Trojans pick up the pace with Helton calling plays
Periods of offensive stagnation throughout the season prompted USC head coach Clay Helton to assume play-calling duties for the final month. Through one game, the decision paid dividends.
USC (5-4, 4-3 Pac-12) rebounded from back-to-back losses with a 38-21 win at Oregon State, operating in a more up-tempo style with Helton calling plays from the sideline and offensive coordinator Tee Martin relaying defensive formations from the press box.
Helton said the team took to the shake-up well. This week, the adjusted USC offense faces a stiffer challenge from one of the conference’s best defenses.
Cal (5-4, 2-4) fell short last week of clinching bowl eligibility and dramatically altering the Pac-12 North title chase, losing 19-13 at Washington State. But the Golden Bears allowed the potent Cougars passing offense just 13 points until the final minute; for the third time in four games, they held their opponent under 20 points scored on offense. Washington managed just 10 in an Oct. 27 Cal upset, while Arizona scored 14 of its 24 points on defense in an Oct. 6 matchup.
Maintaining the up-tempo style, which Helton said thrives with its simplicity, may prove key to solving the Golden Bears defense.
“I wanted to be able to play fast this week,” Helton said. “It’s about making first downs, moving the chains, and hopefully wearing down a defense as the game persists on.”
The greatest beneficiary of USC’s new style was running back Aca’Cedric Ware. Ware averaged a staggering 12.1 yards per carry for 201 total yards with three touchdowns.
USC goes from facing the Pac-12’s worst rushing defense in Oregon State to one of the best in Cal. The Golden Bears are holding opponents to 3.7 yards per carry, behind only Washington (3.6), and Utah (3.1). Utah stifled the Trojans, allowing just 73 yards in USC’s 41-28 loss on Oct. 20.
If nothing else, a faster tempo gives the USC offense a different look against an opponent otherwise familiar with the Trojans’ style. Cal head coach Justin Wilcox spent the 2014 and 2015 seasons as USC defensive coordinator, overlapping with part of Helton’s stint as offensive coordinator and the interim period of his tenure as head coach.
Wilcox was relieved of his duties following the 2015 Pac-12 Championship Game, but landed at Cal after a successful stint as defensive coordinator for Wisconsin in 2016.
