A lot of the media is pounding on the Trojans for their performance and “Luck” in winning the game on Friday night. I guess luck always plays a role but we did win right? We beat the number 10 team in the country who were anointed by some to win the Pac-12 let alone the Southern Division back to back years, right? We won right? So sometimes it isn’t pretty but it seems like the media is really trying to tear it down in such a way as Utah was robbed. Utah lost Moss and that’s why they lost? They had over 250 yards of rushing and lost everyone. Who needs Moss? They ran all over the Trojans but the Trojans won, right? We did win from what I could tell by the final score. I did re-watch it twice now. Really enjoyed the Fox broadcast team. Brady Quinn does a very good job and handles jabs effortlessly. He is going to be great. Reggie is emotional but in a good way. Have to get Matt to loosen up a bit. Very serious. Urban is very good. He is taking a lot of hits right now as well but that’s because of how good he is. Everyone silently wants him but he does have baggage.
USC won on the latest edition of Friday Night Lights. They beat the number 10 team in the country who beat BYU who beat the Trojans. Maybe we should be talking more about how could the Trojans lose to a BYU team who lost to Utah and got pummeled by Washington who we play at 12:30 this Saturday on the road. Can’t win that one can we? Sure we can. The reason I believe we will beat Washington is that no one knows who we are as a chemistry. We have a heart beat that is all about the player bond. This is stronger than any great offense or defense or even special teams design. This is about a single heart for 85 players who have bonded together to make this season theirs. That’s what I saw on Friday night. That’s the team that bent but didn’t break. Love the media pundits who claim Utah lost this one. Well here’s a news flash. THEY DID. UTAH LOST TO USC 30-23 on Friday September 20th at the LA Coliseum. It happened. USC won.
This isn’t about the coaches anymore. They have done what they can do. They have invested their knowledge at their ceiling of ability and the players now are taking this to a higher level. They are going to decide each game. News flash, this is always the case. Coaches don’t play the games. They get them ready to battle and that’s a area of concern as our tackling was still a challenge. Scrambling QB’s give the Trojans fits. Another News Flash they give everyone fits. They are never 100% contained anywhere at any time. They scramble by design and you can’t stop a good scrambling smart QB every time. Now the edge is a different topic. We need work there. Thats clear. The other bright spot I saw was gang tackling. The defense was definitely at a different level of teamwork on active tackling. I didn’t see (as I did in the BYU loss) the number of players slowing down assuming a play was over. Not Friday night. They all seemed to get it they all seemed to be engaged to support.
The running game is.still a big issue. But I see a bright light. I think if Graham dials up the right running plays for Malavae, Stephen and Markese then this will be a much smoother running game. We cannot keep asking an edge player like Carr to go between the tackles. I have said this all year. Get him in space via short flares or pitches to let him use his true asset and get one on one’s. I think Malavae is actually slashes and running the best I have ever seen. He seems to be more in sync and capable with the play calling and was key when it mattered Friday night. He is trustworthy. Markese Stepp is special. It’s not about taking plays away from our #1 and #2 backs. Its about making the defense fear a player that never goes down on first contact. My ask of Graham would be a dual back set. Markese and or Malavae behind our QB (who ever that is) and Carr playing more out of the pocket. Imagine the DC’s eyes with that set. Imagine he moves those tackles and edge rushers in because we always give Markese the ball if and when he is in. Poof, we go to Carr. Or we throw to a TE or a slashing Pittman. You got the picture. By providing foundational distractions to an offensive set you make the defense change. You create doubt and uncertainty.
As we get ready to watch the films on the Washington Huskies it will be interesting to hear what is coming out of the Trojans injury report. Not just Kedon but the whole team. We were down a few players against Utah but the players didn’t show it. The banded together and beat the #10 Team in the Country.
Fight On, Beat the Huskies.
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