Sloppy, unfocused, unprepared, inconsistent: USC looks bad in win over ASU
USC won a ballgame on Saturday. That was good. Just about everything else about this performance by the Trojans was bad.
Is that an undue overemphasis on the negative in the wake of a victory which pushed this team’s record to 4-0? Is that an unfair placement of primacy and centrality on what this team did wrong, instead of celebrating what this team did right?
It’s a legitimate debate, but we think it’s important to put the mistakes front and center in our immediate reaction to this Arizona State win. The fact that USC won the game should be secondary to the pervasiveness of mistakes and flaws in this contest.
This is not a playoff team. This is not a national championship contender. We can talk all we want about a “lookahead game” before Colorado next week, and how this was the first road game of the season, and how Arizona State did put forth a great effort — all of that is true — but USC is supposed to take care of its own business and be consistent.
The Trojans did not handle their business cleanly and reliably. They did enough to win … in a game in which they were favored by 35 points versus an opponent missing over 10 starters and four starting offensive linemen.
Arizona State had the ball early in the fourth quarter with a chance to take the lead. The game was that tenuous until the Trojans created a two-score lead (and lost it, and got it back).
Let’s go through the moments and reactions which were part of a very ugly night in Tempe, a night which raises lots of uncomfortable questions about this team:
SLOPPY START
Kudos to this crowd for doing everything it can to help ASU get a good start to this game. Trojans are completely discombobulated on this opening series.
— R.J. Abeytia (@RJ_Abeytia) September 24, 2023
IT'S TEMPE, NOT SOUTH BEND, AND YET ...
USC OL is frazzled. Third false start already
We know it can get loud in this stadium when the fans are engaged.
— Chris Karpman (@ChrisKarpman) September 24, 2023
TOTAL MESS
That's now seven first quarter penalties on USC. Lincoln Riley said the team was working on eliminating penalties during the bye week.
— Connor Morrissette (@C_Morrissette) September 24, 2023
LOL
In his defense, USC had zero penalties last week.
— Ira (@IraofTroy) September 24, 2023
UGLY
Death. Taxes. USC leading the world in penalties.
— Reign of Troy (@ReignofTroy) September 24, 2023
FUMBLE PROBLEMS
USC up to six penalties (35) yards along with the two fumbles
— Trevor Booth (@TrevorMBooth) September 24, 2023
ALSO THIS
Why can’t the kicker kick the ball into the end zone?
— Mitch Stein (@MitchStein6666) September 24, 2023
NOT READY
Nuking Stanford and Nevada doesn't mean you have arrived. #Math
A real eye-opener for this team and coaching staff against an opponent missing 10+ players and 4 starting O-linemen. https://t.co/moG6l22U0U
— USC Trojans Wire (@TrojansWire) September 24, 2023
UNDENIABLE
Lincoln Riley did not have his guys mentally ready to play.
— USC Trojans Wire (@TrojansWire) September 24, 2023
WHAT HAPPENS AGAINST NOTRE DAME IN A FEW WEEKS?
USC with a very sloppy, disorganized drive.
First road game of the season, but this is Tempe, not South Bend or Eugene.
— USC Trojans Wire (@TrojansWire) September 24, 2023
NOT-SO-SUPER MARIO
Mario Williams can't keep playing this poorly if this team is to go where it wants to go.
— USC Trojans Wire (@TrojansWire) September 24, 2023
FANS ARE RIGHT TO EXPECT BETTER
I'm ready to see 4 on the bench the rest of the year. His hands are not good. At all.
— Adam Gross (@ColDundee55) September 24, 2023
SEEMS PRETTY CLEAR THIS IS THE CASE
Looking ahead and overlooking the sun devils with all the injuries.
— Donovan James (@DonJamesSports) September 24, 2023
THIS CAN'T BE IGNORED, EITHER
Caleb has thrown two really bad passes tonight that could have been picked, but weren't.
— USC Trojans Wire (@TrojansWire) September 24, 2023
OKLAHOMA FANS WERE HAVING FUN IN THE FIRST HALF
The Lincoln Riley special. One possession game vs a team he should beat by 40. pic.twitter.com/iqGHVdgyQn
— ¡Boomer! (4-0) (@Baetzzz) September 24, 2023
FAITH, SHAKEN
Lincoln Riley will never have a defense
— Gingerfitdad (@gingerfitdad) September 24, 2023
MAJOR ANXIETY
As long as Lincoln Riley is our coach….we'll never win a Chip…he doesn't recruit on the defensive side of the ball which has always been a staple of our championship runs…that's the reason we lost to Vince and Young and Texas…our defense wasn't that great that year
— #TheInfamous (@MO_The_General) September 24, 2023
MORE MISTAKES
My goodness. Another CLANG off Mario Williams' hands, and then another lack of organization.
Rough scenes.
— USC Trojans Wire (@TrojansWire) September 24, 2023
MARIO'S WOES
I’ve had trust issues with him since last year. The kid has so much potential and he’s not realizing it. Unfortunate to see.
— Nico (@USC_Nico) September 24, 2023
SPOTTY LINE PLAY
Offensive line hasn't been good, either.
It's as though playing in front of even a modest amount of hostile crowd noise completely unnerves them.
Shouldn't happen, but here we are.
— USC Trojans Wire (@TrojansWire) September 24, 2023
SHARED STRUGGLES
Today has been a bad day for everyone
— Riddim Up (@TheONEngland) September 24, 2023
SIMPLY BRUTAL
He's already reached that mark through 4 games https://t.co/NeIOiRtyo4
— Tajwar Khandaker (@tajwar002) September 24, 2023
COMMENTATORS ARE SHOCKED
This is wild these guys got absolutely stifled last week be Fresno #USC #ASU
— Petros Papadakis (@Theoldp) September 24, 2023
YET ANOTHER BAD PENALTY
Touchdown catch from Branch comes back on an offensive pass interference. Instead of going back up by two scores, USC retreats to the ASU 19, on 1st & goal.
— DevilsDigest.com (@DevilsDigest) September 24, 2023
STILL NOT ORGANIZED
USC uses its second timeout of the half to avoid a delay of game. Trojans have just one timeout left in the half, and there's 9:20 to go in the third quarter.
— DevilsDigest.com (@DevilsDigest) September 24, 2023
SHOCKINGLY BAD DECISION
Wow, Lincoln, you need to kick that field goal and go up 2 scores. That's careless.
— USC Trojans Wire (@TrojansWire) September 24, 2023
MISSED A MAN WIDE OPEN IN THE END ZONE
Not vintage Caleb tonight.
Not bad, but not great. Ordinary.
— USC Trojans Wire (@TrojansWire) September 24, 2023
NERVOUS TIMES
Before the end of the third, it appeared that trainers were evaluating USC QB Caleb Williams’ right hand.
— Keely Eure (@keelyismyname) September 24, 2023
TERRIBLE PLAY CALL, LINCOLN
Lincoln, why are you throwing on 2nd and 3?
— USC Trojans Wire (@TrojansWire) September 24, 2023
COACHES IGNORE MATH
MarShawn Lloyd is averaging 11 yards per carry. Not sure why he didn't get one crack on that drive.
— Ryan Abraham (@insidetroy) September 24, 2023