Mental preparation is key for Trojans


Benjamin Dunn | Daily Trojan Carryover hopes · Senior wide receiver Darreus Rogers had a career high seven catches in Saturday’s win. He was one of 10 wide receivers who made grabs, a trend that the Trojans hope continues against Stanford.

Benjamin Dunn | Daily Trojan
Carryover hopes · Senior wide receiver Darreus Rogers had a career high seven catches in Saturday’s win. He was one of 10 wide receivers who made grabs, a trend that the Trojans hope continues against Stanford.

USC started off its post-Alabama schedule with a 45-7 blowout win over Utah State on Saturday at the Coliseum, though there is still room for improvement.

For a team that was beaten 52-6 by the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, just a week ago, Saturday’s win was necessary. To not only be beaten in a season opener for the first time in 14 years, but to fall by 46 points in front of millions dealt a huge blow to the confidence of the USC football program.

After the 46-point defeat, head coach Clay Helton said that what happened was not a true representation of his team’s potential.

“Obviously one game does not make a season,” he said. “[The Crimson Tide] played to their potential. The cold hard truth is we did not play up to ours.”

On Saturday against Utah State, the Men of Troy played to their potential on all sides of the ball despite some minor hiccups.

Discounting sophomore left tackle Chuma Edoga’s undisciplined ejection early on, USC was efficient on offense, punting just twice all game, far less than the  nine punts it kicked against Alabama. Redshirt junior starting quarterback Max Browne and backup redshirt freshman Sam Darnold seemed to settle into their respective roles as they combined for 28-of-37 passing for 244 yards and four touchdowns through the air. 

In contrast to 2015, USC quarterbacks spread the ball around the field, hitting 10 different receivers as senior wide receiver Darreus Rogers led all Trojans with 82 receiving yards off of seven catches. 2015’s leading receiver junior JuJu Smith-Schuster caught seven passes as well for a total of 56 yards and two touchdowns.

The visible improvement in Rogers will be something that Browne and Darnold could potentially exploit down the stretch, with Smith-Schuster likely to draw added coverage.

On the ground, USC executed with even more different faces than the receiving corps. On Saturday, nine USC rushers gained a total of 178 yards and a touchdown on 44 carries (4.0 yard average). While the Trojans’ yards per carry average against Utah State can be improved from runners such as heavy-duty back sophomore Ronald Jones II, sophomores Dominic Davis and Aca’Cedric Ware — along with Darnold — gave USC hope in its rushing attack.

Though, looking ahead to Stanford this Saturday, the Men of Troy are coming in as heavy underdogs.

For a defense that allowed just 49 yards on 26 carries to Utah State, this week will test the physical and mental toughness of USC’s run defense.

Not only does Stanford feature Heisman hopeful Christian McCaffrey, but it also includes one of the most stout offensive lines in the Pac-12.

“It’s basically weight room against weight room,” redshirt senior Stevie Tu’ikolovatu said to ESPN. “I think the thing we need to do is be stout in the middle and expect those downhill runs all game and just prepare our body for it because we’re going to be sore the next day.”

For a Stanford offense devoid of any superstars in the pass game, McCaffrey is a majority of the Cardinal offense. This season, the Castle Rock, Colorado, native has rushed for 126 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries with 40 yards on seven receptions. McCaffrey can simply do it all, which is a blessing and a curse for a USC defense that allowed 465 yards of total offense to Alabama, including 242 rushing yards and a 73-yarder by Damien Harris.

If USC is going to upset Stanford in Palo Alto, the team will have to increase their mental toughness this week in practice and on the road. Ejections from offensive linemen, drive-killing penalties and other mental errors will need to take a back seat against a potential playoff team.

Though USC will be tempted to go for big plays on the defensive side, ultimately consistent containment and third-down play will end up having more of an effect on the game. Early on against Alabama, USC was dominant, recording four sacks, but failed to contain Alabama, especially around the goal line as freshman QB Jalen Hurts took two rushes in for touchdowns of seven and six yards, respectively.

Saturday’s game against Stanford will be a statement game for a USC season in flux. Either the Trojans will rebound back into the national conversation, or be a setback as USC looks toward a daunting schedule against tough opponents in Washington, Oregon, UCLA and Notre Dame.