Notre Dame Football Opponent Preview: USC Trojans Offense
By Andrew Hall
The Notre Dame football team faces another tough matchup on Saturday when they take on the Trojans. This game will test the athleticism of the Irish secondary. USC Quarterback Sam Darnold definitely the best signal-caller Notre Dame faced to date. Here is a preview of what the USC offense brings to the table.
Sam Darnold
The USC offense is powered by the right arm of Sam Darnold. Many project Darnold as the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. When he is playing well, the Trojans are a difficult team to contend with. The biggest issue for Darnold has been turnovers. In 2016, the Southern California Quarterback threw only 9 interceptions the entire season. This year, Darnold already has thrown 9 interceptions.
Aside from his turnovers, the Trojans Quarterback is completing 62.7% of his passes for 2063 yards and 15 touchdowns.
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Running Backs
Both Ronald Jones and Stephen Carr are battling injuries that may limit their effectiveness against the Irish. Jones, a former Notre Dame recruit, leads the Trojans with 106.67 yards per contest. Behind Jones, Freshman Stephen Carr is averaging 61.80 yards per game.
These two NFL-caliber Running Backs can do lots of damage to the Irish defense. However, their health is a big question mark. The Irish may also be up for the task. When the Irish played Georgia, perhaps the best Running Back tandem in the country, they held them to 185 yards rushing. This group might be as talented but they definitely are not as healthy.
Wide Receivers & Tight Ends
Deontay Burnett leads all Trojan Wide Receivers with 626 yards on 49 receptions. Shaun Crawford likely matchups up with Burnett and follows him around the field.
Stephen Mitchell, a Senior from Pasadena, collected 23 catches for 333 yards with 2 touchdowns.
Freshman Wide Receiver Tyler Vaughns is beginning to gain traction as a player. Vaughns, a former Top 50 recruit, has been much more active over the past three games. He tallied 89, 68 and 65 yards respectively. He could be a candidate to break out as a big-time player under the lights at Notre Dame.
USC’s Top Tight End is Tyler Petite. The Junior Tight End caught 17 passes for 245 yards in the first seven games of the season.
Offensive Line
USC has struggled to keep the same Offensive Line together for more than a few games. Against Western Michigan, the first game of the season, the Trojans started Toa Lobendahn, Chris Brown, Nico Falah, Viane Talamivao and Chuma Edoga. Against Utah, USC started Lobendahn, Brown, Falah, Vorhees and Johnston.