USC sits in a precarious position.
In the aftermath of consecutive blowout losses at Stanford and Texas, the Trojans have started the season 1-2 for only the second time since 2001.
Recent seasons in 2016 and 2015 offer templates for in-season turnarounds under Coach Clay Helton, but the Trojans have displayed few signs that one is imminent in the early weeks and with a visit Friday night awaiting from Washington State, which upset them last season.
Through three games, the Trojans rank near the bottom of the Football Bowl Subdivision in several offensive categories, including scoring offense and rush offense.
If there’s a sign of optimism, it might involve JT Daniels, the true freshman quarterback who has seen his share of growing pains but flashed the potential that made him a heralded five-star prospect who graduated from high school a year early to join the Trojans.
“Fans on Twitter are slamming him, saying this, saying that,” junior receiver Michael Pittman said. “I mean, he’s a freshman quarterback who’s doing great. You throw a freshman in there who should be a senior in high school and he’s damn functioning, that’s a pretty damn good job.”
As the Trojans sought to overcome a deficit against Texas with a limited running game, Daniels threw a career-high 48 times, a workload predecessor Sam Darnold hit only three times in his college career. Daniels completed 30 passes for 322 yards and was intercepted once against the Longhorns.
“You don’t know how hard it is late in the game when everybody in the park knows you’re going to have to throw it,” Helton said. “And to still go around making plays, and that D-line knows there’s no run game left, it’s all pass, that’s hard. I thought he handled it really well.”
But over the past two weeks, the Trojans have reached the end zone only twice, and Daniels has not thrown a touchdown pass since the first one of his career in the season-opening win over UNLV.
“We’re moving the ball,” Daniels said. “We’re not finishing drives.”
The Trojans hope they can see better success against Washington State, which is undefeated with wins over Wyoming, San Jose State and Eastern Washington, but untested against a team of USC’s talent.
WHEN USC HAS THE BALL
There’s little doubt the Trojans need to help out their 18-year-old quarterback.
Against Texas, they couldn’t run the ball – held to minus-5 rushing yards, their lowest in a game since 1999 – and sit No. 117 in the FBS in rush offense.
They were so unsuccessful on the ground that the Trojans opted to run the ball only 25 percent of the time.
“I always want to run the ball,” offensive coordinator Tee Martin said. “I don’t have it in my mind to abandon the running game, but at the end of the day, you gotta move the football and try to get first downs.”
USC’s offensive line has also struggled to keep Daniels upright in the pocket in the first three games, as he has been sacked nine times. Only 17 teams have allowed more sacks this season.
“We gotta be better up front with some communication,” Martin said. “We missed on some things that I felt we could be better at. And we’re going to make those adjustments. We all know we can play better.”
Washington State’s defense should test the Trojans. In their first three games, the Cougars totaled 10 sacks, ranking 11th in the FBS, and pressured Darnold in last season’s upset of USC. Darnold was sacked twice, including a fumble with the Trojans trailing on their final drive when he was forced outside the pocket. They surrender just 3.1 yards per rush attempt, ranking 23rd nationally.
The Cougars have a new defensive coordinator in former Minnesota coach Tracy Claeys, who replaced Alex Grinch, who left for Ohio State. Helton said the defenses were similarly creative and able to pressure passers.
“Obviously you get some differences as play callers when that changes,” Helton said. “But the systems are similar.”
WHEN WASHINGTON STATE HAS THE BALL
Helton summed up the experience of preparing for Mike Leach’s pass-happy offense thusly this week.
“You come into the game thinking you get a break,” Helton said. “Luke Falk is gone. But Gardner Minshew is just as good.”
Without Falk, a record-setting passer, the Cougars have a new triggerman with Minshew, a graduate transfer from East Carolina who throws for a nation-leading 401 yards per game. Minshew was last week’s Pac-12 offensive player of the week after throwing for 470 yards and a pair of touchdowns against Eastern Washington.
The dropoff has been minimal.
As with Falk and previous passers to play under Leach, Minshew is a decision thrower and can scan the field quickly for open receivers.
“He’s very, very impressive,” said Clancy Pendergast, the Trojans’ defensive coordinator. “The ball’s out quick. He sees the field well. He looks to his first, second, third progressions probably as good a quarterback that Coach Leach has had that I’ve seen.”
There are some similarities for the Trojans’ preparation for Washington State and Texas. Both teams have up-tempo offenses, though the Cougars pass a little more. Washington State averages 81 plays per game, while the Longhorns average 77 plays per game, another test in endurance for USC’s defense.
“A lot of similar movements come from what Texas did,” Helton said, “and I bet we’ll see some similar pictures.”