USC well-prepared for pass-heavy scheme

Facing the nation’s eighth-best passing attack might be a source of significant concern for a lot of teams. But having already faced two other top-10 passing teams in Oregon State and Washington State, the Trojans feel well prepared for the “Air Raid” offense they will face in Berkeley this Saturday.

“There’s a little bit of carryover,” redshirt junior linebacker Hayes Pullard said. “They’re a powerful offense. We’ve got to eliminate explosion plays and affect the quarterback.”

The Trojans more or less did just that against Oregon State. The Beavers were actually the leading passing attack in the nation before USC’s 31-14 victory last Friday, averaging more than 420 yards per game through the air. But a mere 277 yards passing dropped the Beavers’ average by more than 15 yards, dropping them behind Baylor and Texas Tech.

“It was a big boost,” USC interim head coach Ed Orgeron said about the secondary’s performance against Oregon State. In addition to the 277 yards allowed, the defense also recorded three interceptions. “But again, it’s a new week. We can’t let our hands down. [Cal] will throw the ball vertical, and they have some speed.”

Unlike the Beavers, who were considered one of the top teams in the Pac-12, the Bears are just 1-8. And with a grudge match against Stanford on the horizon the following Saturday, it would be easy to overlook Cal.

“We’re in the mode of one game at a time and one day at a time,” Orgeron said. “And hopefully we can stay focused on that.”

USC hasn’t lost to Cal since 2003, when the unranked Bears stunned the top-ranked Trojans in triple overtime. USC went on to win 34 straight games after that, but that doesn’t ease the pain for Orgeron, who was USC’s assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator at the time.

“I will always remember that day,” Orgeron said. “We walked into a snake pit. We didn’t play very well and we tried to catch up and we couldn’t. That was a devastating loss.”

Breslin out

Orgeron announced that senior linebacker Morgan Breslin will have surgery on an injured hip. He’s expected to be out for “an extensive period of time,” but Orgeron left open the possibility of him returning for a later game, possibly a bowl game.

“In my 27 years of coaching, he’s actually one of my favorite players I’ve ever coached,” Orgeron said of Breslin. “He’s just a fantastic young man. Totally dedicated to football. Great player, obviously. And I just loved his attitude.”

In other injury news, sophomore defensive lineman Leonard Williams was surprisingly held out of practice with a shoulder ailment. Orgeron deemed him questionable for Saturday.

Junior cornerback Anthony Brown and junior tight end Randall Telfer are both out with knee injuries. Sophomore running back Tre Madden is out with a hamstring, as is senior linebacker Marquis Simmons with a back injury. Senior offensive lineman Kevin Graf is probable despite a bad ankle.

Those seven injury concerns are still quite a bit fewer than just a few weeks ago, something not lost on Orgeron.

“I feel like the line is a bit thicker, especially on offense,” Orgeron said. “We’re feeling healthier and more confident.”

 

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