Offensively, the Cougars have scored on 20 of 21 red zone trips, for a whopping 95.2 percent. The red zone has been WSU's bread and butter this season, on both sides of the ball. Our chances of winning increase." Cameron Ward (Photo: /Whittney Thornton) If we get USC thinking about another Oregon State game, we can take advantage of that. If it's a low-scoring game, that works to our favor. My hope is we do something similar on Saturday. It would throw them off their game and out of their rhythm. Teams would be averaging 85 points a game and at halftime they'd have 25. They frustrated the hell out of everyone. Because it's almost like Tony Bennett's teams.
It's honestly not a necessity for me to score early. But therein lies a big difference with a Jake Dickert-coached team.
Jack Thompson's takeaway: "If this was a Mike Leach team, I'd think we have to score early and often. Make them think about Oregon State and get them rattled. If WSU can throw the initial punch, it can take advantage while the Trojans work on steadying themselves. Doing that may rattle USC, considering it has not faced much adversity. Stick Williams a few times, force a couple punts. It is crucial for WSU to vex the Trojan offense from the jump. It is not even so much about the Cougars scoring quickly, although that would be of great help. What WSU needs to do, is frustrate USC early. Had the Beavers not thrown 4 interceptions, they likely win that game. But Oregon State gave them a fight, with USC narrowly escaping 14-10. Of their five wins, four have come comfortably and by multiple scores. The Trojans have largely been on cruise control this year. And I'm hoping our offensive line turns a similar page."ģ. FRUSTRATE USC AND MAKE THEM THINK ABOUT OREGON STATE My hope is that he turns the page to the next chapter of his development. He said it himself: ball security is job security. Like pulling it down and running for five yards - or throwing it out of bounds and fighting that urge to make something out of nothing. And understanding what's needed when and what to do. Jack Thompson's takeaway: "His game management has to go to the next level. If Ward makes poor decisions and USC is able to win the turnover battle decisively, it is hard to see a scenario in which the Cougs emerge victorious. Finding a balance between playmaking and the right call will be crucial if WSU wants to win this game. Ward needs to recognize when to take a chance and when to toss the ball into the seats and live another down. The Trojans have been great not only at forcing turnovers, but turning those turnovers into points. The two picks he threw against Cal were poor decisions and while they did not cost WSU in the 28-9 win over the Bears, USC will not be so forgiving. That's where the speed of our linebackers comes into play in both aspects of the game."Ģ. CAMERON WARD HAS TO TAKE CARE OF THE FOOTBALLĪs much good as Ward has done this season, the seven interceptions he has thrown is far too high a number. It could very well be the recipe in disrupting their flow and their passing attack. I don't know if there's a defense that can bring the heat like ours can. And so they're efficient and whatever Oregon State did, we need to replicate. USC is very gifted, Williams has only thrown one pick. Jack Thompson's takeaway: “I've listened to Coach Dickert talk about a couple of things and that's a big part. That's the number the Cougars want to be around to win this game. The lone game in which USC has struggled offensively, Oregon State hurried quarterback Caleb Williams 20 times. The WSU pass rush needs to be at its best on Saturday, from the interior to the EDGEs to the linebackers. The best way to prevent USC from getting the ball in the hands of its playmakers? Pressure upon pressure upon pressure. Unlike most of the teams WSU has played, USC has the capability to beat teams in multiple ways.
If the ball gets into their hands in stride, they are tough to bring down. USC has one of the most potent offenses in the country and playmakers at every position. KEEP THE BALL AWAY FROM THE USC PLAYMAKERS Here are Thompson's five keys to beating USC on Saturday.ġ. USC has forced 15 turnovers this year - most in the country - and 12 of those have been interceptions.Ĭameron Ward avoiding bad interceptions is going to be crucial to victory, says Thompson, whose company - The Thompson Group of Cross County Mortgage - is the official mortgage company of. 6 USC at 4:30 on Saturday, says WSU quarterbacking legend Jack Thompson. LOS ANGELES - Ball security will be critical if Washington State wants to pull a big upset over No.
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