🏈 SC Gameweek

[Sgt. Lincoln Osiris]

Depth chart:

 

[Max]

USC vs. Alabama: This is for Respect

Someone's feelings have been hurt, I guess?

 

[TUSKtimes]

USC vs. Alabama: This is for Respect

Someone's feelings have been hurt, I guess?

Dude talks like Pete Carroll is going to be leading them out of the tunnel. Perhaps he will be more impressed with the national champs after the game.

 

[PCRammer]

Disappointed with R. Evans placement. Also surprised to see Shy Carter will be playing in anything outside of base D.

As the practices were being "reported" I was thinking AA would be the 5th DB on the field, looks like Shy took that away.

 

[18Champs]

Disappointed with R. Evans placement.

Why?

That depth chart reads like all of them have. You see the base defense listed along with who's going to play nickel. All it's saying is in their four linebacker sets (used primarily against the running teams) SDH is more of a run stuffer than Evans is at this point.

However, it doesn't say who is getting the reps when the team is in nickel. We very well could still see Evans playing that role more so than SDH.

Technically, there's several more than eleven "starters" and "1's"

Also surprised to see Shy Carter will be playing in anything outside of base D.

He's been practicing there and reports have been good.

As the practices were being "reported" I was thinking AA would be the 5th DB on the field, looks like Shy took that away.

AA has been that fifth guy in nickel since day one. There were a couple of days where he wasn't the first up in reps, but that changed when Sheffield decided he was leaving.

 

[RTB X Bot]

 

[Michael Casagrande |]

Alabama is a healthy favorite to beat USC, but the Trojans will bring some serious weapons to Texas on Saturday.

Welcome to game week.

Alabama's 113th season of football kicks off Saturday against one of its few peers in terms of tradition. USC has the lore that comes with 11 national championships and seven Heisman Trophy winners.

The No. 20 Trojans just haven't been winning titles in the past decade. They've lost at least four games in each of the last four seasons while working back from under NCAA sanctions. But the program is emerging on the other side of scholarship restrictions and a few years of coaching unrest.

Alabama's a healthy 10-point favorite in the 7 p.m. Saturday game in Arlington, Texas' AT&T Stadium. It's been 15 years since the Crimson Tide lost a season opener. And coming off a fourth national title in seven years with a No. 1 preseason ranking, it's hard not to pick Alabama here.

It just might be more interesting than expected for an Alabama program that hasn't been threatened in an opener since 2009 against Virginia Tech.

Here are a few reasons why:

Offense skill players

USC returns 10 of the 11 offensive starters. One of those two departures is a big one, quarterback Cody Kessler, but it has four of the five linemen and all the top skill players back. That includes two 900-yard rushers (Ronald Jones and Justin Davis) and the top eight pass catchers.

JuJu Smith-Schuster led the Pac-12 in receiving last year with 1,454 yards on 89 catches. With Alabama replacing some key members in the secondary, this isn't insignificant. With All-American hype and a strong supporting cast, the Trojan receivers bring a threat similar to Alabama's receiving corps.

Big bodies

And, if there's a spot where first-game jitters can be an issue, USC won't be breaking in a single new starter on the offensive line. Phil Steele's preseason magazine ranked the Trojans offensive front the top unit in the nation. Tackle Zach Banner is a potential All-American while guard Damien Mama could enter that discussion.

Alabama brings one of the nation's best defensive lines to Texas. It just won't be as deep as last year's group that could be the best in program history. The USC front will have to protect first-year starting quarterback Max Browne, a former national high school player of the year who isn't the most mobile passer.

Secondary

The obvious strength of Alabama's offense will meet the best part of the USC defense. Practically the entire starting secondary is back to face the Tide's deep group of receivers. Cornerback Adoree' Jackson plays both ways while Iman Marshall was a freshman All-American at the other cornerback spot last season.

This USC defense scored five touchdowns last season and helped the team to a No. 11 turnover-margin ranking. That, of course, is a stat Nick Saban follows as closely as any. We're not saying USC's secondary is going to shut down Alabama's receivers, but if the Trojans could pick a unit to bring experience and talent to Texas, it would be right here.

Etc.

-- A lot is made of Lane Kiffin facing his old employer, but it goes both ways. A total of 19 Trojans who played for Kiffin remain on the roster. There's a certain special motivation on that end as well.

-- Alabama has played these season-opening neutral-site games in seven of the past nine years. The nine-point spread is the smallest since meeting Virginia Tech (6 ½ points) to begin the 2009 season in Atlanta. That was also the last time the Tide was threatened to start the season, coming from behind for a 34-24 win in what became an unbeaten season ending with a title.

Why Alabama should still win:

-- Other than the secondary, USC is replacing practically every other defensive starter. And this was a Trojan defense that allowed 400.8 yards a game -- the second most in program history.

-- Not a single defensive line starter returns as new defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast brings a 5-2 scheme back to Los Angeles. It's been clear over the past decade, games like this are won up front. Alabama's got the experience in the offensive line to make this easier for new starters at quarterback and running back.

-- The Trojans looked to be closing the 2015 regular season strong with four straight wins starting with an upset of No. 3 Utah. But it dropped three of the final four games, all to ranked opponents.

-- Alabama's just deeper. There aren't major gaps where it has to replace starters like USC has with its front seven. Every one of the new starters on the Tide defense played at least fairly significant roles last season from Dalvin Tomlinson to Tim Williams and Ronnie Harrison. The only starter coming in without experience is right tackle Jonah Williams, a true freshman from California who grabbed a first-team role in the spring.

-- USC isn't used to being tested this early in the season. Its last four openers were played against Arkansas State, Fresno State and two with Hawaii. The closest win in the group was a 17-pointer over Hawaii.

-- Though experienced, the USC offensive line allowed 2.7 sacks a game last year. That ranked 109th nationally. New quarterback Browne isn't known isn't known for being a scrambler and Alabama led the country with 3.5 sacks a game.

-- This is well down the list, but Alabama knows this environment and ones like it. They beat both Wisconsin and Michigan State in AT&T Stadium last year. USC has played only three games in a dome -- none since 1996.

Continue reading...

 

[bama alum]

And even the bands are at it!

Before the game, USC and Alabama are tiffing over Tusk

(I apologize; I cannot get this article copied and pasted...Hey! It's a good read!)

 

[TerryP]

And even the bands are at it!

Before the game, USC and Alabama are tiffing over Tusk

(I apologize; I cannot get this article copied and pasted...Hey! It's a good read!)

"A trolling Alabama fan calling himself James from Tuscaloosa crossed a line."

A troll ends up leading to an article in the LA Times? Okay. :smh:

 

[TerryP]

Bama Game Notes for this week ...

http://rolltide.com.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/2016/8/29/9_3_16_USC.pdf

 

[planomateo]

 

[TUSKtimes]

Also being reported Osa Masina, 245 lb inside LB has been suspended for this game for team violations. Not much size behind him. 215 LB Hutchings or 200 LB Powell will have to step up. Cornerback Isaiah Langley also suspended.

LA Times

 

[planomateo]

Not to mention, the center Toa Lobendahn had ACL surgery in late October. There was talk early about SC having one of the most veteran OL's of the P5.

 

[RTB X Bot]

 

[TUSKtimes]

Honorary Captains for Alabama vs USC:

Johnny Musso (The Italian Stallion)

Sam ( Bam) Cunningham

 

[TerryP]

Lane Kiffin's offense and a furious defense could make Alabama even better than last season

Not a bad article despite getting the numbers wrong.

I'm getting the feeling neither the fans, or W coast media, or for that matter the football team and staff at USC know what to expect in this game.

 

[Che Boludo]

USC vs. Alabama: This is for Respect

Someone's feelings have been hurt, I guess?

First, I do not like some of the cupcake scheduling either, but it's hardly specific to Alabama or the SEC.

Leaving the quality of schedule aside between the mid to lower tiers of the SEC vs the PAC, CNS has been in favor of a 9 game conference schedule where the USC article starts its argument.

They highlight Bama's cupcake games, but ignore the Utah States, arky states, and Idaho vandals on the Trojan schedule this year and last. More so, the article completely ignores that W. KY was a top 25 team in last year's final poll, which isn't usually within the cupcake definition; even if W. KY was well within cupcake criteria when the game was scheduled.

He also fails to acknowledge that, even with "cupcakes," Bama has played a couple of the toughest schedules in history over last couple years when looking at end of year records of opponents and opponents' opponents.

Last, critiquing where and how Bama schedules those games is laughable. Bama avoids home and home series to secure top tier match ups at neutral sites for recruiting, promotion and $. This makes multiple top tier OOC opponents difficult to schedule. As to where the games fall, yes, they are often buffer games. Whats the point? That logic is like calling the military cowards for using standoff weapons systems to prep the objective and attrite the enemy before sending in ground forces. It's a scheduling strategy to gain an advantage in what has proven to be a very difficult conference. Why would one not work the schedule to their advantage if they had the option. Both are ridiculous points, but it kind of fit the bias and theme of the whole article.

 

[TUSKtimes]

It's a shame some of these savants aren't required to take their football drivel out for a test run before unleashing it on the unsuspecting public. Could you imagine this scholar, on an open forum, behind enemy lines, taking his convictions out for a walk?

SteveWalter ​

 

[EasyTider]

Alabama's Alphonse Taylor cleared of DUI charge Alabama's Alphonse Taylor cleared of DUI charge

 

[planomateo]

Also being reported Osa Masina, 245 lb inside LB has been suspended for this game for team violations. Not much size behind him. 215 LB Hutchings or 200 LB Powell will have to step up. Cornerback Isaiah Langley also suspended.

LA Times

USC football player from Utah under Investigation for sexual assault

...being investigated for sexual assault allegations officers say allegedly happened in Salt Lake County this summer.