USC vs. Utah

[irishtrain]

After watching this game tonight I'm thinking if Notre Dame can find a way to keep them from going downfield the Irish can beat these guys. They didnt look that good tonight. Thats a big if of course but not too impressed with them other than their long passing game. Their receivers are as advertied- explosive and fast. I didnt think their routes were all that good just throw and go get it. Notre Dame can beat these guys.

 

[BGIF]

Utah did some things on both sides of the ball that gave the condom some fits early on...not just turnovers but they got to Barkley early, and their offensive game plan kept condom guessing until Utah got behind...

I don't think this USC team is as good as last year's team at this point...

"they got to Barkley early"? The game I watched showed two bad snaps from the center not Manti like pressure. On the first play of the game, Barkley chased the first one down 20 yds behind scrimmage. Foolishly instead of falling on the ball he picked it up and got stripped for a TD. On the second play of the next series Barkley never had possession of the ball, the NG bulled into the center and then immediately fell on the loose ball which was at the NG's feet. Kudos to the Utes for capitalizing on the center's errors The center screwing up twice isn't exactly getting to Barkley.

14 Turnover Points with only 2 offensive plays run by the Utes. The scord was 14-7 Utes before Utah ever had to field a kick. The Utes opened with a couple of 3 and outs. On the 3rd drive they made one First Down. It wasn't until the 2nd Q that Utah actually had a drive with more than one First Down. They went 81 yds in 8 plays mainly through the air to make their lead 21-10.

It took Barkley all of a 60 seconds to answer that score. 3 plays, 74 yds, 21-17. Utah turned the ball over on the first play of their next drive. It took Barkley 6 plays to score and take the lead, 24-21, with about 5 minutes left in the first half.

The Utes didn't score again until there were 38 seconds left in the game with USC up by 17 points - garbage time.

The final score made the game look much closer than it actually was. Despite the gimme 14 pts in the first 2 minutes and 45 seconds, Utah didn't do much. And they had no defense for Barkley's long ball. Barkley was 23-30,303, for 3 TDs and had a 4th TD but his open receiver bobbled the ball in the end zone.

Despite giving the ball up twice on only 4 plays in the opening quarter, USC still had 432 yds of total offense, 303 passing/129 rushing. They averaged 10.1 yds/pass attempt and 5.1 yds per running play (without the 2 bad snaps which weren't rushes).

They weren't crisp on every play and made errors (turnovers and penalties) but they can score from anywhere on the field, quick receivers who outrun the DBs and a QB who can throw as long as they run. Redd adds punch to the rushing attack.

USC should have put up 50 pts. If they straighten out the injured center problem (they have 7 weeks to do so) ND is gonna need a bunch of points.

 

[CanadianIrishFan306]

How is someone allowed to play after this?

 

[BGIF]

How is someone allowed to play after this?

He passed a concussion test on the sidelines according to reports.

Rumor has it, he was asked, "Is your name, Robert? Is so, wobble your head"

 

[KPENN]

He passed a concussion test on the sidelines according to reports.

Rumor has it, he was asked, "Is your name, Robert? Is so, wobble your head"

"If I'm holding up 3 fingers, looked out of it and concussed...... Wonderful... He's good to go"

 

[ThePiombino]

I think we should be using the Stanford game as more of a model on how to play SC than this game.

 

[PANDFAN]

Every time I hear their fight song my hears bleed

an angel loses it wings

 

[NDinL.A.]

Utah is awful awful awful, and SC should have been embarrassed to be down at all in this game. But really, once USC scored and cut the lead to 14-7, the game was over. USC had a horrible start and a bad 3rd quarter, but other than that, completely dominated. When Utah doubled both Lee and Woods, SC gashed them with the run. But an extra guy in the box, and USC gashed them with Woods and Lee and the TEs.

But as was said, look at the Stanford game as more of a barometer. The things I took out of this game are:

* that USC is going to be REALLY hard for us to stop offensively. We already know about Barks and Lee and Woods, but Redd brings an added dimension that will be tough to stop. Not only is e quick but he is TOUGH. Great free agency buy, errrrrrrrrrr, pick-up for them.

* that Barkley is great against the blitz. There was a pivotal moment early in the game, USC down 14, crowd going crazy, 3rd and long and USC hadn't picked up a first down yet. Utah sends a great blitz and the protection breaks down all around Barks, but he calmly side-stepped the blitzer and found Lee (or Woods) on a crossing route for a nice gain and a huge first down. A few plays later they were in the endzone and the game in my eyes was over.

* that USC has some major issues on the o-line that we HAVE to exploit. And we have the D-line to do it. Tuitt should be able to murder their left side of the line.

* that USC is VERY undisciplined. Stupid penalties all over the field. Reminds me of Petey's last 2 teams.

* that Robey is the real deal, and he will completely blanket Daniels or anyone else on his side. I hate to admit this of course, but the kid (while undersized) is a flat-out great corner.

* Morgan Breslin, DE, is a friggin' beast, and their DE injuries actually allowed him to flourish. So their 5 star (disappointment) goes down with a season-ending injury, and Breslin comes in and has been a revelation. And they STOLE him from UCLA, as he was a commit but USC offered Breslin late because he could EE. USC (as was with Redd) gets lucky again. Unbelievable.

* that USC is very beatable. The pessimist in me still thinks they'll beat us with the same talent they trotted out last night, but I've maintained all off-season that our best chance was that we play them last, and they'll be beat-up, tired, injured and feeling the effects of the sanctions. And I still believe that. I've said all along they'd lose 2-3 games (but not to us), and I still believe that. But I hope that we improve offensively to the point that I think we beat them...

 

[Joee]

I always think ND will beat USC, except for the year even St. Lou thought the Trojans would win. I would love the 51 to 0 USC loss to be exceeded, and exceeded often. A disciplined, slightly less talented team should beat a poorly disciplined more talented team, eg when Penn State beat Miami years ago.
I did my best, I lit a candle in the Church of The Holy Sepulchre for the team. So far it's worked.

 

[irishtrain]

Also easy to see the bodies of this current crop of sc players is not using PHD's. Notre Dame's personnel looks much more impressive in the type of body and athletic look. These guys can be had. 5 yrs ago these guys looked like robo-player.

 

[jason_h537]

He passed a concussion test on the sidelines according to reports.

Rumor has it, he was asked, "Is your name, Robert? Is so, wobble your head"

Seriously I read he was asked, Who is the President? What day is it? OK good to go!

That was scary to watch. I would never wish bad on any player but I sometimes wish something serious would happen to show coaches that these are lives you are messing with not machines. Imagine if He got hit again and didn't get up? The long term health of a player is not worth a W.