Quarterbacks Struggle in Adjusting to System

One of USC’s problems last week was not having timeouts when it needed them.

And one of the reasons was the difficulty the quarterbacks have getting the plays in and changing the play at the line of scrimmage.

What’s the problem?

“Youth. Unfamiliarity with the system,” Coach Paul Hackett said.

“Carson [Palmer] is struggling more than Mike [Van Raaphorst] is, but we would expect that. We’ve talked about wrist bands and sending people in [with the play], but I feel like we need to keep doing what we’re doing because it will improve.”

Van Raaphorst said he thinks USC can do better.

“It’s happened [to me] twice,” he said. “Sometimes it’s hard to see the [signalman’s] hands in certain places, like whether the hand is on his hip or on his belt. Sometimes you’re 50 yards away. The solution maybe is to spread the hands out.”

Palmer has had some trouble getting the formations right, but he said the system is OK, and Hackett contends that sending a player in with the play only adds to the confusion.

“It’s easy to get the signal and call the play,” Palmer said. “One time we had the wrong personnel on the field.”

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Hackett is still making an adjustment to calling the plays from the sideline, instead of from the coaching booth as he did as the Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive coordinator.

Though Hue Jackson holds the title of offensive coordinator, it’s Hackett’s show.

“I call them all,” Hackett said. “I call them all and Hue and I are in constant communication, back and forth. I think it takes a year or two to get the whole process down.

“The problem you have is, the actual vision of the play is basically nonexistent when you’re on the sidelines. You can handle the strategy, but what you can’t know is exactly what happened as to why the play broke down or why it was successful. That’s why the most important person to the play-caller is the person [in the booth] who can see and transfer that information to the next series.

“Are we there after six games? Probably not. That will improve over the next six games.”

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Washington State’s Dee Moronkola is third in the nation in kickoff returns, averaging slightly more than 35 yards per return. . . . USC’s coaches took note of the Cougars’ leading receiver: It’s Leaford Hackett from L.A. Valley College, who has 30 catches for 387 yards.

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HOW THEY COMPARE

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USC Washington State 29.7 Scoring 22.8 21.5 Point. allowed 29.0 180.3 Passing 221.5 136.7 Rushing 117.7 317.0 Total offense 339.2 187.7 Passing defense 203.0 149.8 Rushing defense 154.2 337.5 Total defense 357.2

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