LOS ANGELES — Ninth-ranked USC enters Saturday’s game against Arizona with a 5-0 record and has yet to trail in a game. But doubts and concerns about the season-long outlook never have been louder because it looks like the defense could squander another electrifying Caleb Williams season.
Here are some thoughts on the Trojans as they prepare to face a feisty Wildcats squad that gave Washington its stiffest challenge of the season last week.
1. The writing was on the wall with Korey Foreman. Foreman played sparingly the first three games, didn’t play a defensive snap against Arizona State and didn’t travel with the team to Colorado.
On Tuesday, Lincoln Riley confirmed what had widely been assumed: USC and the former five-star prospect and one-time No. 1 player in the country are exploring the possibility of redshirting.
“This early in the season, I don’t want to say anything for sure because a lot of things can transpire,” Riley said. “But both us as a staff and the players that have that available, it’s something you have to be aware of.”
Two and a half years ago, it would’ve been wild to predict this outcome, but at this point in time this result was expected.
Foreman was a much-celebrated recruit when he signed with the program in December 2020 (he announced his decision a month later) and picked USC at a time when local prospects were going to Oregon or the SEC.
It was such a significant signing that USC celebrated it by putting a photo of Foreman on a digital billboard outside the Galen Center with the words: “I’m staying home.”
He will always have that clutch, memorable interception against UCLA, but his potential was unfulfilled at USC under two coaching staffs. He has posted 2.5 sacks in his three seasons with the program and rarely earned significant playing time under Riley’s staff.
It remains to be seen whether he redshirts to transfer like his former high school teammate, Gary Bryant Jr., did last season, but there’s a possibility we won’t see Foreman suit up for USC again.
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2. The Trojans are not hurting for a pass rush without Foreman. The defense certainly has its warts, but the front has been plenty disruptive. USC is tied for sixth nationally in sacks with 19 and is third in tackles for loss with 49.
Lincoln Riley, left, and the USC Trojans take a 5-0 record into their game with Arizona on Saturday. (Kirby Lee / USA Today)
3. The run defense isn’t far behind, but the Trojans’ biggest defensive concern at the moment has to be the pass defense. The cornerback group, in particular, will come under fire here soon. Arizona has talented wideouts in Tetairoa McMillan and Jacob Cowing and a good tight end with Tanner McLachlan.
And pretty much every game after Arizona will be a tough test for USC’s corners. Against Colorado, that unit had some moments it’ll want back.
So Riley was asked what he wants to see from his corners during the next seven games.
“I think the consistency and making some of the big plays that we’re capable of because we are going to get tested there at times like everybody is,” he said. “When you cannot just hold up but you can make some of the plays yourself, it changes the context of everything.”
Per TruMedia, USC has allowed gains of 20-plus yards on 11 percent of pass attempts this season. That ranks 88th nationally. It has allowed seven touchdown passes of 20-plus yards, fourth nationally, behind only Nevada, Colorado and UMass.
The pass defense has to improve. Quickly. Because there are upcoming opponents who can throw waves of talented receivers at the unit and embarrass the defense.
4. USC’s offensive line received a lot of hype this offseason. Part of that came from how the unit played last season, and another contributing factor to the buzz was the transfers the coaching staff brought in. The past few weeks, the offensive line simply has not played up to the acclaim it received during the spring and summer.
The unit had issues early on at Arizona State in pass protection and with penalties. Against Colorado, there were penalties and high snaps, and the unit wasn’t sustaining blocks in the run game.
Arizona ranks in the top 35 nationally in sacks, tackles for yards and yards per rush. So the Wildcats will offer a good challenge for an offensive line that has to play better if USC is going to accomplish what it wants to this season.
5. Arizona’s defense is coordinated by former USC assistant Johnny Nansen, who coached under Steve Sarkisian and Clay Helton when he was with the program.
The Trojans have historically put up points in bunches against the Wildcats, but Arizona’s defense has been much improved this season — probably much better than most expected considering its personnel the past few years.
There are several players with strong Southern California ties on that side of the ball. There’s linebacker Jacob Manu, who wasn’t looked at much by USC or the rest of the Power 5, to be honest. Manu played at Servite (Anaheim, Calif.) and has become a really solid player for Arizona. He’s the Pac-12’s leader with 49 tackles.
Corner Ephesians Prysock, a former USC commit, and has 21 tackles this season. He’s one of three former USC commits who signed with Arizona during the 2022 recruiting cycle.
And then there’s former five-star linebacker Justin Flowe, who has 29 tackles this season. USC fans were upset when Helton and his staff missed on Flowe, who signed with Oregon, during the 2020 recruiting cycle.
It’ll be interesting to see how much Arizona will play Flowe on Saturday against a team that spreads it out as much as USC does.
6. USC has won every game at home by at least 28 points. The spread for this one is 21.5 points, according to BetMGM. I believe USC will win by two scores, but it should be a competitive game because Arizona’s offense has enough playmakers to keep the game close, similar to last season. Quarterback Noah Fifita had an ugly interception last week but is not as reckless with the ball as Jayden de Laura, which could help prevent a game like this from getting away from the Wildcats.
(Top photo of Korey Foreman: Erick W. Rasco / Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)