5 Thoughts for September 15, 2015 (all about football)

I've been missing lately, trying to recover from a cold. I've still got it, but it's at the tail end, now.

1. If you read this blog, it is a requirement that you watch this video from ESPN's Shelley Smith and her connection to Jake Olson. Then you should read about how much USC wanted to make Jake Olson's dreams come true, starting six years ago and once again in 2015. If you watch this weekend's USC-Stanford game, keep an eye out for #61 on the sidelines. At some point in his time at USC, he will get put into a game, at which point you can bet on it that the whole stadium will be cheering on both sides.
2. Two weeks ago when USC smashed Arkansas State, the national media didn't take notice. This past weekend when Missouri nearly lost to Arkansas State, the national media could only offer relief that Missouri escaped an embarrassing loss. If you look at teams that have played significantly weaker opponents, not many have performed well on both sides of the ball. Eastern Washington scored 42 on Oregon, Auburn escaped Jacksonville State, Oklahoma State had to rally in the fourth quarter to beat Central Michigan, Arizona had a tough game against UT-San Antonio, and Arizona State had to rally in the fourth quarter to beat Cal-Poly.
3. Keep an eye on this: USC returned 15 starters (4th most in the PAC-12) but have played 14 true freshman -- more than anyone else in the PAC-12 -- and those true freshman aren't just subbing in, late in games. For a defense that is prolific with stars, not a single member of the USC defense ranks in the top 158 in the FBS in total tackles. I can't tell you if this is genius or not, but were USC to dial up the tempo on offense, the Trojans may steamroll over opponents this year. Not only will they be fresh at the end of the season, but should any player get injured, there's an able body replacement to step into his place.
4. Dion Bailey made one bad play -- slipping on turf -- but the Seahawks were in cover-1, and with Bailey's lack of experience in cover-1, the deep safety -- Earl Thomas -- should have been leaning to the isolation side. Throughout the game, Bailey was always in the right place, but was a step late from making blowup plays, instead settling for solid tackles. That does not mean that he played poorly, but that late step is what separates Bailey from Kam Chancellor. But, if the Seahawks defense is one player's late step behind from winning games, then the defense has greater issues than just Chancellor's absence.
5. Marcus Mariota looked even better than when he played at Oregon, while Jameis Winston looked about as bad as he did in his worst games at FSU. Mariota completed passes on inside slants in tight windows, while making defenders look slow when he scrambled. When I think back to the comments of many pundits who said that Winston was ready to play on day 1 while Mariota would have to develop his skills in the NFL, I laugh.

+5 Quick Links

1. Marshawn Lynch's mom says Seattle should fire OC Darrell Bevell; I said that years ago.
2. You can understand why Jason Pierre-Paul tried to hide his fireworks-related injury.
3. Everyone outside of Boston hates the Patriots. Everyone.
4. Raiders lost big at home in many ways -- maybe those calls of resurgence were premature.
5. Oregon's Vernon Adams broke his finger while playing EWU; why didn't Lockie play MSU?