Those wide eyes seemed to be speaking for an entire fan base.
asserted
eyes → seem → base
USC football radio analyst Shaun Cody’s expression after play-by-play partner Pete Arbogast called linebacker Desman Stephens II walloping Dante Moore a clean hit echoed many Trojan fans’ disbelief around the program over the last week.
Take your pick of the many indignities.
asserted
Arbogast → call → indignities
There was the defense that somehow looked worse under Gary Patterson than what had preceded it.
asserted
what → be → it
Perhaps most disturbingly, there was the head coach who seemed to be losing supporters by the hour.
asserted
who → be → hour
Many of the national media figures who had backed Lincoln Riley for years were now saying they had lost faith in the coach whose hopes for a College Football Playoff breakthrough, in Year 5, were already teetering before the end of September.
asserted
hopes → back → September
If Riley’s biggest advocates are jumping ship, how much support remains in Heritage Hall?
asserted
support → jump → Hall
Any conceivable path toward redemption starts Saturday afternoon when the No. 18 Trojans (4-1 overall, 1-1 Big Ten) face Washington (3-1, 1-1) at the Coliseum.
asserted
Trojans → start → Coliseum
Here are five things to watch:
asserted
things → watch → ?
Predictably, the Trojans said all the right things about pulling together amid adversity.
asserted
Trojans → say → adversity
Said quarterback Jayden Maiava: “I’ve never seen a team as tight as this team.”
asserted
I → say → team
Said offensive tackle Elijah Paige: “This is the best time to come together as one, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”
asserted
we → say → what
As always, the display on the field Saturday will speak louder than any words.
asserted
display → speak → words
There’s almost no imaginable scenario in which USC can make the CFP if it loses to the Huskies given a schedule that includes a home game against No. 5 Ohio State, not to mention road games against No. 6 Indiana, No. 23 UCLA, Penn State and Wisconsin.
asserted
that → ’ → Indiana
Further irritating some fans tired of excuses, Riley said his team now had a belief it could win big games that was missing in previous seasons.
uncertain
that → irritate → seasons
“There’s some times that, oh, it’d be great if we won, but not real sure that we’re ready for this,” Riley said of the previous mindset.
asserted
Riley → ’ → mindset
“I do think the attitude around that has totally shifted.
asserted
attitude → think → that
You know, we felt like we let one get away the other day, and I don’t think there’s a team that we’re gonna play this year that we’re going to walk out there and not believe that we’re going to win.
asserted
we → know → that
Replacement duty for USC linebacker
Losing their top linebacker could be a big storyline against an offensive mastermind as gifted as Washington coach Jedd Fisch.
uncertain
Losing → lose → Fisch
Will Fisch direct plays toward Stephens’ replacement, identifying a possible weak spot in the Trojans’ defense?
asserted
Fisch → direct → defense
USC listed Ta’Mere Robinson as the starter on its depth chart, with freshman Talanoa Ili as the backup.
asserted
USC → list → backup
Robinson has made five tackles this season.
asserted
Robinson → make → tackles
Just stop it
Riley backed Patterson, saying there was no one more driven to fix the problems than the first-year defensive coordinator.
asserted
Riley → stop → coordinator
There seems to be a consensus among analysts that Patterson is signaling in plays right before the snap, leading to confusion about assignments as players scramble to get into position.
asserted
players → seem → position
Riley said there’s no one big issue hindering the defense, that everybody just needs to play a little better.
asserted
everybody → say → defense
Fixes are needed ASAP for a defense that’s given up an average of 35.7 points over the last three games.
asserted
that → need → games
Hopes were high for Washington’s offense once quarterback Demond WIlliams Jr. agreed to return after a failed flirtation with the transfer portal.
asserted
Jr. → agree → portal
What’s transpired has been incredibly disappointing.
asserted
transpired → transpire → ?
Washington’s offense has been middling, averaging 395.8 yards of offense per game (No. 74 nationally).
asserted
offense → average → game
The Huskies have been especially feeble running the ball, averaging just 107.3 yards per game, with good reason – they have been dealing with a slew of injuries at the position, including three running backs listed as out for Saturday.
asserted
they → run → Saturday
Among those expected to play, Brian Bonner Jr. leads the way by averaging 42 rushing yards per game – just a tick better than Williams’ 41.3 yards per game.
asserted
Jr. → expect → game
By the end of the weekend, only USC and Eastern Michigan will have played six games.
asserted
USC → play → games
While the busy stretch has put the new Bloom Football Performance Center’s recovery equipment to the test, it does come with a beneficial tradeoff.
asserted
it → put → tradeoff
The Trojans will get two bye weeks, helping them prepare for a possible late-season push.
asserted
them → get → push
“I do believe the playing guys early and getting the bye weeks late, we’re gonna feel the positive effects of that more and more as the season goes on,” Riley said.
asserted
Riley → believe → that
“So we’ve got to do a good job righting the ship here [against Washington].
asserted
we → get → Washington
“You know, go get this one, hopefully get up to Penn State and get that one done, and then, you know, we’re gonna be in a position where we’re gonna be able to get some rest, and possibly get some guys back and be primed up for a pretty good run.”
uncertain
we → know → run
The Aporia
