Nov 24 | at Southern Cal

[NDinL.A.]

I've been saying all along (while most every national pundit has been saying USC has basically beaten the sanctions and while there is a segment of USC fans out there who actually think the sanctions have HELPED them b/c their recruiting is going so well) that the sanctions will hurt USC when they have to start practice, when they have to start hitting and guys start to get injured and they have to scale back practices and suddenly they are missing tackles in games b/c of rust. And especially b/c they won't have enough guys to have really good practices b/c guys will have to be doing too many reps. I keep hitting that point here and on ISD over and over b/c this is where USC will not win a NC, and where we have our best shot at beating them since it's at the end of the year. Pessimists don't believe that it will matter because you only suit up a certain amount of kids anyways.

Well, here's a quick quote from Kiffy after today's 2 a day:

Kiffin said having 10 fewer players is starting to affect team: "Those 10 that aren't there, u feel that. You feel it wear down your guys"

He started to say the exact same team 2 years ago. And that's when Oregon ran right past them and burned them out, and when Stanford and yes, NOTRE DAME, ran over a tired USC team. This is our best, and perhaps only, shot at beating that loaded team...

 

[IrishMoore1]

I've been saying all along (while most every national pundit has been saying USC has basically beaten the sanctions and while there is a segment of USC fans out there who actually think the sanctions have HELPED them b/c their recruiting is going so well) that the sanctions will hurt USC when they have to start practice, when they have to start hitting and guys start to get injured and they have to scale back practices and suddenly they are missing tackles in games b/c of rust. And especially b/c they won't have enough guys to have really good practices b/c guys will have to be doing too many reps. I keep hitting that point here and on ISD over and over b/c this is where USC will not win a NC, and where we have our best shot at beating them since it's at the end of the year. Pessimists don't believe that it will matter because you only suit up a certain amount of kids anyways.

Well, here's a quick quote from Kiffy after today's 2 a day:



He started to say the exact same team 2 years ago. And that's when Oregon ran right past them and burned them out, and when Stanford and yes, NOTRE DAME, ran over a tired USC team. This is our best, and perhaps only, shot at beating that loaded team...

Okay, I see what you're saying, but did SC have Barkley for those games? I find it hard to believe that ND beats USC two years ago with Barkley at qb.

 

[Bluto]

Good post NDinLA. The lack of depth and or more injuries will probably affect the special teams play as well. I could see their D gassing in the fourth quarter costing them some games. We'll see.

 

[Irishbounty28]

Don't we only have 1 more scholarship player than USC? I thought I saw on another thread that we had 76 scholarship players.

 

[NDinFL]

Okay, I see what you're saying, but did SC have Barkley for those games? I find it hard to believe that ND beats USC two years ago with Barkley at qb.

I know they didn't have Barkley when ND beat them...

Hollywood's point stands to reason though, ESPECIALLY if we're intending on gearing this offense for 60/40 run/pass ratio.

If we stay close with them through 3, they will be gassed by the 4th.

This is definently possible.

 

[BGIF]

Don't we only have 1 more scholarship player than USC? I thought I saw on another thread that we had 76 scholarship players.

I believe the 76 referred to healthy scholarship players after the injuries (less Welch, Collinsworth, Roberson, Spond, et al). Southern Cal started out with 75 bodies before deducting their current losses.

 

[BGIF]

I know they didn't have Barkley when ND beat them...

Hollywood's point stands to reason though, ESPECIALLY if we're intending on gearing this offense for 60/40 run/pass ratio.

If we stay close with them through 3, they will be gassed by the 4th.

This is definently possible.

The good news is the 11 games prior to 11/24 show take out some people and bang up some people through a season's normal attrition. The bad news is their freshman have 4 full months to grow into team players.

Then again our new QB, new receiving corps, and secondary also have 3 months to mature for this game as well.


Schedulewise USC should have an advantage. Steele list ND with the #1 Toughest Schedule in 2012. He pegs USC at #30 (right behind Bama and LSU). Tougher schedules with more tougher opponets tend to produce more banged up people. Your starters will most likely be on the field longer as games should still be contested in the 4th Q.

Based on the current Coaches Poll, USC faces #18 Stanford in the Week 3, #32 Utah in Week 6, #26 UW in Week 7, #5 OR in Week 10, 3 weeks before facing ND.

ND faces #13 MSU in Week 3, #8 UM in Week 4, #18 Stanford in Week 7, #37 BYU in Week 8, #4 OU in Week 9, and #3 USC in Week 13.

Neither ND or USC faces a BCS team.

 

[Kanye West]

Losing Kalil and Nick Perry through the draft and then losing Kennard. I just don't see this team's trench as a NC contender. NDinLA is right, that depth will be a huge problem.

 

[NDinFL]

Very true,

I still think we must keep it close going in to the 4th.

If they get up by 17+ then we have to play their kind of game, and attempt to chuck it around the yard.

(not saying we can't, just seems like so far our strong suit is the RB's)

 

[Kanye West]

We can't also run 9 freaking times in the game. Jonas Gray was on fire that game and we didn't run him.

 

[NDinL.A.]

Don't we only have 1 more scholarship player than USC? I thought I saw on another thread that we had 76 scholarship players.

Sorry, I had written a response to you and I guess I didn't send it, and now I can't find it. As BGIF said, that 76 number being thrown around is AFTER transfers and injuries. USC's 75 is before injuries and academic casualties.

And let's take a quick look at that 75, as far as how many guys are practicing:

* 3 guys are out due to season ending injuries (I'm assuming Kennard is out for the season). 72.

* 2 guys are awaiting grades for at least another week, with one guy (Wiley) rumored to be pretty much ineligible. And freshman Rodgers is still waiting on the NCAA. 69.

* Guys are banged up and not practicing, guys like Walker, Henderson, Farmer, Harris, Temple, and Dawson (by my rough count) were all out today. 63.

* Robert Woods is feeling better than he did all year, but he sat out the 2nd practice of Saturday's 2-a-day as a precaution. And Agholar was sick and didn't practice. 61.

So by my completely unofficial count, USC practiced with at most 61 scholarship players yesterday. That hurts your practice...big time. It burns guys out.

And since we play them last, this is our biggest chance...

 

[NDinL.A.]

Whoops, just read that CB Anthony Brown has a bad hammy and missed the last few practices as well. 60 scholarship players at practice yesterday. Not good.

 

[Black Irish]

I'm also hoping the team should be jelled and running smooth by the end of the season, rather then still trying to figure things out in week 5 like last year.

 

[DomeLover3]

Really want to see us take it to USC this year. Its gonna be a battle

 

[NDPhilly]

“@insidetroy: All 3 starting #USC LBs out. Dawson's foot in a boot, Bailey's arm in a sling and Pullard had ankle taped up.”

 

[Who'saWildManNow]

Holy hell.. I don't want to face USCs B team, honestly. Just another excuse for Kiffin as to why he lost.

 

[Buster Bluth]

“@insidetroy: All 3 starting #USC LBs out. Dawson's foot in a boot, Bailey's arm in a sling and Pullard had ankle taped up.”

It's the last game of the season, but any losses for USC is good for the universe.

 

[NDhoosier]

we may be facing walk-ons against them... And people were saying U$C was going to be fine. Depth is a necessity. U$C has no depth except at the QB position.

 

[Rhode Irish]

Holy hell.. I don't want to face USCs B team, honestly. Just another excuse for Kiffin as to why he lost.

I don't know if any of these guys will still be out at Thanksgiving, but either way I'm sure USC will be short some guys when we play them. That is the whole idea behind the sanctions: it is supposed to weaken them by limiting their depth because nobody goes through a whole season without injury. Can't feel bad for them when it happens.

I think the more interesting thing for people here to note is that we are not the only program that experiences injuries in camp. It is a pretty common thing. We are always looking for reasons to feel bad for ourselves. Injuries happen, but the key is having depth to survive them. We are in much better position to survive these injuries under Kelly than we were a few years back.

 

[Black Irish]

I don't know if any of these guys will still be out at Thanksgiving, but either way I'm sure USC will be short some guys when we play them. That is the whole idea behind the sanctions: it is supposed to weaken them by limiting their depth because nobody goes through a whole season without injury. Can't feel bad for them when it happens.

I think the more interesting thing for people here to note is that we are not the only program that experiences injuries in camp. It is a pretty common thing. We are always looking for reasons to feel bad for ourselves. Injuries happen, but the key is having depth to survive them. We are in much better position to survive these injuries under Kelly than we were a few years back.

2nd that. It's easy to look at Irish football in a vacuum and forget that other teams are having trials & tribulations that can put them behind the 8 ball. We aren't the only fans suffering, it just feels that way.

 

[TDHeysus]

just got my tickets for the game! I have been to the coliseum quite a few times to see raider games, and a couple concerts. But this will be my first game vs. USC...it will be my 3rd overall ND game in person.

 

[BGIF]

just got my tickets for the game! I have been to the coliseum quite a few times to see raider games, and a couple concerts. But this will be my first game vs. USC...it will be my 3rd overall ND game in person.

ROOT HOME A WIN!

 

[STLDomer]

DE DeVante Wilson is out for the season with a likely torn ACL.

 

[irishfanjho15]

DE DeVante Wilson is out for the season with a likely torn ACL.

Well that makes losing Kennard even worse.

 

[NDPhilly]

He was a freshman hat probably wasn't gonna play anyway.

 

[irishfanjho15]

He was a freshman hat probably wasn't gonna play anyway.

Depth is a major concern though and Kennard was the starter on the same side as Wilson was. Not having depth behind him makes the situation where they lost Kennard even worse. That's all I was saying.

 

[Andy in Sactown]

Depth is a major concern though and Kennard was the starter on the same side as Wilson was. Not having depth behind him makes the situation where they lost Kennard even worse. That's all I was saying.

Exactly. And this is the second time Wilson has torn an ACL. They grey-shirted him this last season. Yet another blow to their depth at the defensive end position.

I'm exited about the prospect of our O-line pushing their depleted D-line around at the end of the season.

 

[Andy in Sactown]

The depth chart over at Rivals lists one end position depth chart as:

96 Wes Horton | 6-5, 255, Sr., RS SR
81 Kevin Greene | 6-4, 255, Sr., RS JR
93 Greg Townsend | 6-3, 260, So., RS FR
95 DeVante Wilson | 6-5, 245, Fr., FR

And the other as:

42 Devon Kennard | 6-3, 260, Sr., SR
91 Morgan Breslin | 6-2, 250, Jr., JR
39 Charles Burks | 6-0, 235, So., FR
95 DeVante Wilson | 6-5, 245, Fr., FR

So with Kennard and now Wilson out for the season, are we looking at (JUCO) Breslin and Burks on that side?

 

[irishfanjho15]

The depth chart over at Rivals lists one end position depth chart as:

96 Wes Horton | 6-5, 255, Sr., RS SR
81 Kevin Greene | 6-4, 255, Sr., RS JR
93 Greg Townsend | 6-3, 260, So., RS FR
95 DeVante Wilson | 6-5, 245, Fr., FR

And the other as:

42 Devon Kennard | 6-3, 260, Sr., SR
91 Morgan Breslin | 6-2, 250, Jr., JR
39 Charles Burks | 6-0, 235, So., FR
95 DeVante Wilson | 6-5, 245, Fr., FR

So with Kennard and now Wilson out for the season, are we looking at (JUCO) Breslin and Burks on that side?

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/usc/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2011-12/depth_chart_non_event/end-of-spring-depth.pdf

This one above is the one I was going off of. It's dated in April of this year. After spring ball.

 

[Andy in Sactown]

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/usc/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2011-12/depth_chart_non_event/end-of-spring-depth.pdf

This one above is the one I was going off of. It's dated in April of this year. After spring ball.

So does that mean their 2-deep is now Townsend and Burks on the strong-side and Horton and Beslin or Greene on the weak-side?

Lots of experience on the weak-side, not so much on the strong side.. I wonder if they would shuffle a bit to get some experience on the strong side.

Anyone have a more informed/knowledgeable handle on this? L.A. maybe?