Same old, same old for USC, even against ND

When a team finishes 5-7, you will think that she has not really learned a lot of lessons.

Especially when this team was named No. 15 in the country to start the season and will not be among the 78 teams that play bowling in the playoffs.

But that would be wrong. This USC team has learned a lot. He learned that he could lose 24-17 against a Notre Dame No. 3 as easily and as close as Arizona State, Cal and UCLA. Three of those four left the Coliseum, where visitors have had so many problems over the years, thanks to the victories won by USC.

USC has learned for sure that the team that makes more mistakes, inflicts more faults, inflicts more penalties, makes fewer adjustments after half-time, and almost certainly will not win them. tight football matches, no matter who she plays.

Who cares to know if it's an unclassified UCLA 2-8, or those mediocre teams from Arizona State and Cal or from a Notre Dame now 12 -0, do all the above and you lose, USC. It does not matter who you play. That's how it goes from 4-3 to 5-7.

If you have as much talent as this USC team, you lose a bit. No more than seven points in any of those defeats that turned what could have been an acceptable learning lesson from a 9-3 season into 5-7 USC.

An unacceptable 5-7. A career that threatens the career 5-7. Even if the man who will make the call to the coach Clay HeltonThe future, AD Lynn Swann, told people that while he called, he did not tell anyone – well, not to Helton or his staff.

"The best days are coming," said Lynn, enigmatic. That's what USC fans want to hear. Keep Helton, not so much. Lynn now seems stuck after a month of announcing how he stood behind Helton and the coaches and what place the program was.

Of course, it was then. That's it now. And despite thousands of Notre Dame fans celebrating in the building, only 59,821 people showed up – the smallest crowd for USC-Notre Dame at the Coliseum in 58 years on a perfect day at 5pm. start. This allowed the USC to play six games at the Coliseum this season, and none had 60,000 spectators.

Not really a good way to get into the off season. Neither can seniors go to Senior Night – after another victorious home game escaped the Trojans, who have racked up 443 yards for an opponent of Notre Dame, while they are only the second team to take the lead of the winning Irish club. in a game this year.

And they managed to lose despite JT Daniels He completed a USC record with 37 passes (out of 51) for 349 yards while making a quick start with 26 of 31 (and 16 out of 17 in the first quarter). He now has 62 of 85 passes for 741 yards in the last four USC has taken a 10-0 lead, Notre Dame's biggest deficit all season. As for the former USC record holder, Matt Barkley completed twice 35 passes.

But as much as all USC players – and Helton – will tell you that the problem is a mixture of lack of discipline or, as Clay says, "learning to eliminate mistakes … we are going to be in a lot of close the games. "At the end of the fourth quarter, USC traded its eight penalties in the match and both lost fumbles.

While saying that he was expecting to be back but "did not want to put a word in Mr. Swann's mouth," Clay also seemed to indicate that there would be personnel changes. "I will do what needs to be done," he said. Where these changes begin and end is the question.

Our Lady Brian Kelly spoke about the turnaround of his team of 4-8 two years ago here. "There are so many people involved in this," he said of his victory in 22 of Notre Dame's last 25 games. "[strength and conditioning coach] Matt Balis got the ball game. "So you know where Notre Dame started her comeback.

"We made some changes … players had to evolve, go to the field and run at a high level."

Maybe USC should take note. Because if the Trojans, to a man, to the players and to the coaches, can tell you what is wrong, none can tell you why, nor how they plan to fix it.

"USC is talking about championships," Clay said. "He deserves championships and we did not do it." Indeed, they did not do it. No championship to finish 4-5 and under water in the South Pac-12, not mediocre enough.

Thanking Lynn and the administration for their continued support, Clay promised that "we will not do a better job for them, but for the whole family of Trojans."

Just do not talk about exactly how. Or when.

Like the way USC attacked Notre Dame. Forget about "balance". USC has launched 51 times and has executed 24 as it should have been all year. Of course, this sounds like the state of Washington. But this team with this game plan beats at least four of the teams that USC lost, even though getting the number 3 Notre Dame was a little too hard to get.

"It's an effective game plan that's going well," said JT, "extended defense … it's something we'll do in the future. "Although in a 5-7 season, it is worth trying before the 12th match.

But it was a close defeat that made you think that a 12-0 team and a 5-7 team could be so similar that the USC had 443 yards in the game against 473 of Notre Dame and 23 against 23 first of Notre Dame. And 349 passing yards for the goal of Notre Dame 352. And a possession time of 34:11 after 25.49 for Notre Dame. And seven of the fifteen conversions in the third descent to the six of Notre-Dame on 15. And three bags to the two of Notre-Dame. And nine tackles for the defeats of the two of Notre Dame.

"We took shots at the body," said Kelly of Notre Dame, pointing out how lucky they were to get out of the first half, when they could easily have gone 17-0, just 10-7, "with the match at hand".

What they had to do is what they did, Kelly said, playing "gritty". Kelly said that unlike a number of previous matches "when we dominated our opponent" against USC, "our guys needed a sustained effort for four quarters".

What they did. And USC, as he had not been able to do against ASU, Cal and UCLA, was no longer able to support him. He came out at half-time with the fifth quarter of the scoreless season in which the Trojans averaged just four points per game. third quarter.

"We can compete with anyone in the country," said Clay, with this game as evidence. And get performances like Cameron Smith12 tackles or 12 catches for 120 yards and a touchdown Tyler Vaughns or the 10 taken for 94 meters of Amon-Ra St. Brown. Or the seven for 91 by Michael Pittman. All were better than the Irish players against whom they were faced.

But the key is not to compete with, but to beat anyone in the country – or the Pac-12 South to start. This game is proof that USC should be able to do it. But this season is proof that they can not.

"It will be my job and my task in the future to get us executed, to be disciplined and to win championships," Clay promised.

But with words that sound more like a hope it will happen than a concrete plan to make it happen.

Lynn may have a plan. And even better, maybe he'll tell us, starting with Clay. Although the hope here is that Clay can develop his own plan.

USC should at least get a plan for $ 3 million. And one who on the last page does not have the numbers 5-7.

*** To contact Dan Weber, write to [email protected].