“Outside the Pocket” is a column by Sam Arslanian about USC football.
Following USC’s narrow win over Arizona State, C.J. Pollard busted in the postgame press conference shouting, “We’re going bowling!”
Is that what this team has become? Is the bar that low? USC hasn’t had back-to-back losing seasons since 1961, and players this season are excited to hit six wins and have a potential Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl bid.
It’s important to note that not everyone felt the way Pollard did. Sophomore wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown was the most outspoken about this non-accomplishment.
“It’s cool to be bowl eligible, but six games isn’t a lot to me,” St. Brown said. “I don’t celebrate six games.”
Head coach Clay Helton even echoed this sentiment.
“We’re bowl-eligible, but we have higher standards,” Helton said. “We have more to play for.”
A bowl game bid should never be in question for a team like USC. As the only “blue-blood” in the Pac-12 south, the Trojans should not have a hard time winning six games; they are basically guaranteed three wins from its division each season.
ASU was not a good win. While not as bad as the Trojans’ slight victory over Colorado, USC’s win in Tempe should not be celebrated.
Freshman quarterback Kedon Slovis started flaming hot, throwing for 297 yards and four touchdowns in a quarter. Most quarterbacks try to put up those numbers in a game; Slovis did it in a quarter. Of course, there were high points, but those can’t exist in a vacuum.
The young slinger put it best after the game:
“It showed what we can do with this offense when we execute,” Slovis said. “Later in the game, we did not execute as well.”
USC was on track to put up at least 49 points, a touchdown per quarter seems like an easy enough task after putting up four in a quarter. Wrong. How about an average of one point per quarter? USC put up only a field goal in the last 45 minutes.
Okay, so what happened? USC shot itself in the foot with a machine gun.
The Trojan offense failed to execute on two key areas: third downs and penalties.
The offense converted just two of nine third-down attempts in the final three quarters compared to its four-for-five first-quarter performance. USC’s inability to extend drives led to its demise. In that time USC crossed the ASU 40-yard line just three times and never made it to the red zone.
USC had several third and short attempts that turned into third and long courtesy of USC’s five false start penalties. USC is now the 15th most penalized team per game in the FBS.
These problems are discipline issues. Lack of discipline has defined Helton’s tenure at USC.
In January, Helton said spring practice would focus on the discipline problems with an emphasis on reducing penalties. That, of course, didn’t happen.
How can you expect a team to compete for the College Football Playoffs or a Pac-12 Championship if they consistently have to beat their opponent and themselves?
Helton-era USC football is not what fans are accustomed to. Mediocrity, poor results and a lack of discipline are not in the blood of USC fans. Helton had his chance to restore USC to its former glory, now it’s too late.
USC needs a culture change. The hiring of athletic director Mike Bohn will undoubtedly bring a shift in culture to USC athletics as a whole. Bohn’s enthusiasm and expertise in his role will bode well for USC. Bohn is fired up for this position, as evidenced in his introductory press conference. You can tell he understands what USC athletics stands for; he is even trying to modify USC’s motto from “Fight On” to “Fight On to Victory.”
Helton will finish out the season as the head coach. There’s no reason to fire him at this point in the season. He hasn’t broken any laws or policies; he just hasn’t performed well.
Of course, there is the early-recruiting argument, but a splash hire -- like fans are hoping for -- will flip recruits at any point in the recruiting cycle.
It’s unfortunate for Bohn that his first big decision at USC will be such a controversial one. It’s not a question that Helton will be gone come season end, but his hiring decision will be criticized no matter who gets the nod.
USC fans have high expectations and so does Bohn. Trojan Nation should have faith in him. Change is coming to the head coaching position, but more importantly, a culture change is coming to the athletic department and the university as a whole.
Bohn expects nothing but excellence in all facets. Be ready, because change is coming and better season-end expectations with it.
“Outside the Pocket” runs every Monday.