last years USC game

[upperdeck]

I'm sure most people look at that as a dominating win. It really comes down to making big plays than it did controlling the game. SU had multiple chances to keep this game tight

1st down at the usc 13, kicked a field goal.
had usc in 3rd and long took a PF and also let USC complete two long 3rd down passes.
SU drove again inside the USC and stalled
some punts and then again had USC in a long down and distance and took a PI, then a 2nd and 25 td pass
USC got it last fg completing 3rd and 12 and 3rd and 11 passes.. 17-3 in what should probably been a 10-7 game at the half.

usc scores and we go right back down and keep it to 24-10 mid 3rd, we get the ball back and have first down at the usc 35 and dont score. it was only then the game got out of reach.

even then 38-17 and we had first down at the usc 24 and didnt score..

have we fixed enough of those 3rd down issues to keep USC at 30 pts? have we done enough to turn 17 into 31? we had the chances last year we turned 3 scoring chances into 3 pts instead of 10-14..

 

[CuseIsGodsTeam]

We simply can't afford to stall in the red zone against USC. look at the NW game. Put one of those 2 opening drives in the endzone and we win, amongst other things.

 

[Upstate]

Thing is that both teams are better this year, I'm afraid of those 1 on 1 matchups on the outside

 

[Orangello]

This is far and away the best team top to bottom that we will face all year. I just don't see us hanging around with their athletes. We would really need to play almost a flawless game while the trend tilts towards mistake prone. Ryan is not going to have the same kind of time he had last Sat. and that doesn't bode well.

 

[PhatOrange]

Gotta hit the out of Barkley. I'd even take a couple of late hit penalties. Bring the house, make him hear footsteps and see if he'll make mistakes.

Contain the run and not give up the big play. Make them drive the length of the field and earn it. They had TD passes last year of 31, 43 and 44 yards.

 

[SWC75]

From my "Winning Plays" post. (A winning first down play gets you at least a thrid of the way to a first down. A winning second down play gets you at least halfway to second down. A winning third or fourth down play gets the first down. If they defesne prevents those goals, they win. A score is a winning play for the offense, a turnover a winning play for the defense. If a penalty gets tacked onto the play result, it's included in the first, second, third and fourth down results. If it negates the play for is a dead ball foul it's graded separately. A successful placekick is a win for the kicking team. Any other result is a win for the defense. On a kickoff or punt it's a win for the kicking team if the other team starts it's possession from their 20 yards line or closer to their goal line. If a punt produces a net gain of 40 yards for the punting team, that's a win for them.)

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
When SU had the ball:
1st down run 4-6
1st down pass 10-4
2nd down run 2-5
2nd down pass 5-6
3rd down run 1-1
3rd down pass 7-6
4th down run 0-0
4th down pass 0-1
Total: 29-29

SU kicking
Kick-offs 1-3
Punts 2-3
Field goals 1-0
Extra points 3-0
Total: 7-6

Penalties: 4-4
Turnovers 1-1
Total: 5-5

When USC had the ball:
1st down run 7-6
1st down pass 9-9
2nd down run 4-6
2nd down pass 4-9
3rd down run 1-4
3rd down pass 3-6
4th down run 0-0
4th down pass 0-0
Total: 28-40

USC kicking
Kick-offs 4-3
Punts 1-1
Field Goals 0-3
Extra Points 0-5
Total: 6-10

We won 75 plays. They won 90. We weren’t physically overwhelmed in this game. We basically lost it on their second and third down passes (7-15). They had scoring passes of 31, 44 and 43 yards and a couple more 20 yarders. They also had a 43 yard run. Nassib had a 20 yard pass to Bailey and 25 and 33 yarders to Provo. Alec Lemon passed to Van Chew for 28 yards and a score. Nassib completed his first 11 passes, running his streak to 22 in a row, starting in the Rhode Island game. But in the end, our offense just didn’t have the “explosiveness” the Trojans possessed.

I think we are better defensively this year and that if we keep Nassib in the "no huddle", he can be very effective. I'm not going to get my hopes up but I think we have a chance to at least put a scare into 'em.

 

[javadoc]

Gotta hit the out of Barkley. I'd even take a couple of late hit penalties. Bring the house, make him hear footsteps and see if he'll make mistakes.

Contain the run and not give up the big play. Make them drive the length of the field and earn it. They had TD passes last year of 31, 43 and 44 yards.

Who are the refs for this game? Is it a Pac-12 crew? If MPB doesn't get held we might get a hit or two on Barkley early.

 

[PhatOrange]

Who are the refs for this game? Is it a Pac-12 crew? If MPB doesn't get held we might get a hit or two on Barkley early.

Good question. I think that was actually the most infuriating thing for me on Saturday was how many times (it appeared to me) that MPB was being held. It reminded me of Bryant McKinney holding Dwight on every snap.

And other times our DTs getting pressure up the middle were being held as well.

 

[Millhouse]

Gotta hit the out of Barkley. I'd even take a couple of late hit penalties. Bring the house, make him hear footsteps and see if he'll make mistakes.

Contain the run and not give up the big play. Make them drive the length of the field and earn it. They had TD passes last year of 31, 43 and 44 yards.

agree. 15 yards is nothing against them. roll the dice. forget field position. there isn't that much downside to giving USC field position anyway, the only way to beat them is to take the ball away and limit their possessions (no punts, fake punts, onside kicks, defensive gambles)

of course, if the objective is to keep it close, then you might start thinking about that.

 

[SoBeCuse]

That game was still early in the season last year. USC really started to buy into Kiffin after that and went on big roll and are still carrying that momentum, imo. They are much better now.

 

[bevosu]

last year

First downs

USC 28
Syr 17

Total yards

USC 501
Syr 331

 

[SU2NASA]

I'd like to see early how good their backup quarterback is...

 

[SU2NASA]

last year

First downs

USC 28
Syr 17

Total yards

USC 501
Syr 331

But if you read the board this week, we're the second-coming of the 2000 St. Louis Rams.

 

[Alsacs]

But if you read the board this week, we're the second-coming of the 2000 St. Louis Rams.

Generally I agree with you, but your WAY off here. People are generally happy that we actually saw an improved offensive play style. Nobody has ever implied we are the greatest show on turf or even have the ability to sustain it. NOBODY has praised the running game people are happy we installed a hurry up offense and put the zone read in. I guess being optimistic that the coaching staff added some college wrinkles means we are the greatest offense of all time. USC last year beat us pretty easily, but they didn't man handle us.

 

[SWC75]

last year

First downs

USC 28
Syr 17

Total yards

USC 501
Syr 331

That sounds like our stats vs. NW. (596-337 and 33-21). Of course we may not get the punt returns and big turnovers NW got.

If you eliminate the 31, 44 and 43 yard pass plays, the total yardage last year, (that were the difference in a 17-38 loss), the yardage is 331-383, anybody's game. the question is: can we eliminate them? Our secondary was awful last year. It's still developing but I think our secondary will be better this year and I think we have more of a pass rush.

 

[GoSU96]

But if you read the board this week, we're the second-coming of the 2000 St. Louis Rams.

Good lord, NOBODY is saying that.

 

[skurey]

Yeah I'd say we're more of a 2001 St. Louis Rams

 

[bevosu]

I agree our secondary looks like it's better this year.

I'm not optimistic about the outcome, but I do think that we can be a little more competitive than we were last year...but USC appears to be better this year.

I'd feel a lot more confident (special teams aside) if we had a very good running back. If we don't have some kind of a running game I think USC will win easily.

For the season...We have to have a decent running game. I don't think our passing game can carry us on offense. It might be good, but unless somebody steps up at running back (PTG maybe?) defenses will adjust and it could get ugly...or at least mundane.

 

[SWC75]

I agree our secondary looks like it's better this year.

I'm not optimistic about the outcome, but I do think that we can be a little more competitive than we were last year...but USC appears to be better this year.

I'd feel a lot more confident (special teams aside) if we had a very good running back. If we don't have some kind of a running game I think USC will win easily.

For the season...We have to have a decent running game. I don't think our passing game can carry us on offense. It might be good, but unless somebody steps up at running back (PTG maybe?) defenses will adjust and it could get ugly...or at least mundane.

I was going to say I wish we had Curtis Dukes but he didn't have a carry for Penn State vs. Ohio U. at all.
http://mbd.At their request, this n...px?s=157&=1395&t=9303803&p=1&sto=MS_125944840

 

[anglerman]

Um...the offense is much much better then last year. You guys keep talking about the defense but this SU offense is better able to be in a game that is an offensive shoot out. Last years offense was awful, this years is down right capable.

BTW they did look like the 2000 St Louis rams in the last game.