Agholor could be USC’s best player

What about Nelson Agholor?

The response struck me as odd, definitely more so than it should have. I was in the middle of a text exchange with my friend Matt, and the topic had shifted to Trojan football. Matt — a rabid Cal fan — asked me who I thought was USC’s best football player, regardless of position.

“It’s gotta be Leonard Williams,” I answered.

 

It seemed like a no-brainer. The junior defensive end is already a two-time all-Pac-12 selection, an All-American and very well could be the first overall pick of next spring’s NFL draft.

“Yeah, Williams is a beast, but I don’t know,” my friend replied.

I wasn’t really sure what Matt was getting at, so I threw out a few names. Sophomore linebacker Su’a Cravens is an absolute force of nature and could be playing on Sundays in a few years. Redshirt junior quarterback Cody Kessler has quietly developed into one of the nation’s best signal callers. Maybe my friend was hinting at redshirt junior tailback Javorius “Buck” Allen, the Pac-12’s leading rusher and a “potential candidate” for the Heisman Trophy — whatever that means. Then Matt mentioned Agholor.

At first, the idea threw me. Sure, the junior wideout is having another outstanding season, but he’s been somewhat overshadowed by Allen and Kessler. And you can’t just ignore what Cravens and Williams have done on defense. I wasn’t convinced.

“Remember last year’s game [at Cal]?” Matt said. “Watch those highlights and tell me Agholor isn’t the best player on the field.”

With some recollection of USC’s 62-28 win, I figured that I might as well look at some film. I recommend that all USC fans do the same.

Less than two minutes into the contest, Agholor took a punt return 75 yards to the house. The Bears’ coverage team never touched him. Agholor simply ran around everyone. It looked like he was playing against a high school team.

Fast-forward to the second quarter. Another punt return touchdown, this one from 93 yards out. I think one Cal defender might have gotten a hand on him that time. It’s hard to tell. Either way, Agholor turned a Pac-12 special teams unit into mincemeat twice in a span of less than 25 minutes, so I was fully ready to consider him among USC’s best players. Clearly, his versatility and special teams prowess set him apart. But how much does he actually bring to the table as a receiver? A lot, as it turns out.

Agholor’s numbers are eye-opening. Sixty-six receptions, 863 yards and eight touchdowns through nine games. Nearly 30 more catches than any other Trojan. Two more punt return touchdowns, bringing his career total to four — a USC record. He’s the definition of a No. 1 receiver, a freak athlete who makes Kessler’s job infinitely easier and gives opposing defensive coordinators nightmares. Funnily enough, that’s where the numbers don’t tell the whole story.

As SB Nation’s California Golden Blogs detailed earlier this week, Agholor’s biggest impact often comes when he doesn’t even touch the ball. His speed forces defensive backs to stick to him like glue on deeper routes, allowing Kessler the freedom to find other targets — such as Allen, freshman wideout JuJu Smith and freshman tight end Bryce Dixon — open on in the flat. On the flip side, when Agholor is able to find space downfield, there’s no safety in the conference that can keep up with him (sorry Washington State). Though it might be unfair to say that Agholor drives the USC offense, it’s not hard to argue that the threat of the Tampa, Florida, native is the key cog in head coach Steve Sarkisian’s well-oiled machine.

When it’s all said and done, this discussion really doesn’t matter. More than anything, what matters is Agholor’s value to the Trojans as a team, both in his production and his experience. Early in the first quarter of USC’s 28-26 win over Arizona on Oct. 11, he dropped a pass that would’ve extended the team’s opening drive. Agholor was visibly upset after the play, and though he would go on to pick up seven receptions for 81 yards and a touchdown, was not happy with his performance.

How did he react? Six catches for 128 yards and a career-high three touchdowns against Colorado the next week.

On Oct. 25, Agholor stepped out of bounds on a crucial fourth-and-2 against Utah, allowing the Utes to start a game-winning drive. It was a devastating play and a devastating loss, one that served as a gutcheck to the entire team. And how did Agholor react? Racking up a career-high 220 receiving yards against Washington State in USC’s next game.

This resilience is invaluable to the Trojans, and one of the reasons why Nelson Agholor very well may be the team’s best player. Someday, maybe someday soon, Agholor is going to bring those talents to the next level. But of course, he isn’t thinking about that.

“I’m still worried about Cal right now,” Agholor told the L.A. Times earlier this week. “All I want to do is beat Cal.”

Will Hanley is a junior majoring in political science and communication. He is also the sports editor of the Daily Trojan. His column, “Sports Willustrated,” runs Thursdays.