Injuries plague Trojans as they return home

After suffering their first loss in over a year, the Trojans now find themselves 4-1. With a long list of injuries and problems to address, the Trojans returned to the practice field to try and get back on track after their emotional loss in Pullman. But head coach Clay Helton talked down the doom and gloom.

“We’re in a great situation right now,” Helton said. “If you remember last year at this time we were 2-3. We’re 4-1 and we control our own destiny right now. It’s about us right now. It’s about us setting our standard for the month of October and November, where we have been really good the past few years.”

As the Trojans get healthier and they get a chip on their shoulder, Helton and the team hope that they can still make their playoff dream a reality.

A Lengthy Injury Report

Entering the game on Friday the Trojans were banged up, with several players not making the trip to Washington. USC returned to Los Angeles with even more injuries. Junior right tackle Chuma Edoga (ankle) and senior right guard Viane Talamaivao (shoulder) both missed practice and are questionable for Saturday.

Freshman running back Stephen Carr, who has been one of USC’s biggest weapons in the run and passing game, injured his ankle on Friday. Helton said Carr is in a boot and is doubtful for Oregon State. In a freak incident during pregame warmups, redshirt junior wide receiver Jalen Green and sophomore linebacker Jordan Iosefa collided. Both players missed the game and are still in the concussion protocol.

On the defensive side of the ball, junior linebacker Porter Gustin (toe/bicep), junior defensive lineman Rasheem Green (ankle, shoulder) and freshman defensive lineman Marlon Tuipulotu (back) both missed practice and are questionable. Defensive linemen Josh Fatu (senior) and Malik Dorton (redshirt junior) both sprained their knees and were limited on Tuesday. Freshman cornerback Greg Johnson injured his shoulder against Washington State and will be out for the season.

Despite all the bad news, the Trojans do have a couple of guys that are close to returning to action. The wide receiver corp will hopefully get reinforcements on Saturday. Senior wide receiver Steven Mitchell (groin) is hoping to come back after two weeks out. He practiced on Tuesday and Helton said he expects him to return this week. Last week, redshirt junior Toa Lobendahn, the Trojans’ starting left tackle, didn’t even travel with the team due to a staph infection. Lobendahn returned to practice after staying in the hospital for four days receiving treatment.

Scouting the Beavers

Oregon State will come into the Coliseum with a 1-4 record. Coming off a brutal stretch of their schedule where they faced Washington State and Washington, the Beavers have been outscored 94-30. While the Trojans come into the matchup on Saturday with injuries, the Beavers also have key players out. Starting junior quarterback Jake Luton was injured two weeks ago against Washington State, and senior Darell Garretson has been the next man up. In addition to a backup quarterback, the Beavers might be without their leading rusher, junior running back Ryan Nall.

Despite the problems the Beavers are having on the offensive side of the ball, Helton remains cautious. While their loss to Washington may look bad on paper, the 42-7 beatdown was only 7-0 entering halftime.

“Being a young coach, I grew up watching coach Anderson and how he runs things,” Helton said. “I’ve always had so much respect for him as a coach.”

Getting Back on Track

Despite falling in the national polls from No. 5 to No. 14 in the country, the Trojans’ championship aspirations have not wavered. After being upset in Pullman, Washington State fans rushed the field (costing the school $25,000) while some USC players entered the locker room in tears. It’s a feeling the Trojans say they never want to feel again.

“I was looking forward to seeing how they responded and it was an extreme business-like atmosphere,” Helton said. “There was no moping around, no pouting around, they came out here and came to work. I wish we played tomorrow.”

A big part of the Trojans controlling their own destiny starts with more consistent production on offense. With plenty of injuries to the line and receiving core, one player that has stepped up was redshirt sophomore wide receiver Tyler Vaughns. With six catches for 89 yards, Vaughns has stepped up in the absence of veterans to be a reliable option for redshirt sophomore quarterback Sam Darnold.

“We’ve really been able to see him grow,” Helton said. “Tyler really shined and moving forward, having a Tyler Vaughns, Steven Mitchell and Deontay Burnett can only help you.”

Darnold said Vaughns’ emergence is huge going forward, especially if injuries continue to plague the already struggling wide receiver corps.

“It’s good to see one of those young guys step up and fill that role,” Darnold said. “He’s a big target out there that you can throw it up to. It just gives you confidence as a quarterback.”