What We Learned From The USC Trojans Painful Loss To Minnesota

Most people glossed over this week’s opponent for the USC Trojans. That is, everyone but the opponent, the Minnesota Gophers.

Road games are never easy, especially in the Big Ten, but the 2-3 Gophers were not seen as a real threat to the Trojans. However, they were able to shock the college football world and take down the USC Trojans 24-17.

Here is what we learned about this USC football team that now sits at 3-2 and hosts Penn State next week.

Offensive Tackle Play Is A Real Issue

NCAA Football: Southern California at Minnesota | USC Trojans
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When you look at the USC offensive line, the interior of Alani Noa, Jonah Monheim, and Emmanuel Pregnon have all improved throughout the season and this game was no different. The protection in the middle was solid, and the running game between the tackles was pretty dominant. But that brings us to the problem, the tackles.

Elijah Paige and Mason Murphy both struggled mightily in this one. Edge pressure was a problem all night long and Miller Moss was constantly under duress.

Perhaps the game-defining play, an interception forced by edge pressure. Up 7 in the 4th quarter, USC was driving and looking like they would convert points, and potentially put the game away. On a third and 4 at the Minnesota 35-yard line, Jah Joyner was able to beat Mason Murphy and hit Moss’s arm as he was throwing. The ball floated in the air and was intercepted.

Minnesota tied the game off the turnover, and then ultimately won the game the next time they got the ball.

The tackle play has been a liability all season and now five games in, there is not much time to correct it. How will it look against Penn State’s formidable pass rush? We will see in a week.

USC Trojans Run Defense Struggled…Again

NCAA Football: Southern California at Minnesota | USC Trojans
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The run defense is better than it was last year, but I think it is fair to say that it still has a long way to go. Clearly, they missed Eric Gentry, but the unit was bullied all game long by the offensive line and running back Darius Taylor.

Against both Michigan and Wisconsin the run defense improved mightily in the 2nd half, even looked dominant at times. That did not happen tonight.

Taylor ran the ball 25 times for 141 yards, good enough for a 5.8-yard per carry average.

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The zone scheme was a different look than what they had seen in previous weeks, and Taylor proved to be a patient runner and found his holes with ease.

There were moments where the defense was able to look sound and get stops, but it was not consistent. And if teams are going to run the rock 40 times a game on you, you have to get consistent and win every play.

The run defense is not there yet.

Offense Has Too Many Self-Inflicted Wounds

NCAA Football: Southern California at Minnesota | USC Trojans
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Many will look at the score and think that the USC Trojans offense struggled mightily by only scoring 17 points. While I am not saying that scoring 17 points is good enough, it doesn’t tell the entire story.

USC only had 9 total drives in the game, and only 4 in the second half. When the game is played with that few possessions, you have to play mistake-free and capitalize on every opportunity. USC did not do that, yet again.

A missed field goal, a fumble, and two interceptions and it’s not surprising that the offense only scored 17 points and lost by 7.

SC was able to move the ball (finished with 373 yards), and they were especially efficient in the run game (173 rushing yards). But in critical moments, they committed critical mistakes.

When you lose the turnover battle, commit more penalties, and can’t close out critical drives, it is going to be tough to win many football games.

USC will host Penn State next Saturday at the LA Coliseum.