[pcgoode]

I'm sure others have seen media stories about the return of Trojans to the top of the PAC 12, Sam Darnold being a front runner for the H word etc. All of that may come true in 2017, but one part of the puzzle hasn't been put together yet - Trojan O line. They lost three starters to the NFL draft - both tackles and a guard. Apparently there is a lot of talent on the USC roster to replace the departed players, but things haven't been going that smoothly this spring, and coaches are pulling their hair out. But hey, some players will return from injury at some point...Where have we heard this before?!?

Here is a recent story on how things are going so far in spring practice.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/usc/la-sp-...story.html

[pcgoode]

I'm sure others have seen media stories about the return of Trojans to the top of the PAC 12, Sam Darnold being a front runner for the H word etc. All of that may come true in 2017, but one part of the puzzle hasn't been put together yet - Trojan O line. They lost three starters to the NFL draft - both tackles and a guard. Apparently there is a lot of talent on the USC roster to replace the departed players, but things haven't been going that smoothly this spring, and coaches are pulling their hair out. But hey, some players will return from injury at some point...Where have we heard this before?!?

Here is a recent story on how things are going so far in spring practice.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/usc/la-sp-...story.html

[OutsiderFan]

The only position that ever suffers injury on the USC OL is Centers, who are akin to Spinal Tap drummers.

Wheeler and Banner never missed a start once they were starters at OT, and neither did Mama, IIRC.  But yes, the point is taken, they have talent.  They had the most experienced OL in the Pac-12 last season and it showed.  UCLA and Stanford not so much, and it showed.  So hope springs eternal that USC will struggle on the OL, and Darnold won't be quite the player he was with so much talented experience protecting him!

[OutsiderFan]

The only position that ever suffers injury on the USC OL is Centers, who are akin to Spinal Tap drummers.

Wheeler and Banner never missed a start once they were starters at OT, and neither did Mama, IIRC.  But yes, the point is taken, they have talent.  They had the most experienced OL in the Pac-12 last season and it showed.  UCLA and Stanford not so much, and it showed.  So hope springs eternal that USC will struggle on the OL, and Darnold won't be quite the player he was with so much talented experience protecting him!

[donkey687]

I am glad that we get them early as OL is a position group that takes longer to gel and some of their guys will be new and coming off injury.

[donkey687]

I am glad that we get them early as OL is a position group that takes longer to gel and some of their guys will be new and coming off injury.

[Stymie]

Glad to hear that Baby Mama is Gonna.  That guy filled up 1/2 of the the field just by himself!

[Stymie]

Glad to hear that Baby Mama is Gonna.  That guy filled up 1/2 of the the field just by himself!

[Goose]

So hope springs eternal that Under Stanford Control (again) will struggle on the OL, and Darnold won't be quite the player he was with so much talented experience protecting him!

Indeed. From looking at replay, the USC OL had two attributes that really helped Darnold. First, while they might get beat eventually, they almost never got beat right away. Darnold could rely on at lest some time to throw, and second, when somebody did get beat, the rest of the OL kept blocking their man for the entire play. This gave Darnold the ability to scramble away from the man who got penetration  to an area where he had protection, and he was very good at this. He would run sometimes, but mostly scramble to throw it. It also helped a lot that USC had receivers that were considered so good you couldn't play up on them. Thus Darnold often had somebody who was open early in the play in case there was penetration. Often the receiver didn't catch the ball, but that was another story.  Also, the receivers were pretty good at just running around at random until they got open. I sometimes thought that last year the USC offense was Darnold evading the rush until somebody running a random walk pattern got open, and then throwing to that guy. Next year, that may not happen so much.

[Goose]

So hope springs eternal that Under Stanford Control (again) will struggle on the OL, and Darnold won't be quite the player he was with so much talented experience protecting him!

Indeed. From looking at replay, the USC OL had two attributes that really helped Darnold. First, while they might get beat eventually, they almost never got beat right away. Darnold could rely on at lest some time to throw, and second, when somebody did get beat, the rest of the OL kept blocking their man for the entire play. This gave Darnold the ability to scramble away from the man who got penetration  to an area where he had protection, and he was very good at this. He would run sometimes, but mostly scramble to throw it. It also helped a lot that USC had receivers that were considered so good you couldn't play up on them. Thus Darnold often had somebody who was open early in the play in case there was penetration. Often the receiver didn't catch the ball, but that was another story.  Also, the receivers were pretty good at just running around at random until they got open. I sometimes thought that last year the USC offense was Darnold evading the rush until somebody running a random walk pattern got open, and then throwing to that guy. Next year, that may not happen so much.