Defensively Speaking: Fresno State (from Kevin Bruce)

I’ll focus more this week on it, but I just feel that I am yelling at the TV often that our Linebackers are not attacking on the first step and retreating if pass. I feel like they stand still on snap and try to read/react. By the time they actually contact a blocker, they either get pushed back or to the side, and any tackles they do make are on their heels other than pushing through the ball carrier. My thought and I reiterate it’s my thought, is that if the LB were attacking forward on snap, hey would be in a better position to make a muck of the run lanes and create more of a mess for the RB to run through, allowing the other defenders a better chance to help with gang tackling.

I agree though that better D Line play/push makes the LB life a lot easier. I also agree that Rector crashing or standing still is pointless. Another thing I consistently yell at the TV about. Hopefully these guys will have a good film session and learn. I think Pete used to hold “Tell the truth Tuesday” or something and get real with the guys about the film. I don’t know if these coaches do that, or even recognize the issues. That’s probably the bigger problem overall...

 

Great write up. Our defense just does not play fundamentally sound. Bring Jimmy Lake or Alex Grinch asap

 

You have to have real hitting and tackling on qb’s in practice. Our defense looked like they expected the qb’s to be whistled dead as they headed to the corner.

When I had Catechism as a child I learned that “You should fear and love the Lord so that...” Every football team needs a Marv Goux type of coach whom the players fear, because they know he is tougher than them. I never hear of this type of coach at USC.

Pete was tough. Guys were always running laps for errors. Nobody was ever late. The team needs a couple of fire breathing coaches. The kind that grab your face mask and make you quiver as they scream at you.

Football is an emotional game. We are soft. Nobody fears playing us. When was the last time you heard an SC player say the practices are tougher than the games. It’s been almost a decade.

 

The problem lies in how we run our scout teams. In 2016, 2018, and 2019 we have walk on quarterbacks running those teams. How good of a look can they provide our 1st team defense? The scout team has other walk ons as well.

This is not how top programs run their scout offense and scout defense.

 

Agreed. Not joking when I say that 3rd & long gives me high anxiety when watching the Trojans on defense. Conversely, if it's about 3rd and 3, 3rd & 4, I am fairly relaxed. The replays of opponents getting 1st downs on 3rd & long show the whole story. A receiver catching a first down behind the sticks with multiple Trojan jerseys standing behind him, protecting God knows what...

 

Thanks Kevin, it looked like the LB was gassed and he didn’t move and just got lucky. When offensive tempo start to catch up with you it is sometimes better to be lucky then good. Thanks for the input!
Fight On!

 

Great post, love the nuance! Here's to your future posts...

 

It's worse than that! I don't mind if they continue to play "Hurry-Up" even toward the end of the game if it means you're going to continue to be aggressive and still play a run/pass offense (meaning, you still want to score and aren't just running out the clock). But if you're going to limit your playbook to only runs (because of the Fr. QB), and you're still running a Hurry-Up, then you're doubly-STUPID!

You're basically telling the other team you're more concerned with running out the clock with runs, but you can't even run out the clock properly with the snap.

Oregon's coach is getting hammered for clock management as well and not milking the playclock. I know it's not easy, but this is why they get paid millions...hire a f*cking Ivy grad to manage the clock for you, if you aren't capable. Pay him/her a 1/4 of your salary, it'd be well-worth it!

 

C-man, go an search last year's posts at this exact time. Recall all the comments about Clancey's blitz/stunt packages for W. Mich, and how many believed Clancy was holding back for Stanford. The blitzes/stunts rarely came...at all, for the rest of the entire season!

Don't hold your breat my man, help is not on the way. I held my breath last year with these same thoughts - no more!

 

I did see some D Line Twists last week. I’m hoping for more next week. I say hoping, because we agree it wasn’t there last year. I think the Defense will be better next week, if the coaches work on contain and have the LB push the contact forward. We will learn a lot about what USC will look like this season against Stanford. Stanford isn’t a world beater, but a good test to see where the bar is set. I’m 50/50 on what we are going to see. You never know with this coaching staff, but many of the things I saw, should be easy to fix with a simple film session.

 

Coaching, coaching, coaching, there is none! Wake up and smell the roses USC ATHLETICS, make the necessary changes quickly, so we don't lose another set of recruits! Also soft, soft, soft, why? Proud to be a Trojan, don't see it?