Spring game gives USC a chance to start over
It seems like just yesterday I was writing about the 2012 spring game. National championship hopes were high, as was talk about a Heisman Trophy for Matt Barkley. The stars were aligned for the Trojans, to say the least.
A year later, things couldn’t be more different.
There is no quarterback certainty. There aren’t really Bowl Championship Series title hopes, either. The 2013 spring game will be an adventure of sorts for the fans that choose to go or watch it on the Pac-12 Network.
Just because most of the stars aren’t back from last year’s squad doesn’t mean the game won’t be worth watching, though. Positions are up for grabs, and this game is where some young players’ careers might take off. Here are five things to look for come game time.
Quarterback quandary
Though most casual USC fans believe the starting spot is a race between redshirt sophomore Max Wittek and true freshman Max Browne, there is a third name to keep in mind: Cody Kessler. His chances of getting the job aren’t great, but when Wittek was injured earlier in the spring, Kessler got some extra reps, as did Browne. Look for one of the quarterbacks to put his fingerprint on the team.
And though the job won’t be won Saturday, a good effort unhindered by turnovers could go a long way in deciding things.
Wide receivers, please stand up
The Trojans took a major hit when wide receiver Robert Woods entered the NFL draft. They took another hit last week when junior George Farmer tore his ACL and MCL. After star junior Marqise Lee and standout sophomore Nelson Agholor, there are a lot of unproven commodities that will be forced to take the field.
Redshirt sophomore Victor Blackwell and freshman Darreus Rogers will all have a chance to make a move to become that third receiver. With Farmer out, it’s a pretty open race.
Cornerback woes
Last year, the cornerback position was a major concern for the Trojans. Other than Nickell Robey, the other spot was a revolving door all season. With Robey gone to the NFL, things are murkier than ever. Senior Torin Harris, who started much of last season, will likely get the nod on one side, though he had his ups and downs in 2012. On the other side will be either sophomore Kevon Seymour, junior Anthony Brown or freshmen Leon McQuay III or Chris Hawkins. The spring game could go a long way in deciding who’s going to get the first crack at the starting spot.
Play-calling duties
Head coach Lane Kiffin came out and said that he wasn’t sure who was going to be calling the plays come September. Clay Helton, the new offensive coordinator, served as quarterbacks coach last season.
Though Helton was promoted back in February, the jury is still out on who is going to ultimately call plays. Perhaps Saturday’s game can provide a little more insight into how things are going to look come fall.
How’s the new defensive alignment going to translate?
This is the million-dollar question in my eyes. Last season, the Trojans’ defense was porous, to say the least. They allowed 24.3 points per game (ranking No. 40 in the country) and allowed 28 points or more on five separate occasions, including a record-breaking 62 to Oregon at the Coliseum.
Defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin has since left for greener pastures in the NFL, and in his place now is Clancy Pendergast, who spent the last few seasons as California’s defensive coordinator. Pendergast is switching the Trojans from their traditional 4-3 alignment into a 3-4. That means that players like senior defensive end Morgan Breslin will have to adjust to playing linebacker and dropping back in coverage.
Sophomore Leonard Williams has been moved from tackle to end, which shouldn’t be a huge transition in the new scheme. However, such moves are just another thing to worry about. And in a conference that features offensive juggernauts such as the University of Oregon and the University of Arizona (though the Trojans wouldn’t face the Ducks unless they both made it to the Pac-12 title game), there really isn’t a lot of time for the defense to get its feet wet. It’s going to have to learn on the fly.
Though this year’s spring game doesn’t feature the same sort of fanfare that last year’s did, there are still plenty of reasons to watch the game. There are a lot of uncertainties on this year’s squad. And that makes things more fun, to be honest.
We saw what happened last year when the stars were supposedly aligned; maybe this year will be different. If nothing else, Saturday is your last chance to see the Trojans before they head to Hawai’i for game No. 1 of 2013.
“Goal Line Stand” runs Fridays. To comment on this story, email Michael Katz at [email protected] or visit dailytrojan.com.