USC v WSU Cougars

Before we kick into the upcoming game with the WSU Cougars, I'm still reprocessing the ASU victory. I, like many of you, listen to many outlets for opinions and updates. The team scored six touchdowns on eight possessions. Not too shabby. But the visual to many was that they were way too reliant on Caleb Williams, which is hard to argue. I was baffled by the lack of interest in the run game. We really didn't see ASU stop us, and when we ran right of center, we seemed to really churn up good yardage, but then we abandoned it for the better part of the game, as we all saw.

I still believe that the Trojan offense refound itself with the exception of the OC and Coach Riley as he was way too one-sided on his play calling, or was it Caleb's audibles? The game within the game. The defense has to show up on play #1. They need to be fired up and better prepared for the start of all games. A negative score on the defensive first half of each game. Very good halftime adjustments by Coach Grinch, but we are going up a tough uphill schedule now and need to execute on the first possession, not depend on reworking the defense at halftime each week.

Ok, I have exercised my ASU post-game attitude. On to the Cougs. Many in the land of the media believe this is a classic trap game, and on paper looking at upcoming games with Utah and UCLA, it's clearly one that could pop off the charts as such. But I believe Coach Riley has that ability to keep this team on the rails of each week's game. I don't see him allowing this team to look past Saturday night and the WSU team, which is very good. They always play the Trojans tough, and I would be replaying the recent games where the Cougs have taken full advantage of the Trojans and brought the heat in pre-game practices. This game will tell us a lot about USC 2022. Hoping to see the run game committed to and not just a token card used to keep everyone tuned up.

The run game at USC has tremendous potential, and it allows the offensive line to do what they love to do, and that's plow downhill. Not backpedaling all the time. I'm not convinced that our offensive line was completely at fault vs. ASU and the pressure Caleb was under as he does like to go through his progressions, which takes time. How the heck he gets out of trouble as he does well that's just God-given talent. Nothing else.

The experts are laying 13.5 points and favoring USC this week. That's a lot of points against this Cougar team. Hard not to take the points, but if our offense shows up like the ASU bounce back and the defense can shed the first-half challenges, then the Trojans could cover and then some.

Fight On Beat The Cougs