Mailbag: Is the quarterback sneak dead at USC?

USC quarterback Sam Darnold scrambles against Stanford.

Sept. 22, 2017 5 AM PT

Every week*, The Times’ USC beat reporter, Zach Helfand, will answer your questions. Tweet yours to @zhelfand or email them to zach.helfand@latimes.com. And after every USC game, you can leave a voice message on the USC Overtime hotline, at (213) 357-0984, for a call-in podcast posted every Sunday morning.

*Hopefully

Last week’s mailbag included a discussion of trap games. I very timidly classified California as a trap game (“possible, I guess,” I wrote). Then California defeated Mississippi to move to 3-0. Oops.

Let’s upgrade Saturday’s game to very clear trap-game status for USC. I almost got trapped into saying California wasn’t a trap game, which is the sign of a good trap game.

Onto the questions!

It is almost time to write the obituary for the quarterback sneak at USC. USC has had several opportunities to use it this season and hasn’t. That doesn’t mean we won’t see one at all this season. It’s in the playbook. But Helton prefers running out of the shotgun.

“We feel very functional in there,” he said. “We had several third-and-shorts in those situations against Stanford and executed. I think it was more of just better play by Texas in those down and distances, being in the gun or under center. We were very successful the week before. Last week, their defensive line did a very good job and held us up on a couple occasions.”

This isn’t a new phenomenon, or one unique to USC, either. Stanford’s David Shaw noted the sneak’s disappearance three years ago. The reason most shotgun teams don’t just line up under center in short yardage situations is because they’re worried about a fumble on the exchange.

USC believes it’s better off just handing the ball to a very good running back and hoping for the best, even if that means taking away a useful option.

Roger from Coarsegold writes: I have an idea that Coach needs to consider: ...On field goals/extra points... Why not a “designated jumper/blocker?” For example some player from the basketball team, 7’ + who can also jump to block the ball? If nothing else it would have the kicker thinking about him… P.S. There was a time under Robinson, when a gas station fellow suggested to John using a tall blocker...it worked.

You don’t even have to be 7-foot! Kam Chancellor did this twice in a row for the Seahawks in the playoffs two years ago. Sadly, it got called back for running into the kicker. But Chancellor is only 6-3. More people should do this, if only for the entertainment.

I’m all for gimmicks that logic says might work but pride prevents anyone from ever trying. The most famous of these are the sumo wrestler hockey goalie (Sports Science says this wouldn’t work, by the way) and bunting against the shift in baseball, a tactic some players have tried now and again but never consistently.

At practice last year, a few of us devised a football strategy. I refer to it as the sumo wrestler wall of blockers. (A lesson here: We need more sumo wrestling in our lives.) The theory is you get the 10 largest people you can find in the world. Four form a tight inner circle of blockers around the ball carrier. Six form an outer circle around that. They slowly walk down the field in tight formation. It can’t fail*.

I see no reason why Rutgers shouldn’t at least try this.

*Note: It probably can.

Ian writes: Choosing from dropped passes, stubborn play calling, mediocre special teams, injuries, and penalties, I will ask about USC’s cornerback play. Jack Jones is a sure tackler and had his best cover game at USC, but what is wrong with Iman Marshall? He is either getting beat or being extra grabby. He does not look like a premier corner. Are my concerns justified?

I thought USC’s cornerbacks, Marshall included, played fairly well, actually. Defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast did too. Texas passed for 298 yards, which is respectable in two overtimes for a secondary often in single coverage with little help. And the numbers looked a lot better through there quarters, but the secondary was stressed in the fourth because USC’s pass rush, depleted by injuries, let quarterback Sam Ehlinger escape to extend plays. Plus, Texas’ receivers made some really tough catches.

Marshall had one bad play, when he got pushed around by the receiver and fell to give up a big gain. But that was it.

Jerry Writes: Why hasn’t anybody asked Clay Helton (or Porter’s parents?) why he was allowed to play 4 days after having 2 screws surgically inserted into his toe? He apparently re-injured it along with something else, and I’m reading that he’s 50/50 for the NEXT game! ... These are college kids, not highly paid warriors, and coaches have to be held accountable for their health.

The decision could cost Gustin a few more games. He now also has a torn biceps.

Helton said USC’s doctors must approve any player that is injured. In Gustin’s case, Helton said the doctors believed there wasn’t a risk for infection or further damage to his toe. They took a precautionary X-ray at halftime and saw that a screw had moved slightly, so they shut him down.

Gary from Santa Barbara texts the hotline: Why not abandon run game when texas stacks the line, and return to run when texas loosens up?

USC kind of did this. For a team that likes a 50-50 split between runs and passes, USC ended up with 49 passes and 37 rushes. Probably not sufficient, but for USC that’s a big gap. The problem was, USC’s receivers weren’t catching the ball often enough when USC did pass.

Chuck writes: Any news on a scholarship for McGrath? I feel it is the right thing to do!

Helton said recently that he foresees McGrath earning a scholarship “as soon as I can get our numbers right.” Technically, the numbers are right currently: USC has given out 84 scholarships, meaning there is one available. But it’s not that simple. USC wants to offer as many of its 25 allotted scholarships next season as possible. This graduating class is small, just 11 players, plus the usual attrition and early departures. So USC is likely juggling those scholarships right now. And no, USC can’t revoke scholarships. The NCAA doesn’t allow schools to take away scholarships for anything having to do with football.

Still, it’s not a good look to have a starter who won a big game on national television pay to play and attend school. My guess is he’ll get a scholarship at some point in the future.

Interesting question. Offensive coordinator Tee Martin was asked a form of this question after practice this week: Have the young receivers earned your trust yet? Here was his response:

“They’ve gotta play,” Martin said. “And the only way you earn the trust is to do what you do in games. And so given the opportunities they will.”

Of course, Martin and Helton are the ones in charge of playing time for the offense.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Tyler Vaughns did end up starting on Saturday. He has taken starting repetitions in practice. And after Jalen Greene’s drop that led to the interception returned for a touchdown, USC all but yanked Greene from the game in favor of Vaughns.

This one’s a puzzler. It was mild enough that Helton didn’t mention it initially on Sunday. And severe enough to hold him out of practice.

My guess is just Gustin.

The offensive line was pretty good against Western Michigan, excellent against Stanford and poor against Texas. I think that’s a win overall.

See that, Praxis? It could be worse: USC could have the Giants’ offensive line or the atrocious lines of many NFL teams. That would definitely be worse.

Christian Rector.

Eat here

Connor Letourneau, who covers the Warriors for the San Francisco Chronicle, provided this week’s tip for those traveling to the game: TrueBurger in Oakland. Simple, very good burgers, hot dogs, fries and shakes. It’s not Chez Panisse, but if you do get a reservation at Chez Panisse, my contact info is below, thank you.