Coliseum Turns Hollow in USC’s Embarrassing Loss 

Posted on September 29, 2021


  By Matt Weiner, SuperWest Sports

Minutes before the Trojans stormed out of the tunnel to play Oregon State, Interim Head Coach Donte Williams addressed the Coliseum through the PA system:

Williams

“When the clock hits zero it’s (USC) is gonna be 1-0 for this game.”

The booming proclamation was closer to a foregone conclusion than wishful thinking at the time.

Coming off of a win that featured 45 unanswered points, the interim coach’s confidence gripped the Trojan faithful soul and injected it with electricity and a brighter future.

Unfortunately, that serum morphed into disappointment and despair before Williams got a chance to take his thumb off the syringe.

On the opening kickoff from Oregon State, USC was penalized for a blind side block on a ball that was a fair catch in the end zone. Technically it was an improvement considering nobody got ejected. But things went downhill from there.

Less than two minutes later, Slovis was intercepted after receiver Tahj Washington had a ball spring off his chest into the arms of Beavers cornerback Rejzohn Wright on what would’ve been a clutch third-down conversion.

It took two minutes for everyone in the Coliseum—myself included—to realize the incredible second half against Washington State could be a monkey wrench.

Three minutes later the Trojan defense confirmed this inquiry. On fourth-and-three from the USC 41 yard line, OSU’s Chance Nolan took a bootleg to the left side of the field for 14 yards.

It was a perfect amalgamation of the Beaver’s line suffocating the Trojans in the trenches and defenders occupied with their coverage assignments.

The following play, Nolan hit Teagan Quitoriano on a play action 27 yard touchdown who had a total of two acres between him and the next defender. Communication issues that were brimming in the Stanford game were now glaring.

Very rarely does the first five minutes of a game dictate how the next 55 would go. Saturday proved to be one of those rarities.

The lack of pressure that was seen on the aforementioned bootleg continued on as the Beavers rushed for 322 total yards and not a single Trojan registered a tackle for loss.

On the majority of Nolan’s drop-backs he could’ve filled out his W-2 Form before completing a pass or taking a stroll outside the pocket for a first down.

Leading rusher,  running back B.J. Baylor, still would’ve ended up with 118 yards on the ground if you took his longest run of the day away from him.

OSU’s B.J. Baylor runs the ball against USC. | Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images

USC defensive coordinator Todd Orlando might as well have rounded up 11 victims of road kill on Figueroa Street and put them into a 4-3 front with 2 high safeties.

After Oregon State made it 35-17 with 6:33 left in the third, flocks of fans decided there were better things to do than witness an old fashioned smash mouth steamrolling.

Witnessing the bumper to bumper traffic along the stairs leading to the tunnels was visceral.

Anxious fans who were throwing up the “Fight On” symbol with enough force to tear their rotator cuff earlier on, were now dragging their bodies out of the stadium like shackled prisoners of war.

As the game dragged on and more seats opened up, there was an ominous aura percolating through the Coliseum.

Showing up to games for the rest of the season would feel like going to see a tribute band for The Beatles or Led Zeppelin.

Donte Williams hangs his head during loss to OSU. | Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times

You show up because it’s the closest you’ll get to unlocking the most euphoric memories from the glory days that are locked away in your memories museum.

Wide receiver Drake London is the closest Trojan fans could get to remembering what life once was during the Pete Carroll era.

London

London currently leads the nation in targets (55), catches (39), receiving yards (540), contested catches (9) and first downs (22). Not to mention his uncanny ability to draw holding and pass interference calls on defensive backs.

With the hand strength to tear a phone back and psychopathic cravings for contact, he’s a reason for all those fans who strolled out in the third quarter to stay just a bit longer.

Above all he’s the glimmer of hope that purgatory shall pass and the Coliseum won’t need a DJ constantly playing Lil John and Nipsey Hussle to drown out the silence.

Until then, the crowd in the fourth quarter will produce the same decibels as a doctor’s office waiting room.




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Matt Weiner