Where Winning used to be Easy?
by Paragon SC on Oct 28, 2007 5:29 AM PDT
in USC Football
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That is a quote from Wolf in this mornings Daily News.
I don't know if I would say easy as much as I would say prepared. Simers with his typical drivel gives the impression that SC fans are spoiled, (you can read it for yourself, I'm not linking him up). He might not be far off but regardless the gravy train has come to its end. To all the columnists, pundits and such you should thank your lucky stars that you even had a football team to write about over the past few years. USC is football in L.A. and the joke of a program in Westwood hasn't brought much to the table except for one win last year that actually meant something. It meant something because USC is something, you can't fall from grace if you have never been there and ucla hasn't been there in football nationally...but I digress.
When fans, pundits and general hangers-on can see what plays are coming then it might be time to either mix the playbook up or throw it out completely. I love this quote from Booty:
Well seeing he brought it up how about consistent.
Wolf goes on to make the point that this type of talk was never heard in the Leinart and Bush era. He's right but then the team was wining and doing it convincingly. It was the perfect storm of coaching for the perfect storm of talent. But that was another time.
It was also noted that there is a lot of rationalizing going on and that is not something we have seen before. One such example (on McKnight's Failed 4th and 1 attempt):
The play haunted the Trojans, but Carroll dismissed it as a "freebie," because it was the opening drive and Oregon would be pinned inside the 15.
I'm sorry but I completely disagree. There is no such thing as a "freebie" when you are playing on the road, as an underdog with a team that is struggling to make plays. It seems that winning has been so automatic with this team that even the coaches think they have throw away plays. I'm not one to criticize the coaches too much but it is not hard to see why it seems that is there is no sense of urgency. Teams take on the attitudes of their coaches not the other way around; that concerns me.
Pete Carroll needs to figure out where to go from here. He made a comment in the article that their hands were tied because of Sanchez's inexperience. OK, I'll bite. What is Sarkisian doing to develop Sanchez? I remember reading a story about when Norm Chow came in for his first meeting with Carson Palmer. For the first few hours or so they talked about a whole host of things EXCEPT football. If football is such a cerebral game what is Sarkisian doing to school Sanchez to not make those types of mistakes? To me it's simple attention to detail and I'm not sure if SC is doing it.
The demeanor needs to change and quick, not to salvage this season but to prepare the groundwork for next season.
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spoiled we are
by PACTENGURU on Oct 28, 2007 7:14 AM PDT reply actions
BLAME TO TWO PLACES
- For his third start Sanchez played well. If he does not continue to start I will be disappointed.
- Outside of one awful play (the Stewart long 3rd down run) the defense wasn't bad.
- McKnight keeps developing.
- The second to last drive shows that we're capable of actually being aggressive.
- Linebackers need to be taught how to avoid overrunning the play. Looking at you, Maualuga and Rivers.
- Throw the ball downfield. Stop assuming from the get go that the receivers and qb stink and just throw the dink and dunk flares and out routes and little slants. If we assume we stink and don't even try to be aggressive, of course the offense will stink.
- The "Southern California cool" attitude is nice and all, but sometimes that kind of attitude means that a person or team will be less disciplined. We keep seeing it.
by Kuwabara on Oct 28, 2007 9:22 AM PDT reply actions
Building versus starters: how much Booty time?
I'm not saying drop Booty altogether - he's worked hard for the program and hasn't "earned" being benched by virtue of being injured. However, I think it would make sense to increase Sanchez's playing time. Having watched Oregon State and Arizona State pressure Riley and Longshore respectively when they were playing Cal, Sanchez's mobility might well continue to be valuable.
I would love to see Sanchez....
by AO on Oct 29, 2007 9:49 AM PDT reply actions
History Lesson
I've been a Trojan fan since the early 60's. Well before I was an Alum. I watched John McKay's teams do well after he started (much like PC), until 70 and 71. They were not that good those years, then came 72 (with the same players as 70 and 71). The 72 team has been called the best ever for SC. Then there was the 74 team, which was really good too.
My point being, you can't always be on top. There are going to be times when the team loses. I don't care what excuse is used, from injuries to lack of discipline, to bad coaching; what is needed is a re-focusing on what go SC to the top in recent years. PC is right when he says he's not going to do anything different. Do the same things that got them to the 03, 04 and 05 years. I recognize that there is no more Lineart or Bush, but look at Sanchez and McKnight. There is potential there for those guys to be really good. How did Matt and Reggie get there? PC let them grow by letting them make mistakes. He needs to let Sanchez go deep, and take some risks. Give the ball more to McKnight.
The defense is playing well. The offense needs to step it up and play aggressively. This conservative play calling, especially against a team like Oregon, won't win games. I don't care how good the defense is playing.
I watched the ASU/Cal game Sat night. What impressed me most about the game was how similar ASU looked to the 03, 04 and 05 Trojans! Their offense got aggressive in the 2nd half.
Back to my history point. We probably will go to the Holiday Bowl this year unless we get aggressive and win the rest of our games and Oregon runs the rest of the table as well. (GO Ducks!) I admit the Holiday Bowl is not the Rose Bowl or the BCS championship, but we haven't done what it takes to deserve to be in those games. It doesn't mean we are Miami either. I think the Trojans will get better and do well next year and the year after. We still have a talented offense albeit young, that will only get better over the next couple of years. I look at this year like the 70 and 71 years. We just need to hang in there and remember history.
by DanZ on Oct 29, 2007 2:17 PM PDT reply actions
Yes I remember McKay as well
I know that Carroll can't do it every year. We are going to be somewhere between 8-4, and 10-2, when its all over. This is where things have changed. Before a down year was 4-7 wins, now its 8-10. That's still pretty damn good, and its only going to get better.
This is important for everyone to realize. Not every QB we get is going to win the Heisman trophy. Its just not going to happen, so don't expect it. Matt Leinart was a 3 star player on the recruiting services, and Booty was a 5. You never know what you have until you throw them in a game and see how they do.
rematch
by PACTENGURU on Oct 29, 2007 10:29 PM PDT reply actions
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