Safe play calling is not USC’s problem


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Rick Neuheisel offered the most interesting prediction  I heard of USC’s game this past Saturday. It was interesting not because he pretty much hit the nail on the head with his projected result, but because of the explanation he offered behind it and the fact that he offered it a week in advance. On the […]

Crucial tests still to come for USC


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This week’s column was supposed to be about the USC rugby team, but the Trojans found a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory for the second time in four weeks on Saturday. My colleague and fellow Daily Trojan sports columnist Jake Davidson outlined the reasons for the loss, calling the Trojans “just […]

Coaching kills USC in loss to Utah


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The USC football team was finally exposed Saturday night. A team that has been defined thus far by playing “not-to-lose” against quality opponents, lost. With only four games left in the season, it might be a wise time for the coaching staff to reexamine their offensive philosophy. The fourth quarter followed what has become a […]

USC fans should root for Kiffin


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I miss Lane Kiffin. There, I said it. Following a disastrous 2012 campaign which saw the preseason No. 1-ranked Trojans slide to a 7-6 record, losing five of their last six games, Kiffin was on thin ice with USC administration and fans, but I always had a soft spot for the Nebraska-born bruiser. My freshman […]

Freshmen give USC needed depth


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With a typically obnoxious case of the stomach flu keeping me bedridden for the past few days, I took to mindlessly perusing social media as a means of occupying my time. Shockingly, this undertaking didn’t fit into my mom’s suggested remedy of sleep, fluids and, “You shouldn’t go out so much!” It did, however, help […]

USC still hangs on to playoff dreams


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Reading quiz! Of the following conferences and divisions, which has the most teams in the AP Top 25? A. The SEC West B. The Pac-12 South C. The Big 12 D. The ACC and Big Ten combined E. All of the above If you guessed E, then congratulations, you’re correct! As a prize, you can […]

White’s rant a black eye for USC


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Former USC running back LenDale White made headlines Saturday for tweeting inflammatory remarks about USC Athletic Director Pat Haden. According to White, who was on the sidelines for Saturday’s win over Colorado, when the former Tennessee Titans running back tried to enter the tunnel following the game he was escorted out of the Coliseum by […]

Trojans deserve national attention


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Saturday was a day of firsts all across the college football landscape. The first time redshirt freshman wide receiver Steven Mitchell caught a touchdown pass. The first time a USC quarterback threw seven touchdown passes in a game. The first time Alabama fans complimented the play-calling of Lane Kiffin. Most surprising of all, though: Saturday […]

USC must improve in fourth quarter


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Sometimes the most trite sports clichés are the truest, and in the case of this year’s USC football team, one in particular stands out: You’ve got to play a complete game in order to win. But in the Trojans’ last two games, I’m pretty sure they’ve tried to stray as far away from this adage […]

Pac-12 awards at season’s midpoint


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Last week I documented the outright weirdness that has marked — or plagued, depending on where your loyalties lie — the 2014 Pac-12 football season thus far. This week, inspired by ESPN.com’s Kyle Bonagura, I decided to dive back into the fray and dole out some midseason awards. Along with the winners, I added some […]