USC vs Alabama: Who Were the Studs and Duds?

Sep 3, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Tim Williams (56) rushes as USC Trojans offensive tackle Zach Banner (73) defends during the third quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Who were the duds?

USC’s Offensive Line: All offseason, rankings of the top offensive lines in the country included USC’s front five. It became clear very quickly, however, that the Trojans were outmatched by Alabama’s front seven.

The injury to Chad Wheeler which caused Chuma Edoga to start at left tackle, then the injury to Edoga which forced Wheeler to get into the game at less than 100%, certainly contributed to USC’s woes in the trenches.

However, it was more than that. USC’s interior linemen were overrun by the Tide. Center Toa Lobendahn’s snapping was questionable at best. And the line as a whole was unable to get any semblance of a foothold, resulting in a stunningly bad stat line of 64 net yards rushing.

Jabari Ruffin: There is no excuse for committing a flagrant foul and Ruffin’s was as blatant as they come. The back up outside linebacker stood over an Alabama player on a kick off return, then proceeded to step on the player’s crotch.

Unsurprisingly, refs immediately flagged the play and ejected Ruffin.

Since outside linebacker Don Hill had been sent home earlier in the week, Ruffin’s behavior was all the more problematic for the Trojans, who were down two OLB back ups for the game in one motion of the foot.

JuJu Smith-Schuster and Calvin Ridley: Two of the nation’s best wide receivers, and two future first round draft picks, took the field at AT&T Stadium on Saturday night, but you could be forgiven for forgetting either was in Texas at all.

The two combined for two catches and 18 yards receiving.

Ridley was kept quiet on punt returns all night and one of his two catches was for negative yardage.

Meanwhile, Smith-Schuster didn’t have his first reception until late in the fourth quarter, when the score was already 38-3. He also was hit with a holding penalty.

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Clay Helton: The Trojan head coach has officially gone 0-3 in his first three games since being named the permanent head coach.

Granted, a loss to No. 1 Alabama would have been no shame…if it hadn’t come by 46 points.

It’s not even the scoreline that should trouble Helton. It’s the way his team lost their heads after Jalen Hurts found ArDarius Stewart for the first Alabama touchdown of the night half way though the second quarter.

Head coaches are responsible for the mentality of their team and there’s one reason Helton gets the dud nod after the trouncing — as soon as the going got tough, the Trojans crumbled.