This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

After losing defensive tackle Kenny Bigelow to a knee injury in March, USC coach Clay Helton cites depth on the defensive line as his biggest concern going into the 2016 football season.  "We're going to have to play above our head" at that position, Helton said last week during the Pac-12 coaches' spring media teleconference.  As for the quarterback battle between Max Browne and Sam Darnold, Helton said, "That's what happens when you recruit the best of the best. … It turns into a heck of a competition." Helton was promoted as Steve Sarkisian's successor last season in advance of the Pac-12 championship game, a loss to Stanford. He had served as interim coach since Sarkisian's midseason dismissal due to off-field issues, and beat Utah 42-24 for of his biggest victories. That win enabled the Trojans to claim the title-game berth via a tiebreaker with the Utes in the Pac-12 South.  The Trojans will open the season Sept. 3 vs. Alabama in Arlington, Texas. They will host Utah State the following week and will visit Utah on Sept. 23 (a Friday) after opening Pac-12 play at Stanford on Sept. 17.  Discussing USC's defense, Helton described Brighton High School product Osa Masina as one of the players "you could really see burst onto the scene" in the spring. Masina is listed as a defensive end, moving from linebacker.  – Kurt Kragthorpe