley doesn’t have to be the next Palmer or Leinart for USC to win a championship. He just needs to eliminate critical mistakes.
Two weeks in a row with an endzone INT. And, I don’t think there is a bigger momentum changer than the Pick 6.
You can't put sanctions on the fkn endzone! Bowls are for salad!
Mustaint the Answer. MB7 all the way!
I disagree. You have to give Pete Carroll his due. He, and staff, picked Leinart, Booty, Sanchez. PC also knew well enough that Aaron Corp was not going to cut it, and Corp proved him right by the way he handled the demotion. Cry no fair and go to another school. Just check the web and you’ll see that Corp washed out after some really weak performances as a starter in D-2 Richmond program. Supposedly he is injured and done for the year. I suspect, it’s a face saving approach.
Mustain has had opportunities and he’s been a damn fine and loyal #2, but he’s backup for good reason. PC and Kiffin have both given nod to MB7. Barkley may still be making mistakes, but none if his predecessors started as freshman. No Soph QB has been a team captain as far back as anyone can recall. Barkley is a leader and will make it yet.
Was it PC, or Chow/Sarkiffian who "picked" Leinart, Booty, Sanchez?
And, Corp was PC’s guy into fall, and was PC’s first guy off the bench against UW last season. I think PC has proven that he has no clue how to develop a QB. He has to have quality staff to make good decisions for him.
We were 9-4 last season and went to the Emerald Bowl. Yet, I think we had 10 Trojans drafted. PC did not make good decisions regarding the QB in 2009.
You can't put sanctions on the fkn endzone! Bowls are for salad!
Well, now Whitehurst is his guy
and that didn’t go to well today
"Understanding is a virtue, hard to come by"
J. Airplane
Yah you got that right G, Whitehurst looks like he would fit right in over at Westwoodie Tech.
exactly Dallas PC couldn’t pick one or developed one if his life or job depended on it, shit his job just might now. Don’t get me wrong I liked him at USC, also he is a heck of a organizer and motivator. Who picked Corp in the first place?
I love national championships it makes me feel superior to others, my whole place has USC stuff everywhere, it's painted red and gold, my car is the same colors my asscrack is bruin blue.
by so.cal.native1952 on Nov 8, 2010 3:17 AM PST up reply actions
Watch the Stanford tape and get back to me
Follow me on twitter @Joey_Kaufman
by Joey Kaufman on Nov 7, 2010 10:59 AM PST up reply actions
This is true. He looks like a Davey O'Brien candidate at times.
You can't put sanctions on the fkn endzone! Bowls are for salad!
ASU was ranked #40 in Total Defense
Arizona is ranked in the top 10, but every other team we will face this year is MUCH worse on D: #94 Oregon State, #80 Notre Dame, #95 UCLA.
"I have a commanding voice." - Ed Orgeron
Have to check the numbers but their 3rd down defense is fantastic as well.
Follow me on twitter @Joey_Kaufman
by Joey Kaufman on Nov 7, 2010 10:59 AM PST up reply actions
But, but, but.....
Zona had not played Oregon, ’Furd, OR USC yet. And, their only good OOC opponent was slow offense Iowa.
Zona’s defense is solid, but not that good. Their ranking will slip now that they have played ’Furd, and are about to play USC and Oregon.
Zona always seems to get a back-end loaded schedule which allows them to be way overrated into November.
You can't put sanctions on the fkn endzone! Bowls are for salad!
mckay
reporter “coach, what about your teams execution”
Coach " well, i’m for it"
can an entire team yada yada yada a season away? don’t the coaches have some control over
this?
bradford and tyler should play even if they are 80%. pound that football, keep the defense off the field. we are not stopping anyones passing game. even cal moved the ball on us, especially in the second half, because the defense is tired.
A win is a win…it it? after last nights disaster…where do I start? offense, defense, clock management, coaching schemes, nothing has jelled, no synergy, no identity, no leadership and I’m now convinced the coaching on all levels is lacking. This is a team on the slow track to Irrelevance. This team has had to have all the super hero’s of high school, the *Stars as in recruiting, the I, I , Me, Me, personality of celebrity.
Then I see the Ass Kicking machines of Boise State, TCU, Oregon, Auburn who build a team on it’s substance as a whole, rather than around one or two Hero’s, all I can ask myself…WHAT HAPPENED to USC?
Uhhh, NCAA death penalty medium sanctions, a few years of bad recruiting, a major coaching transition?
You can't put sanctions on the fkn endzone! Bowls are for salad!
Patience, dammit, patience.
What the hell do you see Sark doing up in Washington? No better – in fact, worse. His two wins against us are as lucky as they could be. He knows it. And he had a team with no sanctions and a 4th year Jake Locker and a feature RB in Chris Polk a feature WR in Jevon Kearse and an extremely reliable accurate FG kicker in Nick Folk.
YET Sark has his team sitting at 3-6 that should be 1-8 since they deserved to lose against us and Oregon State. Kiffin’s coaching job is blowing away Sark’s.
I’ll take Kiff over Sark as our coach any day. See who gets back to the BCS top 10 first.
Consistent inconsistency
No “D” no “W”… but not this time… SC had lapses of both good and not so good defensive play. But the “not so good” ‘D" gave up enough yards in the final minutes to allow A-State one last shot at a win… and that’s how the Trojans won… by the other guys missing a go-ahead field goal. Just like the coaches drew it up,,, right? Both offenses were sporadic and, to say the least, a bit error prone. MB… two more pics… ugggh. This game had more points but was much like last year’s game with the Sun Devils… a contest of who would not let the other guy lose… ASU won again. Special teams were and were not special. A quirky two points scored on a returned blocked extra point actually turned the game around for the Trojans… again, just like the coaches drew it up… RIGHT? Oh well… a win is win is a win. The kids are young, new coaching staff, the sanctions, lack of depth… yada yada yada… no question the future is now. Gonna stay that way too. Call this one a kind of poetic justice for the Washington and/or Stanford games. The old saying holds true… you can’t win (or lose) ’em all… No matter how hard you try.
trojanWar
YEP
I love national championships it makes me feel superior to others, my whole place has USC stuff everywhere, it's painted red and gold, my car is the same colors my asscrack is bruin blue.
by so.cal.native1952 on Nov 7, 2010 4:28 PM PST up reply actions
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