Game Thread: #5 USC @ Cal Right now on ABC

[trojanfan12]

You and the devil are speaking about overall play. I was specifically talking about the first half of this game only. He wasn't good in the first half, but bounced back and made much better decisions and played much better in the second.

That's just it though. It's been this way all season. He doesn't look as good in the first half and then turns it on in the 2nd half. The only time he and the team have played close to 60 minutes of good football was against Stanford.

With dropped passes by the receivers, questionable decisions by Darnold, etc. it's like they have first game jitters every first half. Then they settle down in the 2nd half, he makes better decisions and the receivers start catching the ball.

 

[WizardHawk]

That's just it though. It's been this way all season. He doesn't look as good in the first half and then turns it on in the 2nd half. The only time he and the team have played close to 60 minutes of good football was against Stanford.

With dropped passes by the receivers, questionable decisions by Darnold, etc. it's like they have first game jitters every first half. Then they settle down in the 2nd half, he makes better decisions and the receivers start catching the ball.

I don't recall any dropped passes in the first half today and he wasn't horrible by overall college standards, it was more comparing him to the heisman/top pick sort of standards everyone is trying to view him through.

The pick was entirely on him trying to force a ball he should have thrown away. Can't blame that on anyone else.

He had two others he tried to force that hit the hands of Cal defenders that should have been picked that were also on him.

There were a couple of fairly badly overthrown balls down field. He appeared to be struggling with deep balls.

Those alone for most QB's wouldn't elicit harsh criticism in the same manner and that's just how it is when there are these (maybe unreasonable) high expectations.

He did come out and stop making those same mistakes in the second half. I don't recall seeing him forcing through plays that were broken in the same way and they weren't trying to force big plays down field, electing instead to take what the defense was giving them. And it worked.

I give credit where it's due. He had a decent second half after a bad first one. And he still had the same missing pieces in the second as he did the first. I'm just not buying other players faults in this game. I do take everyone at their word that this was the case against Texas for sure.

Cougs have a narrow window to go get them some. We will see if they can capitalize on it or do what they are prone to and find a way to fuck it up late.

 

[trojanfan12]

USC has managed to do that to this point, but we all know their killer depth. The close game last week didn't drop them in the polls and I doubt they will fall this week. Still, none of you will deny they aren't exactly firing full speed in the manner in which they were over the second half of last year.... Yet. Now's the time for a team to try and take them down before they do reach their stride. I have a feeling it will be a very different story toward the end of the year.

Agree 100%. A lot of it is Darnold and his receivers getting on the same page and guys getting used to bigger roles. Once everyone is on the same page and relatively healthy, we should look a lot better.

The injuries could end up being a blessing in disguise. We have depth, but it's young and inexperienced. They are now getting some experience.

Hopefully, we can get through this "learning phase" unscathed.

 

[WizardHawk]

Agree 100%. A lot of it is Darnold and his receivers getting on the same page and guys getting used to bigger roles. Once everyone is on the same page and relatively healthy, we should look a lot better.

The injuries could end up being a blessing in disguise. We have depth, but it's young and inexperienced. They are now getting some experience.

Hopefully, we can get through this "learning phase" unscathed.

I have no doubt your offense can score on WSU, but man oh man that defense is going to have their hands full. That's going to be a hell of a Pac12 after dark thriller to be sure. I can't wait.

 

[trojanfan12]

I don't recall any dropped passes in the first half today

There were a couple, forget who it was though.

Yeah, that pick was definitely on him. Ball shouldn't have been thrown.

 

[TheRobotDevil]

Gustin is a stud. Impressed the hell out of me last week, playing with a screw coming out of his foot/toe. Dude is gonna be beast

He wanted to play this week.I was surprised he was originally listed as 50/50.But I do think he did need at least this week to heal.Tough kid see how he's progressed by next week.Cam Smith dislocated his finger and was back in the game last week.They had a lot of players toughing it out on defense today.Injuries have been piling up all season.A lot of key pieces.Hoping some get healthy soon these games have been hell

• Out for season: K Michael Brown (knee), LB Tayler Katoa (knee), CB Jonathan Lockett (hip), S Isaiah Pola-Mao (shoulder)
• Out: OLB Hunter Echols (hip), OLB Porter Gustin (toe/bicep), TE Daniel Imatorbhebhe (hip), WR Steven Mitchell (groin) OT Nathan Smith (knee)
• Questionable: OLB Juliano Falaniko (knee), DL Rasheem Green (ankle), DB Ajene Harris (knee), LB John Houston (neck), DL Liam Jimmons (ankle), RB Ronald Jones II (quad/ankle), WR Joseph Lewis (abdominal), DL Jacob Lichtenstein (back), WR Keyshawn “Pie” Young (hamstring)
• Probable: OL Chuma Edoga (wrist), OLB Uchenna Nwosu (elbow/MCL), WR Michael Pittman (ankle), DL Marlon Tuipulotu (knee)

 

[WizardHawk]

ESPN finally picked a quality matchup for their friday night Pac after dark game of the week. Turn around on 6 days and go to Pullman to face that offense.

 

[trojanfan12]

I have no doubt your offense can score on WSU, but man oh man that defense is going to have their hands full. That's going to be a hell of a Pac12 after dark thriller to be sure. I can't wait.

Yeah they are. Really hope we get Gustin back. I hate these damn weeknight games. Weird shit always happens.

 

[socaljim242]

Darnolds a winner. Nails when it counts most. Slow starts don't bother him and INTs he shrugs off. Down the road he will be needing a game winning drive and he's shown he doesn't make mistakes then. So hate on. lol

 

[Texas Jefe]

ESPN finally picked a quality matchup for their friday night Pac after dark game of the week. Turn around on 6 days and go to Pullman to face that offense.

oh yeah, good game

 

[The Oldtimer]

Yeah they are. Really hope we get Gustin back. I hate these damn weeknight games. Weird shit always happens.

Like I said last week, this Washington State game worries me.

 

[socaljim242]

Thats gonna be a nail biter.

 

[The Oldtimer]

Agree 100%. A lot of it is Darnold and his receivers getting on the same page and guys getting used to bigger roles. Once everyone is on the same page and relatively healthy, we should look a lot better.

The injuries could end up being a blessing in disguise. We have depth, but it's young and inexperienced. They are now getting some experience.

Hopefully, we can get through this "learning phase" unscathed.

This Steven Carr is a friggin beast and he is only 18 years old.

 

[963BUSC]

Like I said last week, this Washington State game worries me.

Ghosts of the Palouse

 

[trojanfan12]

This Steven Carr is a friggin beast and he is only 18 years old.

Really like that kid. He could be something special.

 

[The Oldtimer]

Really like that kid. He could be something special.

Yes I agree. I like how he catches the ball out of the backfield.

 

[The Oldtimer]

Ghosts of the Palouse

Yes.

 

[wazzu31]

Like I said last week, this Washington State game worries me.

It should, it's the biggest game for you guys since the 06 Rose Bowl

 

[The Oldtimer]

It should, it's the biggest game for you guys since the 06 Rose Bowl

You mean the 2017 Rose Bowl don't you?

 

[wazzu31]

You mean the 2017 Rose Bowl don't you?

Penn State is peanuts compared to us. Penn State is so irrelevant your star kicker decided they mattered so little he'd get himself kicked off the team