QB Daniels good to go against ASU
A devastating loss that wrested control of the Pac-12 South away from USC very nearly had more dire consequences.
Quarterback JT Daniels came out of the lineup in a 41-28 loss at Utah on Saturday, and reserve Matt Fink — who led the Trojans on a pair of fourth-quarter scoring drives — sustained three broken ribs.
USC (4-3, 3-2 Pac-12 Conference) will not be without Daniels this week, however, when the Trojans return home to face Arizona State in a critical South showdown.
Daniels passed concussion protocol tests on Monday, avoiding a scenario in which redshirt freshman Jack Sears would have manned an already-struggling USC offense, with two walk-ons backing him up.
The Trojans did not need any more bad news, following an anemic performance at Utah. After wide receiver Michael Pittman made a remarkable catch on the opening drive, USC went the next three quarters without an offensive score.
The output followed a trend for USC, which is tied for No. 86 nationally in scoring (26.0 points per game) and is No. 114 in rushing offense (116.9 yards per game). The 13-point margin of defeat was also the Trojans’ third of double digits on the campaign.
Coach Clay Helton has fielded repeated questions about the offense’s lack of production, including hints about coordinator Tee Martin’s play-calling. Helton has remained outwardly confident in the staff.
“I evaluate everything,” Helton said. “Part of my job is not only to coach our players, but coach our coaches.”
Arizona State (3-4, 1-3) has endured a much different theme in its losses. Last Thursday’s 20-13 loss to Stanford marked the Sun Devils’ fourth by a single possession.
A trait the Sun Devils share with USC, however, is in their lack of offensive production. With the exception of blowout wins over UT-San Antonio and Oregon State, Arizona State has failed to score more than 21 points.
The Sun Devils’ lack of offensive consistency was most glaring last week, when a would-be game-tying drive failed as a result of repeated clock mismanagement.
“There was a couple of times where (quarterback) Manny (Wilkins) struggled with a couple of the throws,” said Arizona State coach Herm Edwards in his postgame press conference. “We were very sloppy.”
On the flip-side, the Arizona State defense under first-year coordinator Danny Gonzales has yet to surrender more than 27 points in a game this year. That, combined with the struggles of both offenses, suggests a low-scoring affair Saturday in Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. USC has not lost at home under Helton, going 19-0 since October 2015.
