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The Power Five => Big Ten => Topic started by: CatsbyAZ on August 27, 2019, 03:40:27 PM

Title: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: CatsbyAZ on August 27, 2019, 03:40:27 PM
With a thoroughly embarrassing zero week showing by the Arizona Wildcats against Hawaii behind us, let's get to business:

THU:
-UCLA @ Cincinnati (Bruins already in Ohio for full week of onsite practice)
-Kent St @ ASU (expected debut of true Fresh QB Jayden Daniels)
-#14 UTAH @ BYU (Cougs would love nothing more than to start a season by ruining all the championship talk of their rival)

FRI:
-Colorado St Vs COLORADO (see Utah rivalry above, minus any championship talk)
-Oklahoma St @ OREGON ST

SAT:
-E. Washington @ #13 UW
-Northwestern at #25 STANFORD (QB Costello very experienced)
-UC-Davis @ CAL
-#11 OREGON Vs #16 Auburn (Tigers kick-off impossible schedule Vs overhyped Ducks)
-NM ST @ #23 WAZZOU
-Fresno St @ USC (Will be in attendance with brother who is a graduate student at SC; fully expecting Bulldogs to upset)

Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: CatsbyAZ on August 28, 2019, 10:05:44 AM
https://twitter.com/Outkick/status/1166515742281539584
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: CatsbyAZ on August 30, 2019, 10:21:19 AM
https://twitter.com/darrenrovell/status/1167392980061306881
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: FearlessF on August 30, 2019, 10:49:43 AM
glad he didn't want the job in Lincoln
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: ELA on August 30, 2019, 11:07:54 AM
Quote from: FearlessF on August 30, 2019, 10:49:43 AM
glad he didn't want the job in Lincoln
Or Gainesville
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: Anonymous Coward on August 30, 2019, 11:43:50 AM
Soooo: Washington is going to just lolligag through the wasteland, or are they more mortal than that?
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: Brutus Buckeye on August 30, 2019, 11:50:29 AM
The Utes are going to emerge atop the mountain this year. 
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: 847badgerfan on August 30, 2019, 11:57:30 AM
I think Oregon could be good too. After uw, UO and UU, there ain't much to see.
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: ELA on August 30, 2019, 12:01:02 PM
Quote from: Brutus Buckeye on August 30, 2019, 11:50:29 AM
The Utes are going to emerge atop the mountain this year.
I think pretty comfortably too.  That's why I have them in the CFP.

They go to Washington, but that's about it.  They get Arizona State and Washington State at home.  I don't buy USC being any good.

I had Washington going 11-1 as well, despite being outside my preseason top 25, just based on lack of competition.  They get Oregon, Utah and WSU all at home IIRC.
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: CatsbyAZ on August 30, 2019, 01:19:30 PM
Quote from: ELA on August 30, 2019, 12:01:02 PM
I think pretty comfortably too.  That's why I have them in the CFP.

They go to Washington, but that's about it.  They get Arizona State and Washington State at home.  I don't buy USC being any good.

They won’t be any good. I’m going to USC’s opener tomorrow to watch the Trojans lose Vs Fresno St. Practice reports are that the Trojan secondary looks “lost” which can’t bode well going against a strong passing team.
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: Cincydawg on August 30, 2019, 01:46:18 PM
USC is talented like FSU.
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: ELA on August 30, 2019, 01:51:51 PM
Quote from: CatsbyAZ on August 30, 2019, 01:19:30 PM
They won’t be any good. I’m going to USC’s opener tomorrow to watch the Trojans lose Vs Fresno St. Practice reports are that the Trojan secondary looks “lost” which can’t bode well going against a strong passing team.
I had the Trojans 4-8 I think?
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: DevilFroggy on August 30, 2019, 02:52:06 PM
I thought ASU's true freshman QB looked pretty solid despite constantly being harassed all night long. On that note, down two starters the ASU OL needs to figure it out FAST before heading to East Lansing in two weeks. The rest of the offense I'm not worried about at all.

And the defense, despite having a few too many missed tackles, looked really good. Secondary especially will be excellent. 
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: Brutus Buckeye on August 30, 2019, 02:54:54 PM
Yeah, if your front isn't holding up against Kent State, you are in trouble. 
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: CatsbyAZ on August 30, 2019, 02:58:17 PM
Quote from: ELA on August 30, 2019, 01:51:51 PM
I had the Trojans 4-8 I think?

Outside of this season’s expected upper tier - UW, Oregon, Stanford, WSU & Utah - everybody else is about a 4-8 team in any other P5 conference. What helps the Trojans (and ASU, UCLA, Cal, Colorado, etc) is that the conference schedule is so watered down that merely being less incompetent than your middling opponent will keep you afloat for a 6 or 7 win type of bowl season. Pac 12 feels like a lot of teams playing not to lose.
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: ELA on August 30, 2019, 03:43:28 PM
Quote from: Brutus Buckeye on August 30, 2019, 02:54:54 PM
Yeah, if your front isn't holding up against Kent State, you are in trouble.
The big dude ASU had in the middle last year, when we had a couple OL out, was the most man on boys thing I've seen on the defensive interior since Suh in college.

I'm not going to apologize if we are able to return the favor this year.
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: DevilFroggy on August 30, 2019, 03:55:57 PM
Quote from: ELA on August 30, 2019, 03:43:28 PM
The big dude ASU had in the middle last year, when we had a couple OL out, was the most man on boys thing I've seen on the defensive interior since Suh in college.

I'm not going to apologize if we are able to return the favor this year.
Wren was strong as a bull and had a motor, but it only went full speed half the time. I'm glad he had it turned on for most of the Michigan St game but there's a reason he was only drafted in the 4th round despite having all the measurables.

His replacement, DJ Davidson, was coming on pretty strong last year and even taking some snaps away from Wren before he got a season ending injury in week 8. He won't straight up bully your center the way Wren did but he's a lot more agile and has a more consistent motor.
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: 847badgerfan on August 30, 2019, 03:57:35 PM
Good to see you back in the fold, Frog Face. The joint ain't the same without ya.
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: DevilFroggy on August 30, 2019, 07:06:50 PM
Quote from: Brutus Buckeye on August 30, 2019, 02:54:54 PM
Yeah, if your front isn't holding up against Kent State, you are in trouble.
I missed seeing your GIFs of that player of theirs going beserk.
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: Brutus Buckeye on August 30, 2019, 09:03:10 PM
Quote from: DevilFroggy on August 30, 2019, 07:06:50 PM
I missed seeing your GIFs of that player of theirs going beserk.


Yes, if Jon "The Velociraptor" Cunningham were still anchoring the middle of the D-Line, the struggles would be a little more understandable. 


(https://macprospectus.files.wordpress.com/2018/05/untitled-51.gif)
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: CWSooner on August 30, 2019, 10:35:12 PM
Quote from: Brutus Buckeye on August 30, 2019, 11:50:29 AM
The Utes are going to emerge atop the mountain this year.
Or perhaps atop the anthill.
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: CatsbyAZ on September 01, 2019, 12:01:07 PM
After a long offseason of hearing Helton say he’s got everything “fixed and figured out” look to USC’s late game minutes Vs Fresno St to realize Helton hasn’t learned Jack.

Up 31-23 w/ about 5 minutes left in game Helton decides to go with the no huddle, meaning snapping the ball with a running clock at about 20 left on the play clock. Now why go no huddle right when the clock is turning into a big, late-game advantage??

So when Fresno stops USC another set of downs later, with less than 3 left, Helton decides to go for it on 4th & 1. The play he picks gets blown up in the back field because the QB was handing off 6 yards deep!

Lucky for USC that Fresno didn’t play with much poise, tossing a pick soon after. A smarter team would’ve beat USC last night - Fresno State couldn’t finish drives or step up when the pressure was on.

Edit: Two more Helton blunders of note: 

The opening kickoff (long return) was called back because two USC players were both wearing #7


Helton called a late first half timeout that allowed Fresno State to set up for the FG

Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: 847badgerfan on September 01, 2019, 12:46:20 PM
Urban Meyer is gonna kill it at USC starting next year.
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: CatsbyAZ on September 02, 2019, 11:38:33 AM
Quote from: 847badgerfan on September 01, 2019, 12:46:20 PM
Urban Meyer is gonna kill it at USC starting next year.


Since you brought it up this was exactly something I heard from fans all Saturday on the USC campus – that once this season runs its course Helton will be fired (next 5 games could send him packing – Stanford, @ BYU, Utah, @ Washington, @ Notre Dame) and next season Urban Meyer will have everything fixed.

I’m not sure hiring Meyer will be as easy as the optimists assume. USC is in the wake of a half decade of campus scandals that includes Sarkisian’s firing, the Med School dean hosting ecstasy parties, Vice President forced down due to sexual harassment, lawsuits upwards of $500 million expected over USC’s version of Nasser, and the admissions scandal. Hiring Meyer as the face of your university ignores the mess of USC’s last five years and I can’t imagine that Meyer's baggage won’t be met with disruptive protest from the raging politically correct warriors bent on hijacking the coaching search.

In related news - USC starting QB JT Daniels out for the season with torn ACL. 

Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: DevilFroggy on September 02, 2019, 06:08:24 PM
The decision to put true freshman Slovis over Sears (who played well when given the chance last season) was quite baffling, and it cost them Sears sitting on the depth chart. Slovis was an interesting recruit for USC, he played in ASU's backyard but they barely pursued him, in fact USC was by far his best offer. Somebody I know and trust quite well who is very familiar with HS football in the Phoenix metro doesn't think too highly of Slovis, and thinks this especially spells doom for the Trojans.
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: CatsbyAZ on September 08, 2019, 12:35:27 PM
Slovis played fantastic against Stanford last night: 28/33 377 yds 3 TDs 1 Int.

After UCLA’s lifeless home showing Vs San Diego St yesterday, to a chorus of Boos in a half empty Rose Bowl, I was fully expecting to declare the Bruins, along with the Trojans losing after being down 17-3 Vs Stanford, the worst football LA has ever seen. But congrats to USC for rolling up 500 yds against a surprisingly careless Stanford D to win 44-20.

Stanford’s OL held up very well against the pass rush but couldn’t create running lanes for their RBs.

The bigger point in all this is I think USC could easily win the South with Slovis and yet it won’t go to prove that Helton is any better of a coach. Remember all the Slovis praise was coming from the assistants whereas Helton kept his sights on JT Daniels who, let’s face it, shows zero improvement and acts like his high school accomplishments will carry him to the NFL.

If Slovis takes over the season as well as he did last night I think we’re looking at Helton riding the heels of another Sam Darnold equivalent resurrection.
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: 847badgerfan on September 08, 2019, 12:52:34 PM
Lots of schools are happy they dodged the Chip Kelly bullet right now.
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: CatsbyAZ on September 11, 2019, 11:33:11 AM
UCLA giving away tickets to this week’s prime time home game Vs Oklahoma. I think the admin is embarrassed by how few fans are present in the Rose Bowl these days - from last Saturday Vs San Diego State:

https://twitter.com/TheShowSDSU/status/1170430594737528832

From the LA Times: “UCLA’s average home attendance of 51,164 last season at the 80,616-seat stadium was its smallest since 1999, continuing a steep decline that started in 2017. Last season’s crowds were down 33.2% from the school-record 76,650 the Bruins averaged in 2014, when they went 10-3 and were ranked as high as No. 7 in national polls.”
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: FearlessF on September 11, 2019, 11:48:13 AM
attendance of 51,164 for a single game in Lincoln would get even Scott Frost booted
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: CatsbyAZ on September 13, 2019, 04:16:26 PM
As we get into the round of this weekend’s coming games, thought I’d post local commentary aimed at last week’s losing coaches:

https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/09/10/pac-12-coaches-under-fire-petersen-shaw-kelly-face-national-media-scrutiny-following-bad-losses/

“It’s completely legitimate to look at Chris Petersen’s tenure as a big success, having reached three consecutive New Year’s Six bowl games (including one Playoff berth) along with top-15 finishes. At the same time, the Huskies seem to carry around a whiff of fraudulence.
“They rarely beat anyone good and pretty consistently drop one or two games a year against pretty mediocre opponents while everyone acts as if it’s a shock. But at this point, it’s not a shock that Washington lost to California, 20-19, in a game that was delayed 2 1/2 hours due to severe weather. While the circumstances of the game were odd, the problem was predictable — the Huskies’ offense turned the ball over twice and settled for four field goals after long drives.

“For Washington, a team many people had pegged into this year’s Playoff, this one goes right alongside losses last season to Oregon and Cal (again) in which its offense just wasn’t good enough and 2017 when the Huskies removed themselves from Playoff contention with losses to unranked Arizona State and Stanford.”

“The Cardinal finished in the top-10 in four of David Shaw’s first five seasons. That steadiness earns you the benefit of the doubt in the preseason, but the Stanford of the last few years has been fairly underwhelming and is no longer one of the dominant smashmouth teams in the country. USC, an embattled program with a freshman quarterback, had little trouble with Stanford in a 45-20 win. Stanford generated a paltry 98 rushing yards against USC and 132 in their season opener against Northwestern. Are there no more Christian McCaffreys or Bryce Loves out there?”

“UCLA: Bleh. Everything about this experiment with Chip Kelly so far is just … bleh. Saturday’s 23-14 loss to San Diego State in front of a ton of empty seats at the Rose Bowl really wasn’t even worth a second glance. We know UCLA’s personnel isn’t great, but when you hire a supposed offensive genius to be your coach is it too much to ask for more than 261 yards (just 62 rushing) against a Group of Five team at home in Year 2?”
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: CatsbyAZ on September 20, 2019, 06:01:06 PM
5 years ago today

By far the best finish to a football game that I've personally attended

https://twitter.com/AZDesertSwarm/status/1175103516131463168
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: Brutus Buckeye on September 20, 2019, 09:50:30 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN0V9RpnS8Y (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN0V9RpnS8Y)
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: CatsbyAZ on September 23, 2019, 07:02:32 PM
From the Mercury News: https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/09/22/pac-12-issues-statement-on-officiating-in-cal-mississippi-game/ (https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/09/22/pac-12-issues-statement-on-officiating-in-cal-mississippi-game/)

For the second consecutive Sunday, the Pac-12 issued a statement in response to actions by its officials — or, rather, inactions.

Last week, the conference confirmed that its on-field and replay booth officials failed to properly penalize an Arizona State player for leaping to attempt to block a last-second, game-tying field goal by Michigan State.

Had the penalty been called, the Spartans would have had a chip-shot to force overtime.

The officials blew it, and the conference acknowledged as much under the new transparency policy, which governs mistakes involving:

But the issue this weekend in the wild finish to the Cal-Mississippi game carries far more nuance.

The conference announced it would have “supported play being stopped by Instant Replay for further review to confirm the on-field call of the second to last play of the game.”

If you’re unfamiliar …

Cal led 28-20 in the final seconds when a third-down completion by the Rebels was spotted inside the one yard-line by the Side Judge, who had a clear look at the play.

The receiver’s legs were in the end zone, but the ball was determined to have not crossed the plane.

Ole Miss was without timeouts and had to rush to the line to get a play off before time expired.

The ball was spotted quickly by the Umpire.

Quarterback John Rhys Plumlee had no choice but to take the snap with two seconds left and charge forward in a desperate attempt to draw the Rebels within a two-point conversion of overtime.

He was stuffed by Cal’s defense, and the game ended.

The controversy, however, was just starting.

Mississippi’s interim athletic director, Keith Carter, later issued a statement on Twitter:

“We are extremely disappointed by the officiating at the end of the game and are expecting a full explanation from the Pac-12 regarding the call and subsequent non-review of the 3rd down play. We feel strongly that the play should have been reviewed by the Pac-12 officials in the review booth. Even if the play didn’t result in a touchdown, the spot of the ball on 4th down was questionable.”

The Pac-12 conference reviewed the play on Sunday and determined that its officials on the field made the correct call and “there was no irrefutable video evidence to reverse those calls by replay.”
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: FearlessF on September 23, 2019, 09:07:03 PM
sounds like whining from the SEC

I did not see the play or replay
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: Cincydawg on September 24, 2019, 11:14:28 AM
I thought he was pretty clearly stopped short of the goal line.  Whether it merited a review is an opinion, I have seen reviews of less close plays.

Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: FearlessF on September 24, 2019, 11:42:51 AM
it's my opinion that we have FAR too many reviews
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: Cincydawg on September 24, 2019, 01:59:55 PM
Two lockers down from me at fantasy camp was a fellow who is a Pac 12 white hat referee.  I had a few interesting chats with him about how they prepare and what is toughest to call.   He struck me as a competent sort with a lot of reffing experience at lower levels.  They aren't perfect, but I presume they are honest brokers.

Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: betarhoalphadelta on September 24, 2019, 03:20:11 PM

Quote
Cal led 28-20 in the final seconds when a third-down completion by the Rebels was spotted inside the one yard-line by the Side Judge, who had a clear look at the play.

The receiver’s legs were in the end zone, but the ball was determined to have not crossed the plane.

Ole Miss was without timeouts and had to rush to the line to get a play off before time expired.

The ball was spotted quickly by the Umpire.

Quarterback John Rhys Plumlee had no choice but to take the snap with two seconds left and charge forward in a desperate attempt to draw the Rebels within a two-point conversion of overtime.

He was stuffed by Cal’s defense, and the game ended.

The controversy, however, was just starting.

Mississippi’s interim athletic director, Keith Carter, later issued a statement on Twitter:

“We are extremely disappointed by the officiating at the end of the game and are expecting a full explanation from the Pac-12 regarding the call and subsequent non-review of the 3rd down play. We feel strongly that the play should have been reviewed by the Pac-12 officials in the review booth. Even if the play didn’t result in a touchdown, the spot of the ball on 4th down was questionable.”


Okay, so how does this work?

A booth review takes time. Typically the guy in the booth needs enough time to get a look at a replay to determine if a review is necessary. 

That's specifically why teams rush up to the line and snap the ball ASAP to get a play off before the replay official can signal down to the field that a review is necessary.

So what happened here?


Quote
Ole Miss was without timeouts and had to rush to the line to get a play off before time expired.

The ball was spotted quickly by the Umpire.
So what would they have preferred? 


That the umpire not spot the ball quickly, so they didn't have time to get a play off? 

That somehow, in defiance of all rules where the replay official has to signal down to the field, and in defiance of the laws of time and space, that somehow someone magically would have been able to determine a review was necessary before the snap?

If there had been 25 seconds left on the clock, and Ole Miss had enough time to slow-roll the play call and snap the ball with 2-3 seconds left on the game clock, there would have been enough time for the replay official to view the replay and signal to the field. But there wasn't enough time to do that, so what exactly are they bitching about?
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: FearlessF on September 24, 2019, 03:42:54 PM
bitching because they lost

sore losers
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: CatsbyAZ on September 30, 2019, 10:18:31 AM
What do you guys think of Stanford thus far this season? I think they're in the midst of a continuing program decline that started in 2016.

So far this year they 1) beat a Northwestern program that never starts seasons as well as they finish, were 2) swamped 45-20 by a USC team that had to replace their QB midway through the game, 3) blown out by Central Florida 45 - 27, 4) physically beaten up by Oregon 21-7, 5) before holding on to outlast Oregon State this past weekend.
Part of this season's setbacks are injury related (for instance to QB Costello and OT Little) but penalties are up as are big plays given up by a usually more disciplined defense.
Depth is beginning to be a glaring problem, which leads to an issue not often mentioned with David Shaw: the last few seasons Shaw undersigns classes. Right now Shaw is willingly fielding a roster with only 77 scholarship players, which in aggregate leaves 1 to 2 less DT/DE in the DL rotation, 1 to 2 less OL in the rotation, etc. (Shaw's recruiting strategy is to land four to five monster recruits, especially along the Lines, and at QB, while never really rounding out or balancing the rest of the roster.)
-
And when injuries hit the lines Freshman are thrown onto the field, starters having to play every snap are exhausted in the 3rd quarter, and the gameplan gets stripped down and predictable to accommodate the lack of experience on the field. This has been going on to a lesser degree for the last three seasons, which have been masked by finishing seasons 10-3 (2016), 9-5 (2017) and 9-4 (2018).
-
Even though Stanford wasn't maintaining their previous Rose Bowl success, it wasn't until THIS season that the decline looks more so irreversible.
-
Stanford, currently 2 - 3 with tough games left against Washington, WSU, Cal, and Notre Dame, is looking at a 5-7/6-6 season without prospects looking much better next season.


Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: Cincydawg on September 30, 2019, 10:39:14 AM
Yeah, they may be sliding back to mediocrity or worse, an Illinois kind of thing.
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: CWSooner on September 30, 2019, 10:27:05 PM
Quote from: CatsbyAZ on September 30, 2019, 10:18:31 AM
. . . Depth is beginning to be a glaring problem, which leads to an issue not often mentioned with David Shaw: the last few seasons Shaw undersigns classes. Right now Shaw is willingly fielding a roster with only 77 scholarship players, which in aggregate leaves 1 to 2 less DT/DE in the DL rotation, 1 to 2 less OL in the rotation, etc. (Shaw's recruiting strategy is to land four to five monster recruits, especially along the Lines, and at QB, while never really rounding out or balancing the rest of the roster.)  . . .
Does signing five monsters max out his budget?
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: CatsbyAZ on October 01, 2019, 04:48:03 PM
Quote from: CWSooner on September 30, 2019, 10:27:05 PM
Does signing five monsters max out his budget?


Shaw’s 2017 signing class is his yearly recruiting goal: Three Top 15 players nationally (#2 & #3 ranked OTs + #1 QB) along with the #1 TE prospect, but undersigns the rest.
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: CatsbyAZ on October 07, 2019, 04:29:29 PM
After all my crapping on Stanford they went out and got themselves a solid win Vs an underachieving Washington team, dominating the TOP in the process.

Meanwhile Arizona outlasted Colorado for the win in Boulder; they’re off to a surprising 4-1 start.

And UCLA looks worse than ever, getting blasted in their mostly empty home stadium against consistently last place Oregon State. 1-5 and looking at Stanford and ranked Arizona State next.
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: CatsbyAZ on November 04, 2019, 09:22:28 PM
Welp, UCLA has miraculously turned around a lost season. 4-5 after blowing out Colorado and setting themselves up for a nice bowl run, which is comparatively more optimistic than what's going on for Washington fans.

After losing to Utah, lots of doubt and bitterness festering over Chris Petersen from the Huskies fanbase going into this week. Yea we get it - 5-4 seemingly isn't good enough for a program fresh off the past three years of two conference championships, a Rose Bowl, and a birth in the CFB Playoff. But all the bitter internet commentary is fuss about whether Petersen is the latest in a long run of failed former Boise State coaches, Petersen's stubborn lack of off-season adjustments, Petersen retaining crappy coordinators, and if losing games UW shouldn't (ASU 2017, Cal 2018/2019) is finally catching up with the program.
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: CatsbyAZ on November 20, 2019, 06:25:37 PM
Heard this rant on Fox Sports Radio Tuesday night, from the Jason Smith Show right after the new rankings came out:

"...Oregon and Utah are the next two teams (#6 & #7). Under them are Penn State and Oklahoma and Minnesota and Florida and Wisconsin. All of them are better than Oregon and Utah! Look, I don't get this love affair with - Hey, we gotta have a couple of Pac 12 teams close! Because the Pac 12 is the conference of your crazy uncle who lives in the attic. I mean this conference is insane this year. Neither Oregon or Utah is very good. Oregon has played ONE good team this year: Auburn - and they lost! All their other games are against non-Top 25 teams. They played Washington when they were in the Top 25 but Washington is 6 & 4. Alright, so that's it - that's Oregon's resume. Everybody else they've played is a non-Top 25 team. What about Utah? Utah is no better! Their only win is over Arizona State when they were ranked 17th. Arizona State is 5 & 5. They've beaten no one! The Pac 12 is not a good conference. It's fun, and Pac 12 After Dark is great and it's really cool and there's a lot of personalities! But let's put it in proper perspective, the Pac 12 stinks!!!"
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: 847badgerfan on November 21, 2019, 11:48:52 AM
That guy should take a look at the conference on the other Coast. The Orange Bowl is probably looking at having an un-ranked ACC team this year. After Clemson, that conference is nothing.
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: CatsbyAZ on December 04, 2019, 09:28:29 PM
Lots to say about USC these days. Clay Helton is apparently getting retained?!?!?

Which goes back to USC hiring Mike Bohn-head, a proven mediocre AD who made an art of doing nothing as AD for Cincinnati, Colorado, San Diego State, and Idaho. Trojan fans are already turning against Bohn-head, but in his defense I think after taking the job he didn't want to start out his tenure by paying over $20 Million in Buyouts by firing Helton & Staff.

Bohn-head's hiring goes back to USC's president needing a "Yes Man" to navigate the endless culture of campus scandal ranging from its central role in the college admissions scandal, to the university gynecologist sexually abusing hundreds of patients over the course of three decades, to the FBI sting of its own basketball coach, to former AD Pat Haden using a children's charity to launder money into his own bank account. And if all that isn't bad enough, the campus has suffered NINE students deaths on campus this semester: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-11-13/usc-responds-to-student-deaths-to-quell-rumors-misinformation (https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-11-13/usc-responds-to-student-deaths-to-quell-rumors-misinformation)

Lots of the talk surrounding why Helton was retained in spite of the matter of fact belief he'd be fired before the end of the year hovers around speculation over USC's failure to back-channel convincing Meyer's to take the job, in large part due to the USC President's hesitance to hire someone with his own recent baggage.
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: Brutus Buckeye on December 04, 2019, 09:41:36 PM
I hope that the Utes beat Oregon, but doubt that they will.
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: 847badgerfan on December 05, 2019, 08:06:09 AM
To me, USC retaining Helton only means that Urban said "no" for right now. Maybe next year?
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: CatsbyAZ on December 06, 2019, 02:26:26 PM
Texas offering two million to steal Graham Harrell away from USC. He did wonders with Slovis and Fink on short notice due to injuries. Loss for USC, but I don't think Helton cares as long as he can hold onto his privileged Hollywood gig.

Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: bayareabadger on December 06, 2019, 02:41:36 PM
Quote from: 847badgerfan on December 05, 2019, 08:06:09 AM
To me, USC retaining Helton only means that Urban said "no" for right now. Maybe next year?
Yep.
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: bayareabadger on December 06, 2019, 02:45:50 PM
Pac-12 adjacent, but Jeff Tedford stepped down at Fresno for health reasons. 

His career is fascinating because he went to Cal and made things so good so fast he could never live up to that start at a school where being middling is somewhat of an accomplishment. No coach since 1956 has won at a better rate, and the next guy on the list used Cal to jump to Arizona State. 

But he spent the latter half of that tenure considered somewhat of a disappointment. The wages of the sport I suppose. 
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: Cincydawg on December 06, 2019, 04:34:26 PM
USc had a close loss to ND and then won 5 of 6.  I think that saved his job.  Granted, they didn't beat much of anyone in that 5 win part. 

I checked to see if he is recruiting well for 2020 and didn't see USC in the top 50.  Huh.  I found them at #78 but with only 10 commits.
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: CatsbyAZ on December 12, 2019, 09:02:02 PM
For a program that only keeps 75-80 players on scholarship, this can’t be good for depth...

https://twitter.com/RuleofTree/status/1205256718940139525

...wonder if David Shaw is planning for an NFL gig, where I’m certain he’ll do a crappy job.
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: CatsbyAZ on December 14, 2019, 11:42:06 AM
Quote from: Cincydawg on December 06, 2019, 04:34:26 PM
USc had a close loss to ND and then won 5 of 6.  I think that saved his job.  Granted, they didn't beat much of anyone in that 5 win part. 

I checked to see if he is recruiting well for 2020 and didn't see USC in the top 50.  Huh.  I found them at #78 but with only 10 commits.


It’s hard for a coaching staff to recruit when one of the hottest talking points nationally is: Who will USC hire once they finally cut ties with dingbat Helton? The class they have now is stunningly bad. Down to 86th last week for a school that rarely finishes below 10th. 

Keeping Helton was a terrible risk by the USC admins - president Folt and AD Bohn-head - because they risk losing the entire fanbase, which in LA is a more finicky thing to mess with. I understand why Bohn-head kept Helton, because he was hired to do so, but still those bad recruiting classes will eventually doom the program.
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: CatsbyAZ on December 18, 2019, 09:13:42 AM
Quote from: CatsbyAZ on December 06, 2019, 02:26:26 PM
Texas offering two million to steal Graham Harrell away from USC. He did wonders with Slovis and Fink on short notice due to injuries. Loss for USC, but I don't think Helton cares as long as he can hold onto his privileged Hollywood gig.




Surprise surprise, highly sought after Graham Harrell is staying with USC with a 3 year deal worth $3.6 million. For as much as he's a Texas boy and for as much as the Longhorns were rumored to throw his way ($2 million/year), I'm wondering if he's holding out for an HC job sooner rather than later. Harrell's work to bring Slovis up to speed was one of the better efforts by an assistant coach this year, and about the only coach on Helton's staff that Trojan's fans trust.
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: CatsbyAZ on December 20, 2019, 12:41:10 PM
USC's all time worst signing class is not only getting the headlines in Southern California - I'm not used to hearing signing classes get NFL/NBA level attention, but several Fox Sports radio guys spent have spent plenty of airtime this week going national with just how bad their early signing class is.

USC's class is currently dead last in the Pac 12 (yes, behind Arizona and Oregon State), haven't signed a single top 300 player, and worse, lost out on several 5 star players to Oregon and Alabama in the closing seconds. Clay Helton's popularity in LA rises.


Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: TyphonInc on December 20, 2019, 07:24:41 PM
Quote from: CatsbyAZ on December 20, 2019, 12:41:10 PM
USC's all time worst signing class is not only getting the headlines in Southern California - I'm not used to hearing signing classes get NFL/NBA level attention, but several Fox Sports radio guys spent have spent plenty of airtime this week going national with just how bad their early signing class is.

USC's class is currently dead last in the Pac 12 (yes, behind Arizona and Oregon State), haven't signed a single top 300 player, and worse, lost out on several 5 star players to Oregon and Alabama in the closing seconds. Clay Helton's popularity in LA rises.



This shocks me. 
Title: Re: PAC 12 2019 Season Thread
Post by: 847badgerfan on December 29, 2019, 10:58:16 AM
Looks like the annual assistant coach purge has begun at USC. ST/TE coach and DC are gone. 

Helton should have kept Wilcox when he had the chance to do so.