It felt, on the time, like a big-time intestine examine for the brand new Massive Ten workforce on the block.
USC left Ann Arbor, Mich., final season battered and bruised, its slim September loss to Michigan having laid naked one of many program’s most urgent considerations upon becoming a member of the Massive Ten. In a bodily, old school Massive Ten battle, Michigan merely seemed greater and stronger on the line of scrimmage, whereas the Trojans seemed largely overwhelmed.
“That’s about as tough as it’s going to get,” coach Lincoln Riley stated on the time.
However a 12 months later, after an offseason centered on fortifying the Trojans’ fronts, Riley is feeling extra assured forward of Michigan’s return journey to the Coliseum on Saturday.
USC offensive lineman Justin Tauanuu blocks Michigan State defensive lineman Ben Roberts on Sept. 20 on the Coliseum.
(Jessie Alcheh / Related Press)
“I think we’re in a much different place on the line than we were at this time last year, with some of our depth and the improvements we’ve made,” Riley stated. “We’ve got a really good group. They’ve got a really good group.”
The 2 groups conflict at a crucial juncture in every of their seasons. USC is coming back from its bye week with a bitter style nonetheless in its mouth from a loss to Illinois. Michigan, in the meantime, has received three straight and, with a win over USC, might enter the Faculty Soccer Playoff dialog.
Each side perceive that Saturday’s matchup might come all the way down to whichever workforce blinks first within the trenches.
“At the end of the day, no ifs, ands, or buts about it: The toughest team is going to win this game. Not the team that looks the prettiest,” Michigan line of defense coach Lou Esposito instructed reporters this week. “It’s the toughest team that’s going to win this game, and that’s what it’s going to take to win on the road.”
A totally intact offensive line would assist USC, however that could be an extended shot.
Riley stated beginning left sort out Elijah Paige has “a chance” however is “not a shoo-in” to go well with up towards Michigan as he continues to be hampered by a nagging harm that he’s fought for greater than a month..
If Paige is unable to play, redshirt freshman proper sort out Justin Tauanuu would presumably get one other begin on the left facet after he gave up a team-high six pressures throughout the loss to Illinois.
USC already misplaced one offensive lineman for the foreseeable future, when beginning middle Kilian O’Connor went down with a knee harm towards the Illini. However the Trojans a minimum of have an skilled choice to fill in at that spot.
J’Onre Reed began 25 video games at Syracuse the previous two seasons earlier than transferring to USC, the place he entered spring follow because the presumptive starter. He misplaced the job to O’Connor after he says he underestimated what it could take to be taught USC’s offense.
“I had too much dip on my chip,” Reed stated.
USC’s J’Onre Reed (50) and Kaylon Miller (60) block throughout a win over Georgia Southern on Sept. 6 on the Coliseum.
(Sean M. Haffey / Getty Photos)
Riley depends closely on the middle to assist orchestrate his offense. Reed can have his arms full along with his first begin coming towards one of many higher fronts within the Massive Ten.
“J’Onre has played a lot of football. He’s played in a lot of big games,” Riley stated. “I’ve had times where I lost centers before. I don’t know that I’ve ever had as accomplished of a second option. So I don’t expect that to be an issue for us.”
Michigan defensive coordinator Wink Martindale will little doubt attempt to make it one, simply as he did final season. The Wolverines blitzed solely 27% of the time in that recreation — an unusually low fee for the blitz-happy Martindale — however nonetheless managed to strain quarterback Miller Moss 22 instances. Paige was liable for 4 of these pressures in 25 go snaps earlier than he sat the complete second half.
Creating strain might be simply as crucial for D’Anton Lynn and USC’s protection. The Trojans led the nation in sacks previous to their journey to Illinois, when their go rush conspicuously disappeared.
Lynn stated he had no concept why USC’s entrance seemed so flustered from the beginning towards Illinois, whereas linebacker Eric Gentry stated the state of affairs was “the worst of the worst that we could have played.”
It might not be any simpler towards Michigan, even with a freshman quarterback in Bryce Underwood main the Wolverines. Underwood hasn’t been a lot of a risk by means of the air, however throughout his previous three video games, he has rushed for 187 yards and three touchdowns.
“I’ve just been impressed when you watch Week 1 to Week 2 to Week 3 to Week 4, you see him getting better and better each week,” Lynn stated. “I think he’s going to be a hell of a player.”
USC’s entrance might be tasked with maintaining him within the pocket, all whereas not shedding observe of one of many Massive Ten’s finest rushers, Justice Haynes.
“It all starts with the front,” Lynn stated. “We have to be able to stop the run. We have to be able to affect the quarterback. When you’re not doing those things, it makes it hard to protect other areas of the field. It all starts right there.”
The way it goes after that might determine the course of USC’s season.
