Kiffin: Barkley made really poor decisions

[the next guy]

USC Trojans coach Lane Kiffin puzzled by 'really poor decisions' by Matt Barkley - ESPN Los Angeles

For more news and notes on the Trojans, check out ESPNLosAngeles.com's blog. Blog

And Kiffin went as far to call them some of the worst decisions he's ever seen Barkley make.

On a third down with less than two minutes to play in the first half of Saturday's game, Barkley threw into traffic and was intercepted by the Cardinal's Jordan Richards.

Then, after USC linebacker Dion Bailey picked off the ensuing throw from Stanford's Josh Nunes, Barkley forced a throw downfield and had his second straight pass intercepted.

"(That was) really unusual by Matt," Kiffin said in his Sunday evening conference call with reporters. "Probably two of his worst decisions in our three years together on back-to-back plays."

At the time, USC led 14-7. The Trojans didn't score again the rest of the game.

Kiffin noted that Barkley had thrown just one interception in nine quarters of football until that point. He also said Barkley took a lot of shots from Stanford defenders throughout the game and indicated he was the victim of poor offensive line play.

"He's pretty beat up, mentally and physically," Kiffin said of Barkley, who appeared on the verge of tears in a brief postgame press conference following the loss.

A senior, four-year starter and preseason Heisman favorite, Barkley will now end his college career without beating Stanford -- unless the teams match up again in the Pac-12 championship game in November and USC wins.

Kiffin said his quarterback was broken up over that fact.

"You can imagine the disappointment of a 22-year-old, when you come back and all that you put into it and the game goes the way that it did and having never beat those guys," Kiffin said. "(But) he'll be fine. He'll rally, just like he has before.

"And he'll play great this Saturday."

Barkley finished the loss to Stanford with 254 yards on 20-of-41 passing, with those two interceptions and no touchdowns. It was the first time since October 2010 Barkley played a whole game and failed to throw for a touchdown.

No. 13 USC, which dropped from No. 2 following the loss, hosts Cal on Saturday at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum.

 

[West Coast Avenger]

.......that shyt was horrible....one of the worst executions that I have ever seen Barkley make....that O Line was getting lit the fukk up.....what a horrible weekend for myself....

 

[Tony D'Amato]

On the last yr n2ggaz talmbout Barkley is better than Luck

Woods and Lee make that dude. He's hella average.

Kiffin's playcalling is trash tho.

 

[VladTheImpaler]

.......that shyt was horrible....one of the worst executions that I have ever seen Barkley make....that O Line was getting lit the fukk up.....what a horrible weekend for myself....

 

[West Coast Avenger]

On the last yr n2ggaz talmbout Barkley is better than Luck

Woods and Lee make that dude. He's hella average.

Kiffin's playcalling is trash tho.

Yeah.....Id agree with that to the fullest....

 

[Tony D'Amato]

At one point Stanford's cb was like 10yrds off Woods.How they didnt use more WRs screens to force the coverage up is to me

 

[pete clemenza]

Is Kiffin throwin' Barkley under the bus??

 

[MikelArteta]

Motivation

I don't blame Barkley he literally had Like one second to throw the ball

Not to mention all the drops and no run game.

Ish was so bad this nikka was getting sacked as soon as e handed off to bum ass redd

 

[jadillac]

Stanford won that game with heart in the 4th quarter.


and before the season, Barkley said he woulda been drafted before RGIII.

 

[Trust Me]

Is Kiffin throwin' Barkley under the bus??

Kiffin's got too much character to do something like that.

 

[pete clemenza]

Kiffin's got too much character to do something like that.

Barkley did have a bad game no doubt about it but come on the head coach has to step up here and take the blame. They're rippin' Kiffin right now on 710am-sports radio out here

 

[Trust Me]

Barkley did have a bad game no doubt about it but come on the head coach has to step up here and take the blame. They're rippin' Kiffin right now on 710am-sports radio out here

Rightfully so. I agree he's gotta take the heat off his QB .. but instead .. dude's throwin Hess all over his boy.

 

[the next guy]

In fairness Kiffin can go out there and throw the ball by his damn self.

 

[MikelArteta]

Stanford won that game with heart in the 4th quarter.


and before the season, Barkley said he woulda been drafted before RGIII.

He would have.

 

[Piff Perkins]

Barkley being exposed. Usually with big time QBs, the media immediately starts sucking their dikk. But I've seen a few analysts and NFL folks questioning Barkley, and it'll only increase now. I think he has bust written all over him...