A Message From Clay Helton:

[Judge Fudge]

Leach > Helton.

Is he making use of the Wazzu Equipment room with concussed players again?

 

[wazzu31]

Is he making use of the Wazzu Equipment room with concussed players again?

Have you seen our academic standards? We don't recruit guys that can get concussions.

 

[OregonDucks]

I still don't think Helton is the guy long term in LA.

Last night he was super excited and rightfully so and he was celebrating and trying to fire up his players but when he made contact with his players they were emotionless. They showed no excitement around him, unlike what Peter Carroll was able to accomplish.

 

[Sgt Brutus]

To all of the doubters who said USC hired the wrong guy:

So you think he is the right guy?

 

[socaljim242]

I still don't think Helton is the guy long term in LA.

Last night he was super excited and rightfully so and he was celebrating and trying to fire up his players but when he made contact with his players they were emotionless. They showed no excitement around him, unlike what Peter Carroll was able to accomplish.

You aren't in LA obviously and saw the local newscasts that had interviews with the players after the game. They love the guy. But hes a different personality than Pete . Which is fine.

 

[trojanfan12]

So you think he is the right guy?

I don't know if he is or isn't.

He's 10 games into his first season.

He's the right guy, right now. Will he be the right guy 2 years from now? Time will tell.

 

[TheRobotDevil]

Agree. It wasn't just a new head coach. It was new coaches and even the couple of coaches who stayed, were in new positions. Plus, he's been completely changing the pass happy style that we had under Kiffin and Sark, back to the more physical, run first style that USC has always had when we've been most successful.

This is a much more balanced team than we had under the last 2 coaches.

You know I wasn't the biggest fan of the Helton signing. But like @TROJAN-MAN said time will tell. I also agree his assistant coaches have been very impressive.

While it is odd that Wilcox is thriving as the Wisconsin DC. I think we need to give Pendergast a lot of credit. He is getting the most of SC's defensive players. They have been improving quite a bit. Especially against the run. They have been very impressive.Holding some high quality running backs under 100 yards.And Pendergast has given a lot of different looks.And aggressive play calling against some elite offenses. While getting players like Adoree and Marshall to play at their full potential.

I also like what Tee Martin has done quite a bit. Not just in recruiting. But how he has handled the offense and Darnold. It hasn't been the prototypical USC pocket passer system. Darnold is a very athletic QB and the RPO has suited him very well. Jones as well as other SC backs are starting to thrive in his system. But what I find really impressive with his system. Is that its not geared towards just two main targets. Where SC has leaned in the past. He has incorporated the TE's and slot receivers quite a bit. I believe Darnold has hit around 8-9 different receivers on different occasions. Where as before if Juju was shut down SC was in trouble. Darnold has been able to work receivers like Burnett,Pittman,Bebe etc..and work the middle of the field. Which I believe has opened Juju and the run game up at times.

I'm not getting my hopes up. But if we can get a Utah an Colorado loss in the right combination. The CCG is a possibility. I have to give Helton and the coaching staff a lot of credit. They could have easily folded and we wouldnt be able to have the discussion of the possibility of a CCG. Either way I do like the future for SC right now.

 

[trojanfan12]

You know I wasn't the biggest fan of the Helton signing. But like @TROJAN-MAN said time will tell. I also agree his assistant coaches have been very impressive.

Agree. That's why I say Helton is the right guy, right now. After what some of these kids have been through with KiffSark, they needed someone who they were familiar with and could stabilize the program. Helton was perfect for that. He's been there 7 years as an assistant and the players love him.

Maybe he just stabilizes things and is gone in 3 years or so? Or maybe he really is the answer? We''ll know in a couple of years.

 

[TheRobotDevil]

Agree. That's why I say Helton is the right guy, right now. After what some of these kids have been through with KiffSark, they needed someone who they were familiar with and could stabilize the program. Helton was perfect for that. He's been there 7 years as an assistant and the players love him.

Maybe he just stabilizes things and is gone in 3 years or so? Or maybe he really is the answer? We''ll know in a couple of years.

He may be the answer.Its Its not just the coach Helton has one hell of a staff to work with. I agree between his coaching staff,sobriety and stability.He may be the right coach for SC going forward.He may be a patch time will tell.

 

[B_dub]

Still think they missed the boat by not hiring Clay Aiken.

 

[mcnabb7542]

Still think they missed the boat by not hiring Clay Aiken.

The country singer ?

 

[B_dub]

The country singer ?

No idea. Trustmeimright just said he'd be a good coach.

 

[mcnabb7542]

No idea. Trustmeimright just said he'd be a good coach.

Well hell I'm sure he's right then!

 

[B_dub]

Well hell I'm sure he's right then!

Screen names never lie! That shit's just science.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

You do know that USC wasn't exactly "loaded" this year, right? We have the frontline talent to compete with anyone, but we don't have the depth yet. We are particularly thin in the defensive front 7.

Also, Helton has been completely changing this teams style of play from what it was under Kiffin and Sark.

And who said we've hired Saban or Carroll? All anyone has said is that there are similarities between Carroll's hiring and first season and Helton's. Every Trojan on here has said that it's too early to know exactly what we have in Helton.

You really should start paying attention to what you read before you respond to posts.

Yeah, how could your current coach possibly be expected to win with this talent:

2016: #10 class
2015: #2 class
2014: #10 class
2013: #13 class
2012: #9 class

You poor babies.

 

[socaljim242]

Yeah, how could your current coach possibly be expected to win with this talent:

2016: #10 class
2015: #2 class
2014: #10 class
2013: #13 class
2012: #9 class

You poor babies.

You're a special kinda dumb. TF12 wrote that depth has been an issue (and KiffSarknado).
It's nice haveing a highly ranked class in terms of talent. But 12 and 16 players when the rest are getting 23-25 and you have little to no depth and you have no room for error. Not every kid lives up to their ranking but when you get ten less you cant miss. Injury, academic issues and transfers still happen. Add to that the ones who leave for the NFL early because there were talented players. You put every Michigan players name in a bowl and pull out about 20 and they cant play. That's last years USC team. Put in every player from your 2013 class and pull out nine names and they can't play. That's USC this year.
2012- Alabama- 26
Florida -22
Michigan-25
Ohio St- 25
USC- 16
2013- Alabama- 25
Michigan- 27
Ohio St-24
Florida-27
USC-12
2014- Alabama-26
Florida- 24
Michigan-16 (cuz Hoke happened)
Ohio St.-23
USC- 20

Total new players in those years-
Alabama-77
Florida-73
Michigan-68
Ohio State- 72
USC-48

 

[trojanfan12]

Yeah, how could your current coach possibly be expected to win with this talent:

2016: #10 class
2015: #2 class
2014: #10 class
2013: #13 class
2012: #9 class

You poor babies.

You understand the difference between frontline talent and depth right?

Actually, being the casual fan that you are, I'd be happy to explain it to you. Although I'm betting you still won't understand.

 

[The Oldtimer]

By all means, toot your special snowflake 7-3 horn. I was unaware that the aspirations of the Trojans faithful were so low that beating Washington was now the pinnacle.

Well IMO, USC would beat any team in the SEC, except Bama.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

You understand the difference between frontline talent and depth right?

Actually, being the casual fan that you are, I'd be happy to explain it to you. Although I'm betting you still won't understand.

I understand that you don't have the right coach to develop that talent, which is why you think you don't have any depth.

 

[socaljim242]

I understand that you don't have the right coach to develop that talent, which is why you think you don't have any depth.

Actually, it looks like you don't understand much at all.
Brings this to mind- Arguing with you is like playing chess with a pigeon, all you do is knock the pieces over ,shit on the board and you strut around like you won