2016 GAME 14 PREVIEW
ROSE BOWL
USC Trojans Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
10-3 | 13-0
Sunday January 1st 2017 – 4:30PM
Head Coach: Lane Kiffin (67-37 career, 60-31 @ USC)
Offensive Coordinator: C. Helton
Defensive Coordinator: C. Pendergast
Offensive Scheme: Pro
Base Defense: 4-3
Opponent's Starters - Class | PFF Grade
Offense QB Max Browne - JR | 95 RB Justin Davis - JR | 93
FB Jahleel Pinner - SR | 89
WR Steven Mitchell - JR | 91
WR Andy Pettit - SO | 86
TE Anthony Hall - SO | 87 LT Chad Wheeler – SR | 86 (Zach Banner – SR | 84)
LG Ed Bright – JR | 87
C Khaliel Rodgers – SR | 92
RG Jordan Simmons – SR | 93
RT Donnell Hill – JR | 89
Defense LE Brian Caldwell – SO | 87
RE Kyle Keyes – FR | 78
DT Kenny Bigelow – SR | 91
DT Chris Morgan – SO | 74
LOLB Joey Smith – JR | 83
MLB Scott Starr – SR | 91 ROLB Quinron Powell – SR | 85
CB Chris Hawkins – JR | 89 CB Richard Sutton – SO | 86
CB Zach Butler – SO | 83
CB Bryson McMahan – FR | 79
FS Leon McQuay III – SR | 90
SS Su'a Cravens – JR | 92
Specialists
K Brian Brooks – SO | 87
P Eric Meadows – FR | 80
RET Andy Pettit – SO | 95
Last edited by djp73 on 06 Mar 2020, 12:49, edited 1 time in total.
JUNIOR CB TROY MCCULLOM HANGS HIS HEAD AS THE ROSE BOWL CONFETTI FALLS FOR LOUISIANA’S OPPONENT FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR
For Coach Porter Davis and his Louisiana squad it was déjà vu all over again as the team lost a close Rose Bowl to a team from a power five conference.
The game was a back and forth affair and the Cajuns certainly showed they could hang with USC. The teams were close in most categories, Louisiana outgained USC 364 to 350 and had 19 first downs to USC’s 17.
The difference in the game was a late interception in the endzone that was tipped by Louisiana’s Jalen Nixon and bounced around some before landing in the hands of the Trojans Su’a Cravens. The play was reviewed extensively and it appeared that the ball hit the turf before Cravens had secured it. It was initially ruled an interception and the officiating crew determined there was not enough evidence to overturn it.
“I don’t know.” Coach Davis said when asked about the play. “I didn’t have any better look at it than you all did so I don’t know. You probably got a better look at it. We were game planning for either result and didn’t see the replay but once or twice. I certainly respect those guys. That’s a big stage and they’re under the microscope quite a bit. As much as coaches maybe and they don’t deserve it. It’s in the past now and we’re moving forward. These kids played a hell of a game and we’re not going to let that overshadow that.”
After a Louisiana turnover on downs on their first drive USC put together a scoring drive that was capped by Justin Davis running in from a yard out for his first of four touchdowns.
Davis added another to make it 14-0 midway through the second quarter.
The Ragin’ Cajuns finally got on the board a few minutes later when Brooks Haack ran in for an 11 yard score. At halftime it was 14-7 USC.
Davis scored again to finish off USC’s first possession of the second half and it was 21-7 USC.
“We can’t quit! We’ve come this far we can’t quit now.” Haack was seen yelling on the sidelines after Davis scored.
Haack took it upon himself to get his team back in the game, tossing a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter. The first was to Hicks for 10 yards on an angle route, the second was to Guerrero from eight yards out.
Davis again found the endzone for USC with four minutes left to play.
Louisiana had a good drive going before the aforementioned tipped interception ended the drive and essentially the game as USC was able to run out the clock.
“Tough way to lose and I’m not going to lie to you, it sucks.” Haack said after the game.
“Like I said the team played a hell of a game, had a hell of a season and we’re damn sure proud of it.” Davis said to punctuate the post game press conference.
QB BROOKS HAACK TAKES A BIG HIT ON THE CAJUNS FIRST POSSESSION
USC RB JUSTIN DAVIS CELEBRATES HIS FIRST SCORE
DAVIS FINDS THE ENDZONE AGAIN IN THE SECOND QUARTER
HAACK IS PICKED OFF IN THE SECOND QUARTER BY USC LB STARR
HAACK SCORES ON AN 11 YARD RUN IN THE SECOND QUARTER
HAACK IS PICKED OFF AGAIN JUST BEFORE HALFTIME, THIS ONE BY CRAVENS
DAVIS CAPS USC’S FIRST DRIVE OF THE SECOND HALF WITH HIS THIRD RUSHING TOUCHDOWN
HICKS SCORES ON A 10 YARD PASS FROM HAACK
GUERRERO TIES THE GAME AT 21-21 IN THE THIRD QUARTER
DAVIS PUTS USC BACK ON TOP WITH FOUR MINUTES LEFT TO PLAY
CRAVENS PICKS OFF HAACK IN THE ENDZONE LATE, SEALING THE WIN FOR USC
TRACY WALKER CONGRATULATES A USC PLAYE AS THE CONFETTI FALLS
COACH DAVIS SHAKES HANDS WITH A USC ASSISTANT
DAVIS MADE THE MOST OF HIS TOUCHES, SCORING ALL OF USC’S TOUCHDOWNS
COACH KIFFIN HOISTS THE ROSE BOWL TROPHY
Scoring
ULL|00|07|14|00|21
USC|07|07|07|07|28
1Q USC Davis 1 Yd run (Brooks kick)
2Q USC Davis 1 Yd run (Brooks kick)
2Q ULL Haack 11 Yd run (Yatkowski kick)
3Q USC Davis 5 Yd run (Brooks kick)
3Q ULL Hicks 10 Yd pass from Haack (Yatkowski kick)
3Q ULL Guerrero 8 Yd pass from Haack (Yatkowski kick)
4Q USC Davis 4 Yd run (Brooks kick)
Key Player Stats
Passing: Haack 24/37 233 2TD 3Int
Rushing: Haack 12/81 1TD, Hicks 7/26, Franz III 1/12, Nixon 4/10
Receiving: Austin 8/94, Carter 2/47, Palmero 5/39, Guerrero 2/26 1TD, Hicks 2/20 1TD
Tackles: Wilson 7, Williams 6
Sacks: Bolden 1
Takeaways: McCollum 1Int, Wilson 1FF 1FR
Special Teams: Yatkowski 3/3XP, Cadona 2Pt 94Yds, Nixon 144 Ret Yds, Guerrero 22 Ret Yds
Passing: Browne 17/24 223 1Int
Rushing: Davis 17/81 4TD, Lowe 3/17, Rogers 2/12
Receiving: Hall 6/101, Petit 4/44, Davis 3/35, Rogers 2/19
Tackles: Starr 9, McMahan 7
Sacks: Keyes 1
Takeaways: Cravens 2Int, Starr 1Int
Special Teams: Brooks 4/4XP, Meadows 2Pt 73Yds, Davis 41 Ret Yds
Coach Davis' Player of the Game
The whole team, great season!
Louisiana's Davis Could be Hot Name This Offseason Second Year Head Coach Has Led Cajuns to Consecutive Top Five Finishes
By Karl Belcher | Jan 8, 2017, 2:15pm EST
Louisiana head coach Porter Davis could be the next hot young name in coaching after leading the Ragin' Cajuns to a second straight top five finish.
Louisiana moved to the American conference before last season and faced tougher competition than they had previously in the Sunbelt but the results for Davis' squad were much the same. After taking done Mississippi State, Purdue and Louisiana-Monroe the Cajuns ran the table in the conference including a win over defending conference champions UConn for the title.
Louisiana then hung with USC before losing the Rose Bowl on a late, controversial turnover.
Davis has a defensive background and it has shown during his time at Louisiana. The Cajuns Gave up the least total yards in the nation, least rushing yards in the nation, least points in the nation and tied for 13th with 40 sacks.
Louisiana was the least penalized team this season as well.
Davis did all this despite losing both of his coordinators to head coaching jobs prior to the season.
Davis has expressed his loyalty to ULL in the past, signing an extension before the 2016 season but with some top vacancies expected to open up that loyalty is sure to be tested in the coming months.
Last edited by djp73 on 09 Mar 2020, 07:45, edited 1 time in total.
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