Right there with you Gil ✌️

CONCLUSIONS Overall, I think this game had far more to be encouraged by than discouraged by. I'm not worried about the USC Offense. As WR Mosley and TE Bowman get back healthy, this O-line continues to settle in, and hopefully QB Maiava returns to form, this offense has the chance to be elite. That starts with eliminating massive, game changing, self-inflicted wounds. The good news about self-inflicted wounds, however, is that they are in your control. The speed and efficiency of USC's ability to fix those costly mistakes will determine the ceiling of this unit. On Defense, I think USC has found its identity. If bringing pressure consistently means getting beat deep a couple times I can live with that. What I can’t live with is dink and dunk, 1000 paper cuts. Get after somebody, come out throwing haymakers. If they beat you, so be it. I loved the fact that GP was willing to blitz time and time again, that he used his extensive personnel in advantageous situations, and that he was willing to trust his cover CBs in press man. We all know this team is not perfect but if USC can get out of its own way and the coaching staff can pull the potential from this squad, the Trojans will be a force to be reckoned with. If Lincoln Riley can do it, he has a playoff team; if he can't, he'll be out of a job. At some point your $100M coach has to be a difference maker, the time is now. See you all next week. ✌️

On the first 3rd down of the game, SC comes out in a base look. 4-2-5 with a two high shell. Its man across the board with SAF Pierce playing the deep third. On the snap, EDGE Crawford abuses FR LT Kodi Greene and creates instant pressure. Here is where we see theme number one emerge. Inserting more athletic LBs in Walker and Newby to play hook/curl to QB spy, forces Williams to throw instead of run. LB Newby does a great job of both playing the QB and feeling the receiver behind him and forces Williams to try to throw overtop which he misses. Really well done by the SC Defense here:

On Washington's next possession we see a different look. Personnel wise, SC is still in the standard 4-2-5 but this time the alignment is different with a mugged front. DT Abasiri kicks out along with EDGE Wafle to a wide nine tech, DT Stewart plays head up zero tech, EDGE Crawford is stood up in the A gap, and LBs Walker and Newby are also stood up in both B gaps. On the snap, SC looks like it's bringing the house, forcing QB Williams to bring his eyes down almost right away. DT Stewart commands a double team, allowing EDGE Crawford to win inside, DT Abasiri to win outisde, and EDGE Wafle to compress the pocket with a bull rush. Meanwhile both LBs have dropped from their rush and picked up a QB spy. As QB Williams floods to the field LB Walker does a great job of using his athleticism to close the gap. Crucially CB Hill is sticky in coverage and breaks up the pass. This is an example of all three themes, a lot of good here:

Of all former Trojans, I feel, Carson had t most authentic take about Lincoln & the state of our football program. I also feel that he is one of t most qualified to give an opinion on our program. He's currently a championship head coach for a local high school. #FightOn #USC

"There's a lot of big time football ahead of them... I believe in Lincoln, I believe in the team. They're talented." @colincowherd & Carson Palmer talk Lincoln Riley & USC

Here's another exotic pressure. This time SC shows a Quarters look presnap, rolling to what looks like cover 6 (deep half to the boundary, quarters to the field). On the snap, EDGE Crawford drops to the boundary and NB Graham blitzes from the other side. Crawford's one step in before dropping forces the LT to commit to him, giving DT Stewart just enough time to beat his man and create instant pressure in the middle. It is not an understatement to say he is the best DT USC has had since Leonard Williams. He forces QB Williams right into Graham on the blitz and he brings him down for the sack:

RT @graysonbrownlaw: Elite it is!!

RT @graysonbrownlaw: I woke up today ready to run through a wall with being able to watch my son @LukeBrown_LS with his first ever D1 @uscf…

I heard the Penn St. head coach opening weekly presser & for some reason he chose not to name the opponent, USC, by name. It would be great to have our best performance to date before entering our first bye week. USC vs EVERYONE. (Including some of our *own"). #FightOn #USC

"I was definitely nervous, but I mean, it's basketball; I enjoy having fun, so I got to go out there and have another opportunity to play basketball, and now at the highest level, so it's fun, get to compete with my guys." Cameron Carr (19 PTS (7-13 FG), 3 REB, 2 AST, 2 STL, 23 MIN) talks with the media after the #Lakers' 127-103 win in Sacramento to open the preseason.

#USC HC Lincoln Riley: "Kam Crawford was fantastic. He won in one on ones. He made some impactful plays in the run game. He did good job of getting Williams down a couple of times, which is not easy to do even if you do get home free and win." Added he was a huge energy creator.

Homecoming Tailgate ✔️ Had the best time kicking off game day with @uscfb legends, with our @uschoops squad and the Trojan Family! 🏟️✌️

“Locked in” with USC, per elite CB from Mater Dei, Danny Lang.

Oregon’s social-media shots felt personal to four-star Danny Lang, but the elite cornerback from Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei remains ‘locked in’ with USC. The latest: 247sports.com/article/danny-…

Double A-Gap Mug with a Double Stunt and Cover 1 behind it Elijah Newby’s pressure up the middle flushes the QB out and forces a throwaway #USC

This is going to be good #21’s ✌️

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Got to be the man that just won the Biletnikoff Award last year on Iowa, Makai Lemon ✌️

This is the best catch in college football history and it really isn’t even particularly close 👀✌🏻