USC had victory inside its grasp on Saturday in Ann Arbor, Mich., till Michigan working again Kalel Mullings slipped away and sparked a dramatic 27-24 win over the Trojans. There’s rather a lot to kind by means of after that loss from the Trojans’ perspective so let’s get to some ultimate ideas from the sport.
1. All eyes this week — and doubtless each week shifting ahead, to be sincere — might be on USC’s offensive line. That group was a priority all through the offseason and preseason, however we had been by no means going to really know what to anticipate till the Trojans confronted an actual, powerful and durable defensive entrance, and the Wolverines have top-of-the-line items within the nation.
Properly, Michigan positioned a big highlight on all the offensive line’s points on Saturday afternoon. It was noticeable reside, however after re-watching the sport, left sort out Elijah Paige and proper guard Alani Noa had severe points with the Wolverines’ defensive entrance.
Paige struggled in opposition to Michigan edge rusher Josaiah Stewart — a one-time USC switch goal. On a sack, Paige was sluggish out of his stance. One other time, he overset on his stance and was crushed throughout his inside shoulder, which is a no-no for an offensive lineman. There was a false begin and different points. Noa had some points with Wolverines defensive sort out Kenneth Grant and simply usually staying on blocks.
Free, every day sports activities updates direct to your inbox.
Free, every day sports activities updates direct to your inbox.
Each struggled to match the physicality of Michigan’s entrance. We highlighted Paige and Noa’s youth on this house usually all through the preseason.The fact is — and was in August — that these two are pups nonetheless. Paige performed significant snaps in a single sport earlier than this 12 months. Noa earned actual enjoying time in two video games.
I consider in these gamers long-term, however this season is being performed proper now so Lincoln Riley and offensive line coach Josh Henson have some severe problem-solving on their arms. This case brings up another points. …
USC rushed for simply 96 yards in opposition to Michigan. (Rick Osentoski / Imagn Photos)
2. Within the second half, USC’s teaching workers moved Mason Murphy to left sort out and slid Tobias Raymond in at proper sort out — the place Murphy normally performs. The offense performed higher within the second half, however there have been nonetheless points with the road.
Murphy is inconsistent, and that was displayed within the second half. That’s a priority if he’s defending Moss’ blindside shifting ahead. Raymond is inexperienced, and Saturday was the primary time he obtained significant enjoying time in his profession, so he’s in the identical boat as Paige and Noa however much less skilled.
Amos Talalele is one other second-year participant who performed a few sequence all through the sport to alleviate a struggling Noa at proper guard.
So there are questions on USC’s offensive line configuration. If there’s a main shuffle this week, it’ll be the second consecutive season with a notable lineup change throughout the first two months of the season. It’s actually tough to construct continuity that means. And it could imply Henson hasn’t fairly found out which beginning 5 to choose for both season.
3. The actual drawback is a roster-building/recruiting challenge, which additionally falls on Riley and Henson. USC merely hasn’t recruited effectively sufficient alongside the offensive line throughout Riley and Henson’s time collectively.
To be honest, this is a matter that predates them. The Trojans have had offensive line recruiting points for greater than a decade. Henson has scored some wins — four-star 2025 offensive line commit Carde Smith is considered one of them — however the misses have outnumbered the triumphs on the recruiting path.
After discuss from the workers that this system would have a look at portal choices throughout the spring window, the coaches stood pat and doubled down on this group, which was a chance contemplating the youth in key spots.
In order that’s why USC is on this place. All this stuff may be true: 1) Clay Helton’s workers left a great beginning offensive line. 2) It didn’t go away a lot within the pipeline so far as youthful gamers. 3) The road must be extra gifted/well-stocked than it presently is in 12 months 3 beneath Riley.
In order that’s one thing that needs to be sorted out, or offensive line performances like this, which have been occurring on the large phases for USC for practically a decade (2016 in opposition to Alabama, 2017 in opposition to Ohio State, and so forth., and so forth.), will proceed.
4. They’ve every had their moments and positively did on Saturday (Ja’Kobi Lane and Duce Robinson scored a landing and Zachariah Department posted 98 receiving yards) however when lined up subsequent to preseason expectations, the receivers have been a bit underwhelming by means of the primary three video games. Moss spreads the ball round and doesn’t force-feed anybody, which deflates particular person numbers, however a real No. 1 wideout hasn’t emerged.
I went into video games figuring out that Michael Pittman Jr. or Drake London would make a play or have an actual, tangible impression. I consider the 4 sophomores can do it, however I don’t comprehend it for sure but.
It’s a gifted group, however once more, it’s a younger one. So we’ll see how this group develops all through the season and whether or not a real No. 1 goal can emerge.
GO DEEPER
Michigan knocks off USC in traditional Massive Ten showdown: What this implies for each groups
5. There are some things to observe from a well being perspective after Saturday. Tight finish Lake McRee, security Akili Arnold and receiver Makai Lemon had been injured throughout the sport.
CBS sideline reporter Jenny Dell reported that Lemon was taken to the hospital — it appeared like a possible concussion testing — and that McRee suffered a left knee harm.
McRee suffered an ACL tear throughout the Vacation Bowl in December, and it’s a testomony to him that he was in a position to come again as shortly as he did and have the impression he had early on after struggling that harm.
McRee was extraordinarily emotional on the sideline when CBS caught a shot of him after the harm. One other severe knee harm could be a tricky, unlucky setback for a participant who has developed and right into a essential a part of USC’s offense, which is one thing that hasn’t been mentioned a few tight finish in this system for some time.
USC’s Lake McRee was visibly upset after an harm has ended his day pic.twitter.com/b9M3AKDLk5
— FOX Faculty Soccer (@CFBONFOX) September 21, 2024
Kade Eldridge is the subsequent in line to exchange McRee.
From the TV broadcast, it appeared as if Arnold injured one thing on his left arm. That will be a blow for USC’s secondary as a result of Arnold has been a gentle presence in protection and as a tackler.
Senior Bryson Shaw changed Arnold for a couple of snaps on the ultimate drive of the sport. Shaw performed rather a lot the previous two seasons beneath former defensive coordinator Alex Grinch however has performed sparingly this 12 months.
Shaw has limitations athletically and has to refine issues technique-wise, like pursuit angles. He may be the primary man up if Arnold has to overlook any time, however USC may transfer somebody like Jaylin Smith to security. He began the Vacation Bowl and performed effectively.
Additionally, Moss had his proper ankle taped within the second half after he took a bunch of hits within the first half-hour of the sport in order that might be one thing to observe.
6. Linebacker Eric Gentry performed his finest sport with this system. There have lengthy been questions on how Gentry and his 6-foot-6, 215-pound body would maintain up in a sport like Saturday’s, and he delivered an enormous efficiency with 12 tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack and a essential pressured fumble within the fourth quarter that gave USC the lead.
Gentry has appeared like a special participant in defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn’s scheme and has purchased into no matter linebackers coach Matt Entz has preached to him.
By three video games, Gentry leads the group in tackles (26), tackles for loss (6.5) and sacks (two).
7. It’ll get misplaced within the defeat, however punter Eddie Czaplicki had an incredible sport. He averaged 53.14 yards on seven punts and pinned Michigan deep on a few events within the second half.
8. There’s plenty of speak about Riley’s sport administration. What’s fascinating is Riley managed the sport extra like a Massive Ten coach than at every other level of his USC tenure.
I discovered it fascinating that USC gained the toss and elected to defer till the second half. That may be a rarity for Riley at USC. The third-and-9 run name within the fourth quarter was fairly fascinating as a result of it prompt he didn’t assume Michigan would rating in opposition to his protection.
The offensive possession earlier than Michigan’s landing was probably the most questionable side of Riley’s sport administration. Three runs would’ve melted some clock away and given the Wolverines much less time to work their means down the sector.
There are just a few late-game moments which have felt chaotic in Riley’s tenure. In 2022, he didn’t name his timeouts early sufficient in opposition to Utah, which left the offense little time to rally after Utah took a 43-42 lead. The goal-line state of affairs in opposition to Arizona final season was a busy mess the place Caleb Williams nearly fumbled the ball away and the sector objective unit botched the snap on the game-winning subject objective strive, which despatched the sport to additional time. Time administration in opposition to LSU was getting dicey till Moss hit Kyron Hudson for the large acquire and the Trojans bought a key focusing on name.
GO DEEPER
USC let Michigan off the hook, and now the Trojans’ margin for error is slim
There are areas the place this group has to enhance, and Riley definitely has room to develop in these areas, too,
9. USC misplaced the sport, and it’s a tricky capsule to swallow, however I consider the way in which the Trojans have performed is way more sustainable than the high-wire act they tried pulling off the previous two years.
Although USC’s protection made some essential errors, protection tends to journey higher. Even with all of the errors it made, the Trojans’ protection gave up simply 21 factors and gave the offense loads of alternatives to capitalize on its stops.
That’s way more sustainable all through a season than profitable 45-38 or 48-45 each week.
Groups have to have the ability to win in a wide range of methods. USC practically pulled out an unsightly, grind-it-out win. After all, there might be doubts about whether or not Riley’s groups can win these video games till he does it persistently, however there are actually some causes to consider this group may give itself an actual likelihood in these conditions most of the time.
(High picture: Rick Osentoski / Imagn Photos)
