Can USC play consistent football against Colorado?

3 years ago 321

LOS ANGELES — USC is preparing for its 2nd roadworthy crippled of the play Saturday, successful Boulder astatine Colorado. But if we’ve learned thing done 4 weeks this season, it’s that the hostile doesn’t matter.

What truly matters is which mentation of USC (2-2, 1-2 successful Pac-12) shows up immoderate fixed weekend.

Is it the 1 that constricted mistakes and fought done adversity to beat Washington State? Or the 1 that compounded errors and folded arsenic soon arsenic the going got pugnacious against Oregon State and Stanford?

It’s this unpredictability that makes USC specified a confounding squad this season. On the 1 hand, the Trojans intelligibly person the endowment vantage connected some sides of the shot to marque them look similar a no-brainer prime to screen the 7.5-point betting line.

On the other, doesn’t “first USC squad to ever suffer to Colorado” look similar a definite anticipation with this mentation of the Trojans?

Interim caput manager Donte Williams has felt encouraged by what he’s seen astatine practice, praising his players for flying astir astatine practice, and being engaged and asking questions during squad meetings.

But asked what helium wants to spot antithetic this play from USC’s travel to Washington State, successful which the Trojans fell down 14-0 successful the 2nd quarter, Williams’ reply hinted astatine the concerns of what happens if the Trojans instrumentality a deed aboriginal successful the game.

“I privation to commencement fast,” Williams said. “Shoot, the 2nd half, we played beauteous decent football. But the archetypal fractional was not of the standard. Any small things oregon tweaks wherever I tin get these guys to travel retired successful the archetypal fractional similar they did successful the second. Just proceed that.”

When USC has the ball

There’s been a batch of scrutiny connected backmost Kedon Slovis since backup Jaxson Dart shined against Washington State. Some criticisms person been fair, arsenic Slovis has been indecisive this season. Others disregard the information that USC lacks a existent 2nd receiver down Drake London and has had to wantonness the tally crippled erstwhile falling down the past 3 weeks.

Against Colorado, Williams would similar to spot a elemental betterment from his quarterback.

“Definitely conscionable propulsion the trigger. We person each the spot successful Kedon. I judge helium has each the spot successful us,” Williams said. “Just spell retired determination and conscionable play shot backmost to however it was arsenic he’s comfy successful the offense.”

While London is starring the federation with 540 receiving yards, the Trojans person lone 1 different receiver who has gained much than 100 yards – Memphis transportation Tahj Washington has 175 connected the season.

Washington, however, struggled with drops successful Week 4, including a bobbled walk that turned into a first-quarter interception. Receivers manager Keary Colbert showed Washington a bid of clips this past week of NFL receivers dropping passes to assistance Washington determination past the mistakes.

“Any wide receiver that has played the game, it’s happened. So it’s not an issue,” Colbert said. “We conscionable proceed to travel retired here, absorption connected our details, and we’ve got different accidental to marque it close this weekend.”

When Colorado has the ball

The Buffaloes (1-3, 0-1) person struggled offensively lately, totaling 20 points crossed the past 3 weekends, each of which ended successful losses. This apt stems from having a passing discourtesy that ranks 128th retired of 130 FBS teams with conscionable 85.0 yards per game, up of lone Army and Navy, which each tally the triple-option offense.

Where Colorado compensates (a little) is with a tally discourtesy that averages 154 yards per game, with 3 moving backs gaining 4 yards per carry.

USC’s tally defence has been inconsistent, giving up an mean of 157.5 yards per crippled including past weekend’s 322-yard show by Oregon State.

This week astatine practice, USC has experimented with moving 6-foot-7, 390-pound violative lineman Maximus Gibbs to antiaircraft tackle, a presumption wherever USC has struggled with extent this season.

“I conscionable felt that we needed to get a small bigger successful the trenches,” Williams said. “And the things he’s capable to bash is, I don’t cognize anybody that tin determination him. So if you person idiosyncratic connected your squad that cipher tin move, you’ve got to springiness him a shot.”