Two official calls...

[CougEd]

There was a play where Morrow leaped for the first down as he was going out of bounds. It sure looked like a bad spot, like two yard short of where the ball went out. I think that was a 3rd down play. I didn't see the replay, does anyone recall if I was seeing things?

Also, I thought for sure the refs were going to look at Darnold's last play and say there was a throwing motion and call it an incomplete pass. Brilliant call by Grinch.

If someone takes Darnold in the first round of the draft I think they will be taking a great athlete but a project at qb. He wasn't the best QB in the game, let alone a Heisman candidate. And he isn't even the best QB in LA.

 

[CougSinceBirth]

And he isn't even the best QB in LA.

Debatable, IMO.

 

[avabob11]

I thought they spotted it short on Morrow too. I couldn't really tell from the camera angle on Darnold, but it wouldn't have surprised me either way from my view. The fact that nobody on SC went ballistic on the call tells me it was right.

 

[YakiCoug]

I thought they spotted it short on Morrow too. I couldn't really tell from the camera angle on Darnold, but it wouldn't have surprised me either way from my view. The fact that nobody on SC went ballistic on the call tells me it was right.

Morrow got the first down, but the Fight On Ref would have nothing to do with it.

 

[kougkurt]

Really surprised they didn't review either of those plays.

Some big plays that haven't received a lot of mention

When Morrow? Put his hand down, knee on helmet and picked up a big first down

Running the ball from the 2 with .12 seconds left before the half and no TO's Gutsy.

Only giving up a FG after the pick on the WSU 3

 

[Flatlandcoug]

Really surprised they didn't review either of those plays.

Some big plays that haven't received a lot of mention

When Morrow? Put his hand down, knee on helmet and picked up a big first down

Running the ball from the 2 with .12 seconds left before the half and no TO's Gutsy.

Only giving up a FG after the pick on the WSU 3

Wasn't that Williams that put the hand down to stay up? Or did both of them do that?

 

[SideWaysDown]

There was a play where Morrow leaped for the first down as he was going out of bounds. It sure looked like a bad spot, like two yard short of where the ball went out. I think that was a 3rd down play. I didn't see the replay, does anyone recall if I was seeing things?

Also, I thought for sure the refs were going to look at Darnold's last play and say there was a throwing motion and call it an incomplete pass. Brilliant call by Grinch.

If someone takes Darnold in the first round of the draft I think they will be taking a great athlete but a project at qb. He wasn't the best QB in the game, let alone a Heisman candidate. And he isn't even the best QB in LA.

2 calls the Cougs got: Dillard holding on Martin's first TD, and I think the Darnold arm motion coulda been 50/50 if Helton complains. Some things actually went the Coug's way.

 

[brettcraycraft51]

2 calls the Cougs got: Dillard holding on Martin's first TD, and I think the Darnold arm motion coulda been 50/50 if Helton complains. Some things actually went the Coug's way.

there was an offensive pi on an sc receiver that looked more like defensive pi to me. can't recall the details of the play other than it was a drive-killer. i think we got pretty lucky there too.

 

[Fab5Coug]

there was an offensive pi on an sc receiver that looked more like defensive pi to me. can't recall the details of the play other than it was a drive-killer. i think we got pretty lucky there too.

Yea, Molton was the defender. Ref thought the WR pushed off, which he clearly didn't.

We really have no room to complain about officiating on this one.

 

[cr8zyncalif]

Debatable, IMO.

I agree about the LA statement being debatable. I would rather have Darnold than Rosen. Both are pretty good. Each has challenges. Neither is a top college QB yet, though they may get there. Neither is ready for the NFL.

 

[CougEd]

I agree about the LA statement being debatable. I would rather have Darnold than Rosen. Both are pretty good. Each has challenges. Neither is a top college QB yet, though they may get there. Neither is ready for the NFL.

Is it even close between Darnold and Rosen. Rosen may be the most accurate deep passer in the country. Darnold is Tim Tebow

 

[Flatlandcoug]

Is it even close between Darnold and Rosen. Rosen may be the most accurate deep passer in the country. Darnold is Tim Tebow

So......USC is going to win the national championship and Darnold will win the Heisman?

 

[Fab5Coug]

Is it even close between Darnold and Rosen. Rosen may be the most accurate deep passer in the country. Darnold is Tim Tebow

Umm...no.

 

[dgibbons]

Umm...no.

Agreed. Darnold can actually throw. He's more like Brett Favre.

 

[CougSinceBirth]

Is it even close between Darnold and Rosen. Rosen may be the most accurate deep passer in the country. Darnold is Tim Tebow

You're correct. Darnold has the IT factor!

 

[cr8zyncalif]

Ed, Rosen and Darnold are both pretty good. Rosen has better touch, but he also makes more poor decisions. Darnold can take a hit in the backfield more easily than Rosen, and the two of them are similar in terms of scrambling. Neither has enough good receivers. Both are playing behind O lines that were all uber-star recruits. SC's results on the O line were probably better at the start of the season, but unless they get some of those guys back, O line is going to be the team weakness. And neither Darnold nor Rosen can overcome a weak O line, though of the two, Darnold has a better chance with a weak line.

 

[Fab5Coug]

Agreed. Darnold can actually throw. He's more like Brett Favre.

He actually reminds me a bit of Jake Locker.

 

[CougPatrol]

I'd take Rosen over Darnold as an NFL prospect for sure. He's bored at UCLA.

 

[YakiCoug]

You're correct. Darnold has the IT factor!

This IT?

 

[CougSinceBirth]

This IT?

Was thinking more along the lines of this...

 

[random soul]

He actually reminds me a bit of Jake Locker.

No, weaker arm, slower, but far, far more accurate and in a different league when it's time to improvise. Locker couldn't hit the ocean from the dock deeper than 25 yards downfield.

 

[random soul]

I'd take Rosen over Darnold as an NFL prospect for sure. He's bored at UCLA.

I think Rosen has more natural ability but Darnold generally makes better decisions and handles broken plays better. If you combined the positive attributes of both you'd have a potential hall of famer.

 

[CougEd]

So......USC is going to win the national championship and Darnold will win the Heisman?

So......USC is going to win the national championship and Darnold will win the Heisman?

The Jake Locker comparison is much more accurate. Tebow coudn't pass, Locker could pas, just was horribly inaccurate. Same with Darnold.

 

[avabob11]

I was thinking of Locker too.

 

[Loyal Coug]

The Jake Locker comparison is much more accurate. Tebow coudn't pass, Locker could pas, just was horribly inaccurate. Same with Darnold.

Last year's Rose Bowl and Friday's 4th and 13 and I had a good laugh at this post. "Horribly inaccurate"?

 

[CougEd]

Last year's Rose Bowl and Friday's 4th and 13 and I had a good laugh at this post. "Horribly inaccurate"?

Well...he is consistently overthrowing balls that should be complete...or throwing it to the other team.

 

[SaveFerris]

Well...he is consistently overthrowing balls that should be complete...or throwing it to the other team.

Locker though?

 

[COUGinNCW]

There was a play where Morrow leaped for the first down as he was going out of bounds. It sure looked like a bad spot, like two yard short of where the ball went out. I think that was a 3rd down play. I didn't see the replay, does anyone recall if I was seeing things?

Also, I thought for sure the refs were going to look at Darnold's last play and say there was a throwing motion and call it an incomplete pass. Brilliant call by Grinch.

If someone takes Darnold in the first round of the draft I think they will be taking a great athlete but a project at qb. He wasn't the best QB in the game, let alone a Heisman candidate. And he isn't even the best QB in LA.

On the subject if crappy calls his was it not a personal foul when Calvin got drilled after catching a ball that he was clearly down on his knees when he caught it.

That was followed by a nice screen pass they called back for holding on #1 who was clearly not holding (maybe they got their numbers wrong).

 

[cr8zyncalif]

While I agree with a lot of what is being said, I look at it a bit differently. First, Rosen is not bored at UCLA. Frustrated, maybe, but he makes too many dumb mistakes to remain bored. Second, Darnold is not inaccurate; it is more a matter of lacking touch. He can't drop a soft ball in with a receiver. He can throw a bullet. May never learn to throw a soft, easily caught ball. Locker was inaccurate. Darnold is just one dimensional when it comes to passing. I think Random is closest, when he gives credit to Rosen for natural ability, but nods toward Darnold for most of the rest. As for which is a better NFL prospect, it is really a question of whether Rosen can gain what he needs between his ears and whether Rosen can develop touch. I would consider both to be 50/50 prospects (and no better) at this point.

 

[random soul]

While I agree with a lot of what is being said, I look at it a bit differently. First, Rosen is not bored at UCLA. Frustrated, maybe, but he makes too many dumb mistakes to remain bored. Second, Darnold is not inaccurate; it is more a matter of lacking touch. He can't drop a soft ball in with a receiver. He can throw a bullet. May never learn to throw a soft, easily caught ball. Locker was inaccurate. Darnold is just one dimensional when it comes to passing. I think Random is closest, when he gives credit to Rosen for natural ability, but nods toward Darnold for most of the rest. As for which is a better NFL prospect, it is really a question of whether Rosen can gain what he needs between his ears and whether Rosen can develop touch. I would consider both to be 50/50 prospects (and no better) at this point.

For all we know one or both may turn out like say, Vinny Testaverde. I've been on a classic old games kick lately, watching a lot of them somebody ported from old VHS tapes to YouTube. Watch him dissect Oklahoma in '86, then turn around and self-destruct against Penn State in the title game. He had every physical tool coming out of school but ended up in a notoriously bad situation in Tampa (remember Steve Young almost ended up on the scrap heap there too, and Bo Jackson decided to play baseball rather than play for them), but found a better home in Cleveland/Baltimore and finished out his career in a more positive way. When I look at Rosen I see a bit of Testaverde, and when I look at Darnold I see Favre, but without the rocket arm (same knack for improvisation and shambling gunslinger style though). You know who else seems a bit like Darnold to me? Rosenbach.

 

[How_did_this_happen?]

You're correct. Darnold has the IT factor!

Darnold is a god. Not THE God....but a god.
Sincerely,
Football hype machine (before last Friday...lol)

 

[How_did_this_happen?]

The Jake Locker comparison is much more accurate. Tebow coudn't pass, Locker could pas, just was horribly inaccurate. Same with Darnold.

Locker could run though. Darnold? Not so much.

 

[CougEd]

Locker though?

Locker made great throws at times. Then when it came to a simple out the ball went sailing. That happens to Darnold more often than it should. Locker was a much faster runner....