[stupac2]

[quote author=stupac2 link=topic=17613.msg205335#msg205335 date=1507565472]
Eh, I think Helton is a mediocre coach. My guess is that once Darnold is gone that'll be revealed (and don't forget that Helton initially didn't go with Darnold despite voluminous reporting that he was the better QB).

Yeah, Helton did bupkis with Cody Kessler (a 3rd rounder), Max Browne (admittedly mediocre)...and only started doing stuff once Darnold came on the scene. A coach at SC who can't win with a 3rd rounder QB may be many things -- a raconteur, a philanthropist, a hobbyist piano player -- but he's probably not *good.*

And even saying Helton is good with Darnold is giving Clay more credit than he deserves. Certainly the second half of 2016 was thrilling. But SC has hardly been great so far this year -- +12 ppg margin, +1.25 yards per play -- solid, rather than great, despite a top-five pick at QB and a bunch of other great players.
[/quote]

Right, I think people here overrate them because they shellacked us, but I think there are two things about that game:

1) Darnold and his receivers played out of their minds that game. There were hardly any miscues, and this defense isn't good enough to consistently get stops when that happens. U$C has mostly not played that well against anyone else. Lucky us.

2) We played badly on both sides of the ball.

When you get that combination, yeah the other team is going to look good. But it's not terribly surprising to me that they've come down from that high, it's just too damn bad that we're the team they put it all together against.

[stupac2]

[quote author=stupac2 link=topic=17613.msg205335#msg205335 date=1507565472]
Eh, I think Helton is a mediocre coach. My guess is that once Darnold is gone that'll be revealed (and don't forget that Helton initially didn't go with Darnold despite voluminous reporting that he was the better QB).

Yeah, Helton did bupkis with Cody Kessler (a 3rd rounder), Max Browne (admittedly mediocre)...and only started doing stuff once Darnold came on the scene. A coach at SC who can't win with a 3rd rounder QB may be many things -- a raconteur, a philanthropist, a hobbyist piano player -- but he's probably not *good.*

And even saying Helton is good with Darnold is giving Clay more credit than he deserves. Certainly the second half of 2016 was thrilling. But SC has hardly been great so far this year -- +12 ppg margin, +1.25 yards per play -- solid, rather than great, despite a top-five pick at QB and a bunch of other great players.
[/quote]

Right, I think people here overrate them because they shellacked us, but I think there are two things about that game:

1) Darnold and his receivers played out of their minds that game. There were hardly any miscues, and this defense isn't good enough to consistently get stops when that happens. U$C has mostly not played that well against anyone else. Lucky us.

2) We played badly on both sides of the ball.

When you get that combination, yeah the other team is going to look good. But it's not terribly surprising to me that they've come down from that high, it's just too damn bad that we're the team they put it all together against.