USC Football: Lake Kiffin A Twitter Trend After 49 36 Win Over Hawaii

Lane Kiffin

USC Football started the first lost season after its NCAA Football punishment of a season where they can't go to a bowl game (here's why) with a win: 49 to 36 over Hawaii. For USC Head Coach Lane Kiffin it could not have been fun to sit through.

Not only did Coach Kiffin's team give up 588 yards to Hawaii, but it showed how the book this space presented on beating USC works in practice. Oh, and because of that and a lot of things, including that the game was on ESPN nationally, Lane Kiffin's a Twitter Trend this morning.

USC Is In Trouble

In the past, USC would not have allowed a team like the Hawaii Warriors to run up 588 yards of total offense, because their defensive pass rush would have been enough to stuff their passing game. But the talent spread is so wide in college football today, and the Internet-fuled trading of ideas for game plans so constant, USC will suffer.

Given that USC has a new scheme under Kiffin, and Hawaii an established one, USC should have had a larger win margin. But what happened is this: the way to beat USC is to spread their defense and throw, short mostly, and often. Hawaii used an offense that had elements of the Piedmont High School A-11, and spread systems, with the Run-And-Shoot, and frustrated the USC's Defense.

Here's the bad news: that's not the only time USC will see that approach all year long. The only way the Trojans can expect to win is to outscore their opponent and have Quarterback Matt Barkley throw five touchdowns a game as he did last night; the USC Defense, unless Defensive Coordinator Monte Kiffin falls in love with Zone Blitzing, is going to be gassed at the end of every game.

Lane Kiffin Is Hated Man; Not Here

Because of his actions with the Oakland Raiders and The Tennessee Volunteers, Lane Kiffin is described on Twitter as the most hated man in college football. Not here.

I have to profess that I enjoy watching Lane Kiffin's offense at USC and how his thinking has evolved. He's demonstrated a great fluidity in his use of formations, like the outpost-and-settlement formation he used to get a sure two-point conversion last night. There will be more about his offense in this space as the season rolls on.

But this just in: USC will not beat Cal.