New “Inside the Trojans’ Huddle” (Tuesday, Nov. 14) edition: Oregon review, UCLA preview, USC/UCLA memories, Big Ten Lightning Round, and viewers’ Q&A, and this week's Pac-12 predictions
Pregame
In Tuesday’s edition of Inside the Trojans Huddle, panelists Marc Kulkin, Erik McKinney, Chris Arledge, and Greg Katz review the Oregon game, preview Saturday’s UCLA game, USC/UCLA memories, Big Ten Lightning Round, viewers’ questions, predictions on this weekend’s Pac-12 games.
First Quarter
In the first quarter of the Huddle, the panel gives their reactions and analysis of the 36-27 USC loss at Oregon. There was a consensus that the Trojans played hard all four quarters and never gave up. There were kudos and props to how the Oregon game management team conducted the pre and in-game entertainment, and one panelist suggested that USC might want to take notes on how Oregon made Autzen Stadium, already a lively place, even more lively. There was certainly some harsh but justifiable criticism regarding the Trojans’ secondary, but there was some praise regarding limiting the Ducks from running all over the Men of Troy. Again, there was disappointment regarding how the Trojans’ offensive line was unable to protect Caleb Williams.
Second Quarter
In the second quarter of the Huddle, the panel previews Saturday’s UCLA game. There was a lot of conversation about how it seems UCLA is more dangerous when they are the underdogs with a questionable quarterbacking situation. The panel gives their positions on what it would take to win the game and how the Trojans should do it on both sides of the ball. There were some interesting panel takes on the subject.
Halftime
The panel gives their favorite winning memory in their lifetime of USC/UCLA games played and their saddest or angriest memory of the crosstown rivalry. There was near consensus on the worst memory, yet different takes on the best memory. One panelist – and you know who – said the worst loss was in 1965, and the best win was in 1967 and gave reasons why for both viewpoints. Did somebody mention Cade McNown or John Barnes or was that Gary Beban to Kurt Altenberg and Dick Witcher from a bygone era?
Third Quarter
In the third quarter, the panel gave their rapid responses in the Big Ten Lightning Round, a special edition for the USC/UCLA game. Some questions concerned Caleb’s stats for the game, passing and rushing yardage for both teams, predicting the turnover winner, actual Coliseum crowd attendance, and has the USC/UCLA rivalry lost its intenseness from the panelists’ younger days.
The Big Ten bonus question: If you had a high school child accepted academically into both USC and UCLA, and your child announced they would be attending UCLA, what would be your reaction?
Fourth Quarter
Following the lighting of the WeAreSC symbolic Coliseum torch between the third and fourth quarters of the Huddle, the panel leads off the fourth quarter by answering viewers’ questions.
Viewers’ questions addressed whether following the season there would be assistant coaching changes both on offense and defense, Riley and media relations, Riley’s excuses after games, NIL funding, Caleb playing in the bowl game, hiring a special team coach and a new offensive coordinator, and USC coaches needing to justify their salaries by “outsmarting or scheming” the opposition. Could they be more interested in impressing their peers and the NFL than coaching college kids with busy schedules?
Overtime
In the Overtime period, the panel game makes Pac-12 predictions for this weekend’s conference games that include Colorado at Washington State (Friday night), Utah at Arizona, Oregon at ASU, Cal at Stanford, Washington at Oregon State, and, of course, UCLA at USC.
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USC Trojans videos from Los Angeles, California, from the staff of WeAreSC.
