Hey All,
It's time for the first in-season edition of the column that makes your Tuesdays feel like Saturdays, Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard. We still miss you, Jim Murray.
Summary
USC 56- San Jose State 28: Los Angeles, CA- The Trojan faithful got to see their much hyped 2023 team for the first time last Saturday evening at the Coliseum. The game proved to be a mixed bag of highs and lows in all three phases of the game. One offensive high is that defending Heisman Trophy Winner Caleb Williams is still pretty darn good and can get the ball to a very deep and talented receiving corps. Williams had a fine day completing 18 of 25 passes for 278 yards and four TDs. One of those TDs came on a busted play when Williams picked up a bad snap and then heaved the ball 41 yards to WR Tahj Washington who caught the ball around the SJSU 35-yard line and took into the end zone for a 76-yard touchdown. Another good thing for the offense was that returning RB Austin Jones and transfer RB MarShawn Lloyd can run the ball well. The pair combined for 96 yards rushing with 2 TDs. Despite setting the stage for the offense to gain 502 yards of offense and score 49 points, the offensive line had a subpar night with a number of missed assignments that led to poor push in the running game and an inability to protect their QBs in the pocket. Now for the defense who had a less than impressive day to say the least. The defense does have a great deal more talent and depth than last year. The problem is that missed assignments, broken coverages and poor play calling led to SC giving up almost 400 yards of offense and 28 points to the Spartans. Newcomer LB's Tackett Curtis and Mason Cobb played well, but SC was only able truly stop SJSU when veterans Shane Lee and Eric Gentry came in to snuff out three straight drives. The secondary wasn't strong either picking up four holding calls and leaving receivers wide open numerous times. The best part of the whole game was watching freshman WR Zachariah Branch play. The great nephew of Raiders HOFer Cliff Branch caught a 25-yard TD in the third quarter. Then a little over four minutes later, he took a kickoff back 96 yards for another score. Branch has elite speed and makes moves that remind many fans of Adoree Jackson and some other Trojan alum that wants his Heisman back. For the Spartans, QB Chevan Cordeiro completed 21of 38 passes for 198 yards and three TDs while also running for 52 yards on 10 carries. Cordero's favorite target was WR Nick Nash who torched the Trojan secondary for 89 yards and three TDs on just six catches.
Telling Stat: Second half separation; Nursing a 21-14 lead to start the second half, USC scored on four straight drives and a kickoff return to take a 56-21 lead with 6:53 left the fourth quarter to put the pesky Spartans away.
Observations
...No bowling in Tempe; ASU has self-imposed a bowl ban for 2023. This is an attempt by the school to get ahead of the NCAA punishment they most likely will receive due to the investigation into recruiting violations while Herman Edwards was the HC. To announce this a few days before your first game is just lousy. What about all the new kids that committed to ASU this year from high school and those picked up in the transfer portal? I'm sure they would have liked to known they weren't getting a chance to play in a bowl a little earlier in the recruiting process. What's worse is the seniors have had their year ruined before they even play a down.
...Poor timing; The new NCAA rule the allows the clock to run now after a made first down is not good at first glance. I don't want to see less football when I'm at game just so those plays can be replaced with more commercials or lengthy reviews.
...642 and 2; USC will play its' 642nd game at the Coliseum this week when they host Nevada. Back on October 13, 1923 USC played their second game ever in the Coliseum against... Nevada. 20,000 saw HC Gloomy Gus Henderson's Trojans shutout the boys from Reno, 33-0.
...Tough Trivia; There are 133 head coaches in the FBS this year. Which one has lost the most career games on the FBS level?
...71 is fun; 71 different Trojans saw action against San Jose State.
...The OC got one too; The saga of Michigan HC Jim Harbaugh's suspension for the first three games by his own admin is well documented. What we didn't known until now is that his OC, Sherrone Moore is also suspended for the Wolverines home opener v. East Carolina.
...A Crossbar Zero; Neither USC or San Jose State attempted a field goal last week. The teams either scored TDs or didn't get in range to attempt one.
...A Marriage of convenience; Stanford. Cal and SMU may be Joining the ACC this week. Those schools need the ACC as much as the ACC needs them. With the possibility of Florida State and others leaving the league soon the ACC needs these teams to keep their TV contract in tact. Why? Because there's a clause in the ACC's TV deal that states if the league drops below 14 teams that their network partners can drastically reduce the total dollar amount of the deal.
...Fun Fact; Before acquiring the nickname Wolves in 1923 which the later on morphed into Wolf Pack, University of Nevada teams were referred to as the Sagebrushers by the local media.
...Talent alone won't get it done; USC has a lot more talent on defense. Too bad the defensive scheme is still bad.
...24/1973; With their 41-30 win at New Mexico State, UMass snapped a 24-game road losing streak. It also marks the first time UMass has won a road opener against an FBS team since 1973. That year they beat current Big Ten bottom feeder Rutgers, 25-22. The headman for UMass that year was future Syracuse HC Dick MacPherson.
...The big hurt; SDSU QB Jaylen Mayden figured out a brutal way to avoid an intentional grounding call at the expense of the Center Judge. Point Blank
...FBS perfection; Jacksonville State has made the jump to the FBS in style. They upset UTEP, 17-14 in their season opener. That gives Jacksonville State a perfect 1.000 winning percentage in FBS play. Oh, and they are also 1-0 in the C-USA standings.
...Head scratcher; Anybody ever wonder where Alabama football would be had Rich Rodriguez hadn't backed out of the HC job back in early 2007? That left Bama to take their second choice, Nick Saban.
...Just a rumor; There's no truth to the rumor that UMAss now wants a home and home with Georgia.
...He lived our dream; When El Segundo's Louis Lappe hit that walkoff homer to win the Little League World Series, he lived out in real life a dream that millions of us who ever picked up a bat have had. Way to go, kid.
...100 minutes; The was just about the length of the lightning delay that pushed back the start of the Hawaii-Vanderbilt game. Ouch.
...When age hits hard; It happens when you realize that the LA Coliseum turning 100 years old means you've been going to games there for 50 years.
...Made me cringe; Check out this crazy face mask penalty. Backwards!
...Tough Trivia Answer; North Carolina head coach Mack Brown has lost 139 games on the FBS level.
...RichRod is back; Former West Virginia, Arizona and Michigan HC Rich Rodriguez is back in the FBS as the HC of the Jacksonville State Gamecocks. Yes, there's now two sets of Gamecocks in the FBS.
...Less balls for Branch; USC's Zachariah Branch may not see a ball kicked to him again this year.
...They have a QB; Notre Dame has indeed found a QB in 6th year senior transfer from Wake Forest, Sam Hartman. He's also three years older than Indianapolis Colts starting QB Anthony Richardson.
...He =USC2; Trojan RB MarShawn Lloyd transferred to USC from South Carolina.
...This says it all; Tell me your stadium renovations aren't close to being finished without actually telling me that your stadium renovations aren't close to being finished. Check this out at Vandy. 2 Cranes
...Paging The Man in Black; Johnny Cash said you gotta be tough to be a boy named Sue, but what if you're last name is...
The men who play the professional game north for the border are in the middle of their regular season. The 2022 defending Grey Cup Champion Toronto Argonauts are 8-1 in the East Division. They have a comfortable cushion over the Montreal Alouettes who sit in second place at 6-4. In the West Division, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are 9-2 and have a two game lead over the second place B.C. Lions. The Commissioner's favorite squad, the Edmonton Elks are once again the worst in the league at 2-9. However, the Elks have won their last two games after starting 0-9. Their first win snapped a 22-game home losing steak.
Good Looking Uniform of the Week
Let's take some time to praise Vanderbilt's uniforms v. Hawaii. This uniform gives me great throwback vibes to when the New Orelans Saints sported this shade of gold back in the '70s. I can see Archie Manning throwing to Henry Childs right now.
Requiem For a Pair Noble of Trojans
Two great USC running backs passed away this year. The first was Charles White on January 11th and then C.R. Roberts died six months later on July 11th. In 1956, 14 years before Sam Cunningham ran all over an all-white Alabama team, Roberts ran all over Texas in Austin. The Longhorns admin told USC that they couldn't bring Roberts to the game. USC wouldn't play the game without him. Texas was forced to relent or lose the home game. Texas relented and Roberts then smashed the Longhorns almost single handedly. He gashed the Burnt Orange for 251 yards and three TDs on just 12 carries. That averages to a nifty 20.91yards per carry! I remember Mr. Roberts sitting in our section for many years at the Coliseum. I had the pleasure to speak to the man a few times. He was one of the nice guys who bled Cardinal and Gold. Speaking of bleeding Cardinal and Gold, Charles White sure did. The little tailback out of San Fernando High was my first Trojan Heisman Hero. To use the old phrase he was as tough as a nickel steak. Hit after hit, carry after carry, he just got stronger. Nobody will break his SC record for career rushing which stands at 6,245 yards. He led SC to the 1978 national title then came back to win the Heisman in 1979 while leading SC to a 17-16 win over Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. Down 16-10 late in the final period and the ball on the Trojans own 17-yard line, White carried the team on his back on a drive for the ages. He broke off runs of 31 and 30 yards, then after the Trojans picked up a first down at the Buckeyes 11-yard line he finished off the drive. White carried the ball four straight times with the last one being a dive over the goal line for the winning score. RIP to this pair of Trojan greats.
Mr.Roberts goes to Texas (LA Times article from 2006)
Charlie White's Final Drive (YouTube video. Fast forward this video to the 2:25:00 mark)
Departments
Low Score Game of the Week: Montgomery, AL- In the FCS Kickoff Classic that was televised on ESPN, the Mercer Bears held off the North Alabama Lions, 17-7. The game was tied 7-7 after the first quarter, then the Mercer defense shutout the Lions the rest of the way. A 24-yard FG from PK Reice Griffith and a three-yard run from RB Michah Bell provided the margin victory for the Bears. Next week, Mercer takes on Ole Miss in Oxford.
Rivalry Game of the Week: Valley City, ND- A rivalry game in Week Zero, You Betcha! The Valley City State Vikings beat the University of Jamestown Jimmies, 23-15 to claim the Paint Bucket Trophy. It was the 124th meeting between the two schools that play in the NAIA. VCSU got most of their points in a six minute span that covered the end of the second quarter and beginning of the third. Two TD passes from Viking QB Avery Thorsgard and a 21-yard TD run form RB Carlos Julian did the major damage for VCSU. Jamestown's last chance to send the game to overtime ended with 2:22 to play when QB Nick Martinez was sacked on fourth and 14 at the VCSU 41-yard line. The Vikings then ran out the clock and took possession of the Paint Bucket Trophy.
Razorback Report: The Hogs did not have a Week Zero game and will open up the season on 9/2 at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock v. The Catamounts of Western Carolina. The Razorbacks are playing in Little Rock to help celebrator the 75th anniversary of War Memorial Stadium.
This Week's Three Notes About Nothing...
South Shores Meat Shop is a throwback to old San Pedro and I love it.
No store should have a display of pumpkins for sale before Labor Day.
Hard to believe a tropical storm made landfall here last week.
Until next time, remember that having more talent doesn't always lead to more wins.
-The Commissioner
