Game Thread: #11 USC Trojans vs UCLA Bruins 8PM EST ABC

[trojanfan12]

Weird game. All game long, at the same time, it felt like USC was one play away from turning it into a blowout and UCLA was one play away from pulling off the upset.

But neither team could make the play.

Rosen was pretty amazing. Dude's throwing Sunday passes on Saturday.

 

[CorpRebel]

Weird game. All game long, at the same time, it felt like USC was one play away from turning it into a blowout and UCLA was one play away from pulling off the upset.

But neither team could make the play.

Rosen was pretty amazing. Dude's throwing Sunday passes on Saturday.

That's why these 'rivalry' games can be so stressful!

Have to take a 40mg Prilosec before USC games these days.

 

[Montalban]

Lets not forget how much youth is on that defense.Or how big they have come up when they have had to this season.Hoping Darnold comes back his last year.He could use the reps and the young wr's will have the time under their belts next year.

I think Darnold will come back. He played himself out of a huge pay day this year. I hear you about the players being young but I never liked that excuse. They've all been playing football for a long time and they have to play like men and get the childish personal fouls and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties out of their game.

Some of that I blame on Helton for not holding these guys responsible for what they do. If a guy commits a silly foul after a play that cost the team a 4th down stop or a big conversion I'd sit him the rest of the game. I'd rather lose with a smart hard-working player than win with an undisciplined stupid player.

The guy I'm really looking forward to seeing play next year is Stephen Carr.

 

[Montalban]

Weird game. All game long, at the same time, it felt like USC was one play away from turning it into a blowout and UCLA was one play away from pulling off the upset.

But neither team could make the play.

Rosen was pretty amazing. Dude's throwing Sunday passes on Saturday.

Rosen looks like the much better pro prospect than Darnold at this point. Darnold cannot see anything past his first read. Rosen looked surprisingly polished. Of course SC's horrendous secondary and crazy insistance on leaving their Corners in man coverage helps a lot.

 

[trojanfan12]

Rosen looks like the much better pro prospect than Darnold at this point. Darnold cannot see anything past his first read. Rosen looked surprisingly polished. Of course SC's horrendous secondary and crazy insistance on leaving their Corners in man coverage helps a lot.

Agree.

I thought both showed why NFL scouts are excited about them. Rosen, because he already knows how to work through progressions and he can make every throw needed to be successful in the NFL. He's ready right now.

Darnold can also make all of the throws and his athleticism adds another dimension. But he needs another year in college to learn to stay in the pocket and go through his progressions before relying on his athleticism. I think people forget that he really doesn't have a lot of experience. He has less than 2 full seasons as a starter in college and never focused completely on football when he was in high school. A fair amount of his success last year was because he had 2 experienced, NFL ready receivers in Juju and Darreus Rodgers.

The secondary isn't quite as bad as they looked. Rosen is just really good and was on last night. They had to use man coverage to put pressure on Rosen and disrupt him which led to 4 sacks, batted down passes and hurried throws. But, when they didn't get there, it left them vulnerable to some big plays.

When they decided to rush fewer players, it gave Rosen time to pick them apart.

 

[socaljim242]

Weird game. All game long, at the same time, it felt like USC was one play away from turning it into a blowout and UCLA was one play away from pulling off the upset.

But neither team could make the play.

Rosen was pretty amazing. Dude's throwing Sunday passes on Saturday.

Perfect description. When it was 14-7 and so many times USC could have gone up 21-7 before half and made it a laugher but they kept letting UCLA stay close enough to make it uncomfortable.

 

[socaljim242]

Agree.

I thought both showed why NFL scouts are excited about them. Rosen, because he already knows how to work through progressions and he can make every throw needed to be successful in the NFL. He's ready right now.

Darnold can also make all of the throws and his athleticism adds another dimension. But he needs another year in college to learn to stay in the pocket and go through his progressions before relying on his athleticism. I think people forget that he really doesn't have a lot of experience. He has less than 2 full seasons as a starter in college and never focused completely on football when he was in high school. A fair amount of his success last year was because he had 2 experienced, NFL ready receivers in Juju and Darreus Rodgers.

The secondary isn't quite as bad as they looked. Rosen is just really good and was on last night. They had to use man coverage to put pressure on Rosen and disrupt him which led to 4 sacks, batted down passes and hurried throws. But, when they didn't get there, it left them vulnerable to some big plays.

When they decided to rush fewer players, it gave Rosen time to pick them apart.

Rosens a finished product. Darnolds still thinking a lot on the run going over the steps and reads in his head.

 

[Montalban]

Agree.

I thought both showed why NFL scouts are excited about them. Rosen, because he already knows how to work through progressions and he can make every throw needed to be successful in the NFL. He's ready right now.

Darnold can also make all of the throws and his athleticism adds another dimension. But he needs another year in college to learn to stay in the pocket and go through his progressions before relying on his athleticism. I think people forget that he really doesn't have a lot of experience. He has less than 2 full seasons as a starter in college and never focused completely on football when he was in high school. A fair amount of his success last year was because he had 2 experienced, NFL ready receivers in Juju and Darreus Rodgers.

The secondary isn't quite as bad as they looked. Rosen is just really good and was on last night. They had to use man coverage to put pressure on Rosen and disrupt him which led to 4 sacks, batted down passes and hurried throws. But, when they didn't get there, it left them vulnerable to some big plays.

When they decided to rush fewer players, it gave Rosen time to pick them apart.

I think disguising coverages is really important in college ball though. Constantly playing man coverage allows the QB not to have to read the defense. Gives him a nice advantage. SC seems to rely on Man coverage too much. I started noticing it during 4th quarters when SC was protecting a lead but they still left the Corners vulnerable.

I guess I was expecting too much out of SC this year. They will play up in Santa Clara for the PAC 12 title and should get a nice bowl invite and that's pretty good.

 

[Montalban]

Looks like this one cost Mora his job.

 

[socaljim242]

I think disguising coverages is really important in college ball though. Constantly playing man coverage allows the QB not to have to read the defense. Gives him a nice advantage. SC seems to rely on Man coverage too much. I started noticing it during 4th quarters when SC was protecting a lead but they still left the Corners vulnerable.

I guess I was expecting too much out of SC this year. They will play up in Santa Clara for the PAC 12 title and should get a nice bowl invite and that's pretty good.

have you noticed how bad of a year Iman Marshall has had? I don't buy he's been hurt the past three games i think coaches have just gotten frustrated with his lack of development.

 

[trojanfan12]

I think disguising coverages is really important in college ball though. Constantly playing man coverage allows the QB not to have to read the defense. Gives him a nice advantage. SC seems to rely on Man coverage too much. I started noticing it during 4th quarters when SC was protecting a lead but they still left the Corners vulnerable.

I guess I was expecting too much out of SC this year. They will play up in Santa Clara for the PAC 12 title and should get a nice bowl invite and that's pretty good.

I think a lot of folks did. USC lost a lot to the NFL/graduation after last season. Their top 2 receivers, a couple of their top DB's, and almost all of the offensive and defensive lines. That's a lot of inexperience to deal with.

Hopefully everyone comes back. If they do, then next years team may live up to the hype that this years team got.

 

[Montalban]

have you noticed how bad of a year Iman Marshall has had? I don't buy he's been hurt the past three games i think coaches have just gotten frustrated with his lack of development.

He's one they missed on. he does not seem to have instincts for the game.

 

[Montalban]

I think a lot of folks did. USC lost a lot to the NFL/graduation after last season. Their top 2 receivers, a couple of their top DB's, and almost all of the offensive and defensive lines. That's a lot of inexperience to deal with.

Hopefully everyone comes back. If they do, then next years team may live up to the hype that this years team got.

Hope so. I'd like to see Wazoo win next week so that SC can play them in the Championship game. They owe Wazoo a beating.

 

[socaljim242]

He's one they missed on. he does not seem to have instincts for the game.

At this point Id put 10 pounds on him and see if he can play safety because at CB when he's got his back to the QB he's totally lost. He doesn't have the ability to turn for the ball . I can't count how many times he actually does get his hand on the ball but he's so lost and off balance he bats it up in the air he falls and the receiver just catches it. I've never seen that happen to one player so many times.

 

[Montalban]

At this point Id put 10 pounds on him and see if he can play safety because at CB when he's got his back to the QB he's totally lost. He doesn't have the ability to turn for the ball . I can't count how many times he actually does get his hand on the ball but he's so lost and off balance he bats it up in the air he falls and the receiver just catches it. I've never seen that happen to one player so many times.

Jackson seems to make a lot of mistakes too. He's overly aggressive looking for the pick. He got burned consistently last night by Jordan Lasley. I'd love to see Pendergast give those Corners some Safety help.

 

[socaljim242]

Jackson seems to make a lot of mistakes too. He's overly aggressive looking for the pick. He got burned consistently last night by Jordan Lasley. I'd love to see Pendergast give those Corners some Safety help.

Yeah he did but aggressive I can deal with, you can coach that. Marshall has been burned so many times now he slips and falls on purpose or fakes and injury when he's burned. You nailed it when you said he's got no instincts for the position. Come time for NFL combine I bet he's really slow on that side to side cone drill where they see how good your hips are.

 

[Montalban]

Yeah he did but aggressive I can deal with, you can coach that. Marshall has been burned so many times now he slips and falls on purpose or fakes and injury when he's burned. You nailed it when you said he's got no instincts for the position. Come time for NFL combine I bet he's really slow on that side to side cone drill where they see how good your hips are.

Agreed. Marvel Tell shows good instincts and cover skills. I'm not sure they want to move him from Safety though because he's such a good tackler and has a nose for the ball.

 

[Montalban]

Weird game. All game long, at the same time, it felt like USC was one play away from turning it into a blowout and UCLA was one play away from pulling off the upset.

But neither team could make the play.

Rosen was pretty amazing. Dude's throwing Sunday passes on Saturday.

Agreed.

 

[socaljim242]

Agreed. Marvel Tell shows good instincts and cover skills. I'm not sure they want to move him from Safety though because he's such a good tackler and has a nose for the ball.

That and pretty sure USC got two highly regarded safeties this recruiting class who were redshirted.

 

[Montalban]

That and pretty sure USC got two highly regarded safeties this recruiting class who were redshirted.

Corners or Safeties?