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I'll preface this by saying there aren't any great truths hidden in the numbers, as far as I can tell. Maybe check out the play-by-play later. But he had NINE of his 15 interceptions in his last four games of the season. The Trojans were 1-3 during that stretch.
He had 2 first-half INTs vs. Arizona in a 39-36 loss. Arizona came back late to win it. So, his early picks kept the game close, but they still had a lead they couldn't hold.
He had 2 interceptions in a 62-51 loss to Oregon (against 5 TDs in 54 attempts), a game in which Oregon moved the ball basically at will (Mariota threw for 300 yards, Barner RAN for 320).
He had 3 TDs and 3 picks in a 38-17 win over Arizona State. Game was close for the first half, in which he threw 2 picks (one a pick six). His first attempt of the 2nd half was picked but on what the game recap calls a "spectacular" play on a tipped ball. The Trojans scored 24 unanswered points to win, he had one TD pass during that stretch.
He had 3 TDs and 2 picks in the 38-28 loss to UCLA, the game in which he got hurt. He got picked off on the game's first play after throwing into double coverage. Not sure when the second pick happened, but UCLA jumped out to a 24-0 lead, so the Trojans were playing from behind pretty quick (that is, if his 2nd pick came early it would've helped UCLA build the big lead, if it's later it's possible it could be excused as the result of a dude trying to make up a deficit).
His worst game of the year was earlier, the Stanford loss. Zero TDs, 2 first-half picks that happened in a crazy sequence where the ball kept changing hands on turnovers; so it looks like neither led to points. Stanford held USC to 26 yards rushing in that game.
So, really, the stats don't tell us a ton. It's hard to say his failures caused USC's problems, though. It's also interesting to note that, despite sitting out 2 games with an injury, he threw for only 300 fewer yards and 3 fewer TDs than the previous year. Clearly, two more games (very winnable ones against Notre Dame and Georgia Tech) would've had him approaching 4,000 yards and 40 TDs. USC would've had a chance to knock off the then-No. 1 Fighting Irish with him playing (USC lost 22-13).
The thing he's got going for him is that, as USC QBs go, he's probably more like Carson Palmer than Mark Sanchez. He didn't go into every game with way more talent than the other team that helped inflate his performance (Marqise Lee is an animal, though).
Like I said, not helpful but maybe interesting.
-AE
He had 2 first-half INTs vs. Arizona in a 39-36 loss. Arizona came back late to win it. So, his early picks kept the game close, but they still had a lead they couldn't hold.
He had 2 interceptions in a 62-51 loss to Oregon (against 5 TDs in 54 attempts), a game in which Oregon moved the ball basically at will (Mariota threw for 300 yards, Barner RAN for 320).
He had 3 TDs and 3 picks in a 38-17 win over Arizona State. Game was close for the first half, in which he threw 2 picks (one a pick six). His first attempt of the 2nd half was picked but on what the game recap calls a "spectacular" play on a tipped ball. The Trojans scored 24 unanswered points to win, he had one TD pass during that stretch.
He had 3 TDs and 2 picks in the 38-28 loss to UCLA, the game in which he got hurt. He got picked off on the game's first play after throwing into double coverage. Not sure when the second pick happened, but UCLA jumped out to a 24-0 lead, so the Trojans were playing from behind pretty quick (that is, if his 2nd pick came early it would've helped UCLA build the big lead, if it's later it's possible it could be excused as the result of a dude trying to make up a deficit).
His worst game of the year was earlier, the Stanford loss. Zero TDs, 2 first-half picks that happened in a crazy sequence where the ball kept changing hands on turnovers; so it looks like neither led to points. Stanford held USC to 26 yards rushing in that game.
So, really, the stats don't tell us a ton. It's hard to say his failures caused USC's problems, though. It's also interesting to note that, despite sitting out 2 games with an injury, he threw for only 300 fewer yards and 3 fewer TDs than the previous year. Clearly, two more games (very winnable ones against Notre Dame and Georgia Tech) would've had him approaching 4,000 yards and 40 TDs. USC would've had a chance to knock off the then-No. 1 Fighting Irish with him playing (USC lost 22-13).
The thing he's got going for him is that, as USC QBs go, he's probably more like Carson Palmer than Mark Sanchez. He didn't go into every game with way more talent than the other team that helped inflate his performance (Marqise Lee is an animal, though).
Like I said, not helpful but maybe interesting.
-AE
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