This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated.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.
You're probably aware of the flame being fanned this week by http://bit.ly/2dbWtuM";>press and Internet rumors around USC's football program.
The one thing we've figured out for sure this week is that http://www.foxsports.com/college-football/story/clay-helton-punched-in-the-face-usc-denies-rumor-player-transfers-092116";>Clay Helton definitely did not get punched in the face by one of his players. But what is this Trojans team really? Are they a solid group that has been set back by one of the country's toughest schedules? Or is the disfunction deeper than that?
To help sort out a few questions about USC, I asked for the help of Zach Helfand from the Los Angeles Times. Zach does great coverage of the Trojans, http://www.latimes.com/la-bio-zach-helfand-staff.html";>which you can find by visiting the LA Times online, or https://twitter.com/zhelfand";>following him on Twitter. Here's what he had to say:
1. The biggest announcement this week was http://www.latimes.com/sports/usc/la-sp-usc-darnold-20160920-snap-story.html";>Sam Darnold supplanting Max Browne at quarterback. We heard they had a close battle in training camp, and Darnold played in the first few games sparingly, but are you
surprised that USC is making the switch this early? And what does Darnold give the offense that Browne does not?
Zach Helfand: Yes, I'm definitely surprised. Someone asked me a week ago on Twitter, about an hour after USC lost to Stanford, what the probability was that Darnold would start against Utah. I said 10 percent. Oops. My feeling at the time was that USC Coach Clay Helton said he would give Browne several games to prove himself, and nothing he'd done in the first three games showed he wasn't going to be a good quarterback. Had Darnold been the quarterback in the first three games, USC would still be 1-2. Now, if you had told me after training camp that Darnold would be USC's starting quarterback this season, I would not have been surprised. He has a big arm, commands the offense well and has shown an early ability to read defenses well. The big difference is his mobility. He doesn't have blazing speed, but he's a willing runner who is built like a linebacker. He's hard to take down. With Darnold USC can use run-pass options, read options and just regular quarterback draws with Darnold — all wrinkles that USC hasn't been able to use yet this season.
2. USC's offensive line and run game were expected to be stacked this year, given the returners. What has kept those position groups from playing to the level of expectations, or even the level they had at the end of last year?
ZH: The offensive line was probably a bit overrated. I definitely share some of the blame for that (oops again), as I was pretty bullish on the unit before the season began. Folks like Phil Steele also rated the line as the best in the nation. So far, it hasn't been close to that. The running game is averaging 3.6 yards per attempt, which is not good. USC's had just two rushes of 20 yards or more, and both came during meaningless minutes in the second halves of blowouts against Alabama and Utah State. The biggest issue has been missed assignments and other assorted mistakes. Linemen have gotten straight beat, especially against Alabama, but it has often looked out of sync or clumsy. Pro Football Focus evaluated USC's game against Alabama and found just one positively graded run block the entire first half. There were points when one linemen was tripping over another. Against Stanford, it was false starts — six in total, all on the offensive line.
3. Stevie Tu'ikolovatu's http://bit.ly/2dky4WT";>transfer to USC was a controversial move here. What has he brought to the Trojans' defense, and where would the defensive line be without him?
ZH: Tu'ikolovatu is one of the team's best defenders, on a fairly talented defense. He was one of the few players to have a good game against Alabama (though he was more pedestrian against Stanford). So all in all, he's been better than USC could've ever really hoped. Mostly, their defensive line was so thin and inexperienced, they just needed a body. His performance so far, and the fact that he was worried about getting enough snaps at Utah, speaks very well of Utah's defensive line.
4. What changes has returned defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast made to USC's scheme, and what playmakers have emerged as the Trojan's best defensive threats?
ZH: Pendergast runs a 5-2 defense, which isn't drastically different than the 3-4 they've run in the recent past. What he has done is simplify the system. Players say they're thinking less and reacting more — a good thing for a defense. And they're not just giving platitudes — one defensive player estimated Pendergast used just five defensive play calls the entire game against Utah State. The most improved player, since Pendergast has arrived, is safety Leon McQuay III. He's not the full-time starter, but he's become a force against the run and the pass. Adoree' Jackson has done a lot to dispel the one knocks against him, that he is not quite a lockdown cornerback. He's put himself among some of the the best cornerbacks in the nation. And Utah fans I'm sure remember the playmaking ability of Cameron Smith.
5. With Clay Helton's 1-4 start at USC, do you sense the seat is on fire, or do you think new AD Lynn Swann will give Helton time to turn the season around given the strength of the opening schedule?
ZH: This is conjecture at this point, because Swann has only given one statement, after the Alabama game, expressing support for Helton. But things would have to be pretty dire for a change to take place during the season. I've got to think Helton will at least get one full year to show what he can do. And, as disorganized as USC has looked, I think most pundits would've predicted a 1-2 start to begin the season, given USC was playing Alabama and Stanford. Now, a loss to Utah would make USC 1-3 for the first time since 2000. Then the staff has to worry about losing control of the team.
*****
Thanks, Zach.
Stay tuned for more pregame coverage before we hit Rice-Eccles on Friday night.
kgoon@sltrib.com
Twitter: @kylegoon