No need to be sorry. I agree with you that #3 is way too high. I can't justify it and yes, Sarkisian has to prove it first. Despite losing Big Cat, we have some great depth on both lines. Kessler is returning and he has a ridiculous amount of targets. Keep in mind, in 2013, our recruiting class consisted of just 13 players, in 2014 it was 19, and last season we had just 65 players rostered. And yet we finished the season ranked at 20. No place to go but up IMO.
@uscvball I was shocked to see Sark had given the running game coordinator position to Connelly. There's no doubt a coach can improve...but if there's one thing (and I think I mentioned this when we were talking about this) that frustrated me to no end was his run blocking schemes. Do you make it a practice to attend any of the spring camps? If so, I'd like to talk to you a bit out his technique...curious if he's changed his teaching philosophy. DM me if you plan to, please. —BTW, Tigers, the offensive lines your guys ran through in the Shula years...coached by Connelly.
Perhaps the coordinator title is just that, a title. Johnny Nansen followed Sark from Washington and is the assistant head coach, running backs coach and special teams coordinator. Maybe BC needed something to overlord. I used to attend spring practice regularly until the sanctions and practices became closed. They will be open again for the most part, but I don't expect to get to more than one or two.
I think Sark can take advantage of his talent base. He's got to get it done, but he fielded some pretty competitive teams when he had key players at the key spots offensively at Washington. I think in a sense if he's able to bring in the horses, he'll succeed, but he's not going to elevate a team that isn't there physically. The good thing for him is USC is, well, USC. Recruiting there works great. I'm fascinated to see Mora and UCLA.. they return a ridiculous number of starters... but he's never been a finisher. I think the college game definitely suits him over the pros though. Which USC site do you frequent? I lurk at the 247 board from time to time. How did you guys like John Morton btw? The Saints just re-hired him after his run at USC and with SF.
Lots of attention for the gutties right now. They have improved. They are still ucla. Same one you used to frequent back in the day. The publisher parted ways with espn and it's back to being great. That board? I have no comment. I had no problems with Morton. As with Norm Chow, I think PC pushed him out because Morton stayed in touch with Pete's nemesis Harbaugh. Too bad. Jeremy Bates turned out to be a loser.
Personally I think you're about to start seeing USC get back to the top of the PAC 12, i just believe it has to happen before they are so highly ranked or during.
I stopped posting/lurking at WeAreSC I think because it either required me to register or pay to see the posts or there was some issue with just browsing that was frustrating and Linda (usctrojan1) whose a sweet lady invited me to the other board and I recognized a bunch of the folks so I just stayed there. I'll check it out again though.. it isn't as active as WeAreSC was especially not regarding non-SC games/topics which was what I often most enjoyed. The WC perspective on other subjects and games was welcome so as not to get locked in the old bubble. No comment? Not a fan of the site/owner I take it? Ah, Pete really had it out for ol Jimmy, huh? Can't say I blame him. Harbaugh comes off as a grade A asshat. Good coach, but man he seems miserable. Hopefully Morton works out. Can't really say whether or not he did a good job with SF given their passing game was never really super impressive and they've had some talent but also injuries. UCLA has to prove it. They seem to me to almost be NDwestcoast in that they get a lot of hype and they'll lure you in to believing in them with some really good talent, some star players here and there, and some really competitive games against good competition, but then they'll trip over themselves and you realize it was overblown. Sort of like how tOSU was becoming under Tressell. Meyer has definitely changed that with his.. err win-at-all-cost tactics. Jimbo cut his teeth in the SEC as well. No surprise the two champs spent a great deal of time down south. I'm curious how that trend may or may not continue.. go win a weaker conference every year and become the Alpha Program with an easier route to the CFP. Kind of how USC was under Pete in the PAC.. the gulf was significant between the Trojans and everyone else, but it didn't hurt in the big time games because the pressures of LA and the way Pete ran things with his competition every play mantra translated so well.
