Defensively Speaking: Cal (from Kevin Bruce)

Kevin, do you agree with Clancy that USC stopped the run, since he said in his comments that USC's ability to stop the run was huge.
I do not feel USC stopped the run.

 

Kevin, with our defensive personnel what schemes would be most effective against the teams USC played this year?

 

KB - you are more optimistic than I re the upcoming game vs thrmruins. I thought we were terrible vs th is game ...especially anytime outside ...and have been all season. That's a strength of fucla and they torched us(c) last year. Our ON play on the edge is horrific. Both Clancy and Baxter are terrible and need to go asap .. regardless of what happens to Helton. Where was McClain this game? I like him as a pass.rusher .. Needs to improve vs. the run. Salami is a headhunter .. and can be intimidating .. but he always seems a hairsbreath away from a personal foul or targeting penalty. To my eye out problems are scheme.related. Drake Jackson has the athletic ability not overcome Clancy 's schematic deficiencies ... But our D overall cannot. They over run plays, take bad angles and seek out contact with blockers instead of avoiding same, slipping blocks, or finding ways to disengage. They overrun plays and don't maintain leverage on the edge.

 

Kevin, do you remember those 2 Kenon Christon TD runs against AZ? I believe it was basically the same play. Why can't we block it up anymore? If opponents are specifically keying to stop that play, what else does it open up for our offense?

 

Kevin,

Is Faliniko a player that with the right coaching might become a monster linebacker?

He seems to hit a ton out there but was that just because he was playing on special teams and during garbage time against less-than-starter level talent on the opposition?

 

if prefer if we took advantage of our interior line talent and shot some gaps and not read and react so much

 

Let's hope all these players with clear talent, will be afforded the luxury of having a coach and program next year that knows what they're doing.

 

I think UCLA is going to run all over SC Saturday. I would stack that fricken box and force DTR to beat us with his arm.

 

"I’m looking forward to our upcoming game against UCLA. Should be chippy, physical and a good test. "

After watching the Cal game, and perhaps for the first time this season, I think we can match UCLA blow for blow on the chipiness scale.

 

It seems to me that the USC defense all season has had issues plugging the "A" gap allowing the opposing RB to run right through the line and immediately get to the second level before they knew what hit them.

 

In fact we won by 24 points over a team where the line was about 4 points. So beating the spread by 20 is normally when we say we played really well...not we played terrible.

 

you do realize that the game was already over when they finally ran that play, and most of the defense was comprised of subs at that point.