Sunday's Takeaways: Troy Has fallen (On3+)

pickwick

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Jan 8, 2021
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Feels like 1990's Paul Hacket all over.
At least Hackett's teams kept the score close. USC is now getting blown out at home at unprecedened levels for such a storied program. What Helton has done to USC football has been devasting. Horrible selection of assistant coaches in his early years (unless you like Western Kentucky style football), Even in later years--North Texas OC--super idea-- assuming he selected them before he became a figurehead. Several years of terrible recruiting on the OL and DL. Not sure how long this will take to fix. In annals of bad executive college football decisions, keeping Helton this long must surely go down as one the greatest blunders of all time. I have followed USC football for 50 years, I never thought I would see this from USC.

Thankfully, we have J. Dart. Hard to win in college football with a statue as QB (Nothing against Slovis. Good kid but recall perhaps the biggest reason he had a great first year was he had Pittman, St. Brown, Vaughns, and London to throw to--one of them was going to get wide open. Not happening with current crop of WRs, who aside from London are average. As mediocre (if not downright bad) as OL is this year, think about next year--not much in the cupboard. Dark days for USC football.
 

Greekhope

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Sep 1, 2021
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What is the purpose of captains if they provide no motivation to the team? On camera shots to the sideline, I did not see any concern, urgency, or other emotional expressions. IF lack of motivation is present with some coaches, the TEAM needs to take pride in SC. At this point, team leaders need to "call out" slackers. GET SERIOUS! The season is not over.
 

Rodgarnay51

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Aug 24, 2017
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For all of our returning players, consistency and winning next season will be the medicine that heals all wounds.
Only problem is, mediocrity is now deeply ingrained in many of them. At first I thought Korey Foreman looked like a fool for all that gyrating after he got a sack, but at least he showed a pulse unlike many of his teammates. I was encouraged by the play of Mauga, Scott and Epps, but that's about it. There is a whole lot of problems that need to be fixed by the new coaching staff, and it needs to start with changing the attitudes of the players. Their heads are clearly not in the game. Thankfully it won't be necessary to change the attitudes of the assistant coaches.
 

Rodgarnay51

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What is the purpose of captains if they provide no motivation to the team? On camera shots to the sideline, I did not see any concern, urgency, or other emotional expressions. IF lack of motivation is present with some coaches, the TEAM needs to take pride in SC. At this point, team leaders need to "call out" slackers. GET SERIOUS! The season is not over.
Agree. They need to treat every game as a new one.
 

TrojanTW

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Apr 5, 2018
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gravity falls steven bomb GIF
 
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mngtscrwdup

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Sep 30, 2017
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If I dont read Graham Harrell fired on Monday, then I know that the lack of accountability in the coaching staff means there is no accountability in this team.

The one really good thing that is coming out of this whole mess is that it is so bad that even Folt and Caruso wont survive if they didnt allow Bohn to hire a decent coach. This isnt about having a good football team, it is about competence and management. If they cant get this thing right, are they getting anything right at the University?
 

Rodgarnay51

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If I dont read Graham Harrell fired on Monday, then I know that the lack of accountability in the coaching staff means there is no accountability in this team.

The one really good thing that is coming out of this whole mess is that it is so bad that even Folt and Caruso wont survive if they didnt allow Bohn to hire a decent coach. This isnt about having a good football team, it is about competence and management. If they cant get this thing right, are they getting anything right at the University?
I'm almost ready for Orlando to replace Harrell at the top of my "who-should-be-fired-first list."
 

mngtscrwdup

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Yup. It’s no longer about this season. Feel bad for the current players, but nothing permanent, however good or good, will be put in place the season. The two Drakes should work on their stats for the upcoming draft. And Kedon too probably, as we all know Dart will be our starter next August.
Kedon has zero chance of being drafted. He will need to transfer and try to rehab his shot at the NFL. Right now, he is toxic. No leadership, no confidence, cant get the ball out of his hands. Too many picks. He is just a mess. His stats are built on Drake London only.
 

Ride Fly

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Aug 24, 2017
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If I dont read Graham Harrell fired on Monday, then I know that the lack of accountability in the coaching staff means there is no accountability in this team.

The one really good thing that is coming out of this whole mess is that it is so bad that even Folt and Caruso wont survive if they didnt allow Bohn to hire a decent coach. This isnt about having a good football team, it is about competence and management. If they cant get this thing right, are they getting anything right at the University?
Does an Interim HC have the authority to fire people? If he does, I agree, Graham and Todd need to be canned before the season is over! (Nahhh, not really. As bad as they both are, you can’t get rid of them till the new hire HC is in charge)
 

mngtscrwdup

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I'm almost ready for Orlando to replace Harrell at the top of my "who-should-be-fired-first list."
I'm not disagreeing completely, but I think that the air raid offense is a big reason why the defense is not properly trained to defend against opposing offenses. If they continue with Harrell, the team will just give up. Maybe firing Harrell and doubling the number of plays in the playbook, along with playing Dart and replacing IPM with Calen Bullock, will cause this team to have a little hope.

I dont blame the team for giving up if they think the coaches dont even care or are incompetent.

When players hear Graham Harrell defer any responsibility for results and blame everything on execution (players), I doubt it makes them want to put in any extra effort.

I think the defense gets real demotivated when the offense cant ever push the ball into the end zone. I was surprised that the defensive backfield was so very bad.

I would also be OK if they fired both Orlando and Harrell and just let Jinks take over the offense and So'Oto the defense. Not that either of them are qualified/better, but at least they are motivational guys and the players might believe the coaches care.
 
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TrojanFireHorse12

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If I dont read Graham Harrell fired on Monday, then I know that the lack of accountability in the coaching staff means there is no accountability in this team.

The one really good thing that is coming out of this whole mess is that it is so bad that even Folt and Caruso wont survive if they didnt allow Bohn to hire a decent coach. This isnt about having a good football team, it is about competence and management. If they cant get this thing right, are they getting anything right at the University?
Firing both Graham and Orlando is going to change wat? they are both going to be gone anyway...

Does an Interim HC have the authority to fire people? If he does, I agree, Graham and Todd need to be canned before the season is over! (Nahhh, not really. As bad as they both are, you can’t get rid of them till the new hire HC is in charge)
I don't think they do.
 
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Bilbo.usc

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Remember when we were confident that new defensive assistants were picked by the AD . We were assured of an upgrade .. then in fall practice we heard what great energy the defense was showing
Now we have this .. defense at its lowest ebb
and a program in complete chaos
Mike Bohn does not know football and his decisions prove it
Now why look forward a coach he may pick to replace you know who
Also with some prime jobs opening up like Miami and LSU no decent prospect is coming to improve our team
 

SC93er

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Aug 24, 2017
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The upside of firing Helton early in the season is that there’s plenty of time to evaluate coaching replacements and have conversations. The downside is that we’re all riding the Interim Coach bus, and it’s a long way to our destination.

Donte’s not really driving this metaphorical bus. He’s sitting in the back, reading the map. Harrell and Orlando are the co-drivers, they’re both legally blind and they’re driving in heavy fog, so when the road is straight and easy we’re alright, but we’re going off the cliff at every single hairpin turn.
 

usc88

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Aug 24, 2017
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Harrell and Orlando have been disappointments.
Not that they have ever shown good stuff as coaches.
Harrell especially after all that hype as super air raid coach.
 

TrojanHorse

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The one really good thing that is coming out of this whole mess is that it is so bad that even Folt and Caruso wont survive if they didnt allow Bohn to hire a decent coach.

Caruso made the statement right after the firing...time to hire a world class coach

 

TrojanHorse

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Bilbo.usc

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Bohn got lucky with Fickell .. his other hires have been a disaster
Plus my guess is he is viewed as a third tier talent as an AD ...sure he looks good compared to Swann and Haden .. who wouldn’t
 

OrangeBill

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Sep 30, 2017
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Kedon has zero chance of being drafted. He will need to transfer and try to rehab his shot at the NFL. Right now, he is toxic. No leadership, no confidence, cant get the ball out of his hands. Too many picks. He is just a mess. His stats are built on Drake London only.
I pretty much agree with everything here. He appears to have absolutely zero leadership ability. He seems to be a quiet, demurring personality. Not good for quarterback tenement others look for leadership.
 

Merlin4SC

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I dare say that ND is certainly NOT going to be the one to give Donte or his team that lifeline. In fact, they are prolly going to dial up memories of 610 yds [all time ND worst] or 31 point losses at the hands of CPC as motivation to hang as many points on Donte as possible. Even though the HC job at USC is the best gig on the planet, I would hate to be him over the next two week period.
 
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USCSAE

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Sep 14, 2019
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USC is a monster in waiting. Especially now that the NCAA has been castrated. Which has been the only weapon in stopping the Trojans when USC has the right coach.
We are the only BlueBlood west of the Mississippi. And, if a Pete were to come around again, in this NIL environment, I think it would be one hell of a run.
Even with the shortage of lineman in CA, it doesn’t matter with the right guy in place.
The only question is, will the administration give the right guy what he wants/needs in order to take the job?
 

TrojanFireHorse12

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USC is a monster in waiting. Especially now that the NCAA has been castrated. Which has been the only weapon in stopping the Trojans when USC has the right coach.
We are the only BlueBlood west of the Mississippi. And, if a Pete were to come around again, in this NIL environment, I think it would be one hell of a run.
Even with the shortage of lineman in CA, it doesn’t matter with the right guy in place.
The only question is, will the administration give the right guy what he wants/needs in order to take the job?
USC in the future could be an unstoppable monster with the right leadership, agreed. And the admin would be foolish (like they have in the past) to NOT take advantage of this possibility, they would more than pay for the coliseum renovation.

100%
 

ILOVEFOOTBALL

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USC is a monster in waiting. Especially now that the NCAA has been castrated. Which has been the only weapon in stopping the Trojans when USC has the right coach.
We are the only BlueBlood west of the Mississippi. And, if a Pete were to come around again, in this NIL environment, I think it would be one hell of a run.
Even with the shortage of lineman in CA, it doesn’t matter with the right guy in place.
The only question is, will the administration give the right guy what he wants/needs in order to take the job?
They better make the best hire in the history of hires. Nothing less will suffice.
 

big_pete

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Nov 19, 2017
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Bohn got lucky with Fickell .. his other hires have been a disaster
Plus my guess is he is viewed as a third tier talent as an AD ...sure he looks good compared to Swann and Haden .. who wouldn’t
Bohn has been pretty bad when it comes to hiring the coaches that matter, even with Fickell's success. Still though, it was the ultimate lucky hire, and not a case where the AD just identified a gem everyone else missed out on. This was a last minute panic hire where Bohn was trying to save face. This was him offering the job to a local guy (he knew would take the job) after he missed on all of the coaches on his (long) list. He was the fallback of fallbacks who had bombed in his head coaching tryout at OSU. Turned out to be an AMAZING gamble though!
 

JCakus

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Aug 29, 2017
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"I’m having my crack research staff look into the most combined points a Trojan team has given up over a three consecutive home game stretch"

As the board's official numbers nerd, I looked into this, and the answer is NEVER. This three game stretch, we have given up 129 points.
The next closest was 2011, when we gave up 114 points over a 3 game home stretch:

38 v. Syracuse 17
48 v. Arizona 41
48 v. Stanford 56
 

TrojanFireHorse12

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Bohn has been pretty bad when it comes to hiring the coaches that matter, even with Fickell's success. Still though, it was the ultimate lucky hire, and not a case where the AD just identified a gem everyone else missed out on. This was a last minute panic hire where Bohn was trying to save face. This was him offering the job to a local guy (he knew would take the job) after he missed on all of the coaches on his (long) list. He was the fallback of fallbacks who had bombed in his head coaching tryout at OSU. Turned out to be an AMAZING gamble though!
You know all these details on Bohn, how? and wasn't USC getting Pete and him working out, not a gamble as well. You guys can't use this as ammo against him.

Boy, does this fanbase like to panic...what you described sounds, exactly like what happened at USC.
 
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Rodgarnay51

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Can’t argue. No sign of Maximus (unless FG block formation counts) or other notable change on the d-line.
You echo my sentiments. For all his bluster about competition, accountability, etc., Donte has made very few changes. We all noticed that he finally got Epps involved (most likely due to Trigg's injury) - what took him so long? I can't believe how bad the starting DBs are playing; I think they should all be riding the pine.
 

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