USC faces a potentially -- or rather likely -- dilemma in the secondary this week against Arizona with three key cogs at good risk for missing the game.
Coach Clay Helton has already said nickel Greg Johnson will not be medically cleared due to a subluxed shoulder, and neither cornerback Isaac Taylor-Stuart (high-ankle sprain, in a walking boot) nor Olaijah Griffin (bulging disc in back) practiced Tuesday.
Helton said of Griffin, "We'll have to go through the week to see where he's at." As for Taylor-Stuart, he noted, "We're going to get some light running tomorrow and see where it's at."
That could leave freshman Chris Steele -- who has played like a starter and been on the field the bulk of the last three games and parts of the first three -- as the only healthy experienced cornerback. Where USC goes from there is guesswork.
The Trojans defensive coaches will be available for interviews after practice Wednesday and the alignments at the start of practice during the limited window open to reporters should give some insight as well.
But essentially, if all three of those players are out, USC is looking at true freshmen Max Williams, Adonis Otey and Jayden Williams as its available corners and either redshirt freshman Chase Williams or true freshmen Kaulana Makaula or Dorian Hewett at nickel.
Max Williams played 22 snaps in the Washington game at nickel (before missing the Notre Dame game due to a team rule violation), but he would be a logical choice to slide outside. Otey and Jayden Williams haven't played any snaps on defense yet. Meanwhile, Chase Williams is still listed as the No. 2 nickel, but he was said to be focusing exclusively at safety in recent weeks and wasn't called on there last weekend as USC went to Makaula, the previously untested freshman, at nickel when Johnson left with his injury. Makaula played 25 snaps, according to the PFF College Data. Hewett has not played any defensive snaps yet.
Again, it will be interesting to see what develops over the next couple of days, especially considering Arizona (to some surprise) has the No. 18-ranked passing attack in the country (300 passing yards per game).
Helton had spoken Sunday night in his weekly media conference call about the job defensive backs coach Greg Burns has done preparing so many young players for action this season. The Trojans will have to hope that continues this week.
"We have a bunch of young players that are out there right now. Kaulana was one of them. You look at the job that he did [Saturday] night after Greg went out serves the fact of what Greg Burns does as a football coach," Helton said. "Unbelievable how he's being able to grow them up, a true freshman in Chris Steele, a true freshman in Max [Williams] and Kaulana and really growing OG and ITS into what I think is going to be terrific football players. We've always said you have to prepare like a starter at all times, and you never know when your number is going to be called and when it is make the most of that opportunity."
If only that were the extent of the injury concerns ...
Sophomore linebacker Palaie Gaoteote (ankle sprain/walking boot) is "probably further behind ITS -- it will be doubtful," Helton said. "We'll see how it goes in the week."
Helton said sophomore Kana'i Mauga -- who played a season-high 25 snaps against Notre Dame -- will be the next linebacker up, while also suggesting that freshman Ralen Goforth could finally get some action on defense at middle linebacker with John Houston sliding over to the weakside in that scenario. Mauga has not graded out well with PFF College (second lowest on the defense at 44.7 for the season) while Goforth impressed in the preseason.
Helton also noted redshirt sophomore Juliano Falaniko and redshirt freshman Eli'jah Winston, who has been out all season (initially reported as a turf toe injury), are getting work there this week. He added that senior Jordan Iosefa still is not ready to return from knee surgery and won't be an option.
Interestingly, both Taylor-Stuart and Gaoteote injured their ankles during the game and returned to play, but that was likely a product of adrenaline in the moment.
However it shakes out, it's going to be a depleted defense for the Trojans.
NOTES
-USC is coming off a game in which it gave up 308 rushing yards to Notre Dame and was again victimized by a mobile quarterback in key moments (Ian Book rushed for 49 yards and a TD). Now the Trojans face an Arizona team led by QB Khalil Tate, who has rushed for 233 yards and 2 TDs already.
USC ranks 102nd nationally in rush defense, giving up an average of 197.2 yards per game after that letdown against the Fighting Irish. Arizona has the 39th ranked rushing offense at 209.3 yards per game, including 301 from J.J. Taylor and 286 from Gary Brightwell, who are averaging 5.6 and 6.5 yards per carry, respectively.
"Obviously, the numbers weren't great last week. We understand that," Helton said of the rush defense. "A lot of its has to do with explosive runs and getting the quarterback down. Our coaches have worked a lot in their tackling circuits these last two days. We had a very good 9-on-7 period today and I can see the defense has got a chip on their shoulder ready to prove something. They're going against I think one of the top 10 offenses in the country that is extremely [effective] in between the tackles with the run game, but even more importantly out on the perimeter.
"Their RPO game, I think, is elite and Khalil does a tremendous job with it. When you have the option to be able to run the running back, run the quarterback and throw the RPO off it that's a different animal. Usually we see run or RPO or run to quarterback run. When you have all three options, it's hard to defend. One, you're going to be in a one-on-one situation to tackle, and two, you cannot miss an assignment."
-Helton was asked if he thought QB Kedon Slovis needed to be more careful avoiding potential contact to the head coming off his concussion from a few weeks ago.
Slovis rushed for a 9-yard gain down to the Notre Dame 2 on USC's final possession, taking a hard hit from a defender at the end of that run, which set up Markese Stepp's subsequent touchdown.
"He actually got hit in the chest, had the wind [knocked] out of him," Helton said. "He's one I think has been good as far getting down and getting what's there. But in that moment, in that competitive game when we've got to go score, I credit him -- he's a warrior -- and he made a full speed decision and went with it and got back up."
Said Slovis: "Obviously I want to protect myself, but the last play of the game situationally we were a yard from a first down [after his 9-yard gain], we needed to get a clock stop, so that was my thought process. Obviously if we have more time on the clock I'll slide and get down."
-Freshmen WR Kyle Ford and TE Ethan Rae both went through team periods Tuesday as they continue to get more and more work now enough time removed from their ACL injuries last fall.
-Finally, Helton was asked how many plays he sent to the league office for review and whether he'd gotten any response.
"I'll keep that number personal, but it was a few," he said.
Coach Clay Helton has already said nickel Greg Johnson will not be medically cleared due to a subluxed shoulder, and neither cornerback Isaac Taylor-Stuart (high-ankle sprain, in a walking boot) nor Olaijah Griffin (bulging disc in back) practiced Tuesday.
Helton said of Griffin, "We'll have to go through the week to see where he's at." As for Taylor-Stuart, he noted, "We're going to get some light running tomorrow and see where it's at."
That could leave freshman Chris Steele -- who has played like a starter and been on the field the bulk of the last three games and parts of the first three -- as the only healthy experienced cornerback. Where USC goes from there is guesswork.
The Trojans defensive coaches will be available for interviews after practice Wednesday and the alignments at the start of practice during the limited window open to reporters should give some insight as well.
But essentially, if all three of those players are out, USC is looking at true freshmen Max Williams, Adonis Otey and Jayden Williams as its available corners and either redshirt freshman Chase Williams or true freshmen Kaulana Makaula or Dorian Hewett at nickel.
Max Williams played 22 snaps in the Washington game at nickel (before missing the Notre Dame game due to a team rule violation), but he would be a logical choice to slide outside. Otey and Jayden Williams haven't played any snaps on defense yet. Meanwhile, Chase Williams is still listed as the No. 2 nickel, but he was said to be focusing exclusively at safety in recent weeks and wasn't called on there last weekend as USC went to Makaula, the previously untested freshman, at nickel when Johnson left with his injury. Makaula played 25 snaps, according to the PFF College Data. Hewett has not played any defensive snaps yet.
Again, it will be interesting to see what develops over the next couple of days, especially considering Arizona (to some surprise) has the No. 18-ranked passing attack in the country (300 passing yards per game).
Helton had spoken Sunday night in his weekly media conference call about the job defensive backs coach Greg Burns has done preparing so many young players for action this season. The Trojans will have to hope that continues this week.
"We have a bunch of young players that are out there right now. Kaulana was one of them. You look at the job that he did [Saturday] night after Greg went out serves the fact of what Greg Burns does as a football coach," Helton said. "Unbelievable how he's being able to grow them up, a true freshman in Chris Steele, a true freshman in Max [Williams] and Kaulana and really growing OG and ITS into what I think is going to be terrific football players. We've always said you have to prepare like a starter at all times, and you never know when your number is going to be called and when it is make the most of that opportunity."
If only that were the extent of the injury concerns ...
Sophomore linebacker Palaie Gaoteote (ankle sprain/walking boot) is "probably further behind ITS -- it will be doubtful," Helton said. "We'll see how it goes in the week."
Helton said sophomore Kana'i Mauga -- who played a season-high 25 snaps against Notre Dame -- will be the next linebacker up, while also suggesting that freshman Ralen Goforth could finally get some action on defense at middle linebacker with John Houston sliding over to the weakside in that scenario. Mauga has not graded out well with PFF College (second lowest on the defense at 44.7 for the season) while Goforth impressed in the preseason.
Helton also noted redshirt sophomore Juliano Falaniko and redshirt freshman Eli'jah Winston, who has been out all season (initially reported as a turf toe injury), are getting work there this week. He added that senior Jordan Iosefa still is not ready to return from knee surgery and won't be an option.
Interestingly, both Taylor-Stuart and Gaoteote injured their ankles during the game and returned to play, but that was likely a product of adrenaline in the moment.
However it shakes out, it's going to be a depleted defense for the Trojans.
NOTES
-USC is coming off a game in which it gave up 308 rushing yards to Notre Dame and was again victimized by a mobile quarterback in key moments (Ian Book rushed for 49 yards and a TD). Now the Trojans face an Arizona team led by QB Khalil Tate, who has rushed for 233 yards and 2 TDs already.
USC ranks 102nd nationally in rush defense, giving up an average of 197.2 yards per game after that letdown against the Fighting Irish. Arizona has the 39th ranked rushing offense at 209.3 yards per game, including 301 from J.J. Taylor and 286 from Gary Brightwell, who are averaging 5.6 and 6.5 yards per carry, respectively.
"Obviously, the numbers weren't great last week. We understand that," Helton said of the rush defense. "A lot of its has to do with explosive runs and getting the quarterback down. Our coaches have worked a lot in their tackling circuits these last two days. We had a very good 9-on-7 period today and I can see the defense has got a chip on their shoulder ready to prove something. They're going against I think one of the top 10 offenses in the country that is extremely [effective] in between the tackles with the run game, but even more importantly out on the perimeter.
"Their RPO game, I think, is elite and Khalil does a tremendous job with it. When you have the option to be able to run the running back, run the quarterback and throw the RPO off it that's a different animal. Usually we see run or RPO or run to quarterback run. When you have all three options, it's hard to defend. One, you're going to be in a one-on-one situation to tackle, and two, you cannot miss an assignment."
-Helton was asked if he thought QB Kedon Slovis needed to be more careful avoiding potential contact to the head coming off his concussion from a few weeks ago.
Slovis rushed for a 9-yard gain down to the Notre Dame 2 on USC's final possession, taking a hard hit from a defender at the end of that run, which set up Markese Stepp's subsequent touchdown.
"He actually got hit in the chest, had the wind [knocked] out of him," Helton said. "He's one I think has been good as far getting down and getting what's there. But in that moment, in that competitive game when we've got to go score, I credit him -- he's a warrior -- and he made a full speed decision and went with it and got back up."
Said Slovis: "Obviously I want to protect myself, but the last play of the game situationally we were a yard from a first down [after his 9-yard gain], we needed to get a clock stop, so that was my thought process. Obviously if we have more time on the clock I'll slide and get down."
-Freshmen WR Kyle Ford and TE Ethan Rae both went through team periods Tuesday as they continue to get more and more work now enough time removed from their ACL injuries last fall.
-Finally, Helton was asked how many plays he sent to the league office for review and whether he'd gotten any response.
"I'll keep that number personal, but it was a few," he said.
