USC OC: 'Newsflash, we lost a lot of good players to the NFL'
USC offensive coordinator Tee Martin defended himself Tuesday against a growing number of critics pointing to his unit's failure to meet national expectations.
"Newsflash, we lost a lot of good players to the NFL," Martin told Scott Wolf of the Los Angeles Daily News.
The Trojans seemed poised to boast a prolific offense this year, led by prized quarterback Sam Darnold, but have instead battled inconsistency. Darnold entered the season as a popular Heisman Trophy pick, but his eight interceptions have taken him out of consideration.
Key departees on offense after 2016 season
| Player | Position |
|---|---|
| Justin Davis | RB |
| JuJu Smith-Schuster | WR |
| Darreus Rogers | WR |
| Zach Banner | OT |
| Chad Wheeler | OT |
| Damien Mama | OG |
After the Trojans suffered their first loss Friday against Washington State, head coach Clay Helton threw his support behind Martin, saying he doesn't have an issue with the 39-year-old's play-calling. Helton added that there's no need to panic after losing one tight game on the road to a formidable Cougars squad.
USC (4-1) will attempt to rebound from the loss Saturday at the expense of the lowly Oregon State.