USC vs Utah: Trojans Must Trust Process To Get Back On Track

The theme of USC vs Utah for the Trojans will revolve around trust — trusting the players, trusting the coaches and trusting in what works.

The early goings of the 2016 college football season have largely been a mixed bag of what-have-you for Coach Helton and the USC Trojans.

Three games into the season, and to a more substantial extent in the two defeats, the Men of Troy have largely shot themselves in the foot.

The Trojans have also shown that they have the ability to run on any team in the nation, if they would only commit to doing so.

In suffering defeat at the hands of the Stanford Cardinal 27-10 on Saturday evening, the USC offense showed a potential dominance interspersed with a lack of discipline, committing six false start penalties, while its defense played well at times, yet suffered a similar fate in what has become a recurring theme this young season, missed assignments and blown coverages leading to big plays, often touchdowns.

The solution is simple and remains twofold.

The coaching staff has to trust its players and trust themselves in the process, while the players must commit to one another, trusting in the process and that the work that has been done, the blood, the sweat and most certainly the tears that have gone into the preparation for the season, will result in seeing their goals realized.

To use a boxing analogy, pound for pound, USC just may be one of the most, if not the most skilled team in the nation. But it means nothing if the trust isn’t there.

A program synonymous with Student Body Left, Student Body Right must now once again become a team synonymous with Student Body Left, Student Body Right.

To put it more succinctly, when presented with an opportunity to do so, you go for the jugular. The catches will come, as will the touchdowns. They always do at USC. But game plans often change on the fly in a game of inches.

While the coach may want to air it out, and may have even prepared for it throughout the week, if they find that they’re having success in the early goings of the game running the ball, rest assured that a heavy dose of the run game wouldn’t even begin to explain the level of the attack to employ.

The big gains, the chunk yardage, the long runs are there for the taking. Interceptions, sacks, and tackles for loss revolve around the same sun when the talent level between two teams are roughly the same.

“Will you trust me to do my job, which will allow you to focus on your assignment, or vice-versa? ”

Everything is still on the table for the Trojans. The type of run it would require to see it come to fruition would be historic, true, yet what better way to cement your legacy than to rise from the proverbial football ashes?

The Men of Troy will face an undefeated Utah team on Friday night with a chance to set things right.

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Making his first career start at quarterback for the Trojans will be redshirt freshman Sam Darnold, a strong armed, more athletic signal caller than the Trojans have been known for using. Equally adept in the pocket and on the run, Darnold will lead his team against a Ute bunch known for being both stout and one of the nation’s toughest, year in and year out.

The switch at quarterback comes with the hopes of jump-starting a Trojan offense that has yet to get going. With the move being questioned by many, this is a pivotal moment for a team with everything to gain and little leeway for slippage.

A win against a good but beatable Utah squad could very well swing this season around for the Trojans.

On Friday night, at a raucous Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah, hard questions will be asked, and even harder truths will be revealed.

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