O/NSO: San Jose State edition
The Obvious: There will be something completely different when the No. 15 USC Trojans (0-0, 0-0 Pac-12 South) host the undefeated and defending Mountain West Champion San Jose State Spartans (1-0, 0-0 MWC) in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. That something completely different will be real live human beings in the stands rooting on their respective interests.
The Not So Obvious: Just how many “live” fans will be inside the Coliseum on Saturday is anybody’s guess, given that there remains a raging pandemic, which in turn has forced the Los Angeles Department of Health to mandate that masks be worn for those attending L.A events that bring together over 10,000 patrons.
In normal times, a season opener at the Coliseum would be a promising attendance draw for the Trojans, but there are factors at play that could be contrary to the norm and keep attendance minimal: warm weather, a live television broadcast, and those “protesting” over the current leadership of the USC football program. It all translates into an intriguing crowd numbers aspect for the Trojans’ season opener.
The Obvious: The Trojans opened a 14-point favorite to defeat San Jose State.
The Not So Obvious: The Trojans lead the series against San Jose State, 4-0, with all the games held in the Coliseum. The teams last met in 2009, when Trojans’ true freshman QB Matt Barkley completed 79% of his passes for 233 yards in a historic debut, and Trojan tailbacks, led by tailback Joe McKnight’s 145 yards, ran for six touchdowns as No. 4 USC began its season by crushing San Jose State, 56-3.
The Obvious: Saturday afternoon’s game from the Coliseum will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks (2 p.m. PDT/ 5 p.m. EDT).
The Not So Obvious: The Pac-12 Network broadcasters will be Ted Robinson (play-by-play) and Yogi Roth (analyst), a former USC assistant coach under Pete Carroll.
The Obvious: Saturday’s Trojans’ radio game broadcast will air live on KABC 790AM (2 p.m. PDT) with Pete Arbogast (play by play), Shaun Cody,(analyst), and Jordan Moore (sidelines).
The Not So Obvious: The Trojans’ overall KABC 790AM broadcast will begin with a four-hour pregame show at 10 a.m. (PDT). The “Trojan Tailgate Show” starting two hours before kickoff, will allow fans to look live inside the Coliseum via video stream on Facebook (Facebook.com/USCTrojans), Twitter (Twitter.com/usc_athletics) and YouTube (YouTube.com/uscathletics).
The 90-minute tailgate show, which features coach and player interviews as well as expert analysis, is hosted by former All-America defensive tackle Shaun Cody, former captain and QB Max Browne, former All-Pac-12 first team linebacker Su’a Cravens and Jordan Moore.
Saturday’s game can also be heard on the Trojan Radio Network–KSHP 1400AM in Las Vegas, KSZL 1230AM in Barstow, KXPS 1010AM in Palm Springs and KGU 95.1FM and 760AM in Honolulu–as well as on USCTrojans.com and KABC.com and on SiriusXM satellite radio (channels 137/197 or 959 on the app).
The Obvious: There is a solid USC fan base in Northern California that can’t get the Trojans’ home network radio broadcast of the game and may have to rely on the San Jose State broadcast.
The Not So Obvious: The San Jose State broadcast (2 p.m. PDT) can be heard on local KDOW 1220 AM (San Jose) with Justin Allegri (play-by- play) and Kevin Richardson (analyst).
The Obvious: Saturday’s Los Angeles weather forecast calls for sunny with a high of 89 degrees and low of 66, 35% humidity, and 0% precipitation. Temperature for the 2 p.m. (PST) kickoff is expected to be sunny and 87 degrees.
The Not So Obvious: The real weather report is whether the Trojans are taking San Jose State as seriously as they should, considering that the Spartans are the defending Mountain West Champions and return their standout quarterback, senior Nick Starkel (6-3, 214). The Men of Troy, of course, can match the QB play of Starkel with the return of junior All-Pac-12 QB Kedon Slovis (6-3, 205), who has some of the best receivers in the country like junior preseason All-American Drake London (6-5, 220) and electric sophomore Memphis transfer Tahj Washington (5-11, 175).
One depth chart wide receiver surprise is true freshman Joseph Manjack IV (6-3, 205), who had a great training camp and is listed as a starter at the “A” position. There is, however, disappointing news that sophomore WR Gary Bryant Jr. is likely out of the SJS game with a stubborn hamstring issue.
Offensively, we know the Trojans can be lethal through their vaunted air attack, but we’ll see whether the Trojans have seriously committed to a more balanced rushing attack under offensive coordinator Graham Harrell, who has been under extreme scrutiny for having basically relegated any semblance of a running attack to the gridiron closet (the Trojans finished last in Pac-12 rushing in 2020 and 10th in 2019). The Trojans have the running backs to be effective in seniors Keaontay Ingram (6-0, 215), a Texas transfer, and veteran Vavae Malepeai (6-0, 220), who will also be pushed by sophomore TCU transfer Darwin Barlow (5-11, 205), and speedy junior Kenan Christon (5-10, 185).
Of course, a big factor for the Trojans offensively will be – again – the effectiveness of an offensive line led by first-year coach Clay McGuire. We’ll find out whether this O-line can not only protect Kedon Slovis but establish a rushing attack, as well. A key to protecting Slovis and establishing a run game, the O/NSO suggests you keep an eye on new redshirt freshmen offensive tackles, Courtland Ford (6-6, 305) on the left and Jonah Monheim (6-5, 295) on the right.
While there will be scrutiny on Ford and Monheim, equal attention should be paid to the interior as well with experienced senior left guard Andrew Vorhees (6-6,320), senior right guard Liam Jimmons (6-5, 320), and senior center Bret Neilon (6-2, 295). These three senior vets need to produce.
We’ll see whether this expected Trojans’ high-powered offense can come out swinging against a San Jose State defense led by returning senior and 2020 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year Cade Hall (6-3, 270), son of former NFLer Rhett Hall. Cade was second nationally in sacks last season. Joining Hall is junior tackle Viliami Fehoko (6-4, 263) and senior linebacker Kyle Harmon (6-0, 225), who led the Spartans in tackles in 2020.
Defensively, we’ll find out whether Trojans’ defensive coordinator Todd Orlando continues his disruption of offenses through elaborate blitz packages. The USC defense must plug the hole left with the departure of the 2020 Pac-12 Defensive Player of Year, safety Talanoa Hufanga, who has gone to the NFL. There is the question of depth along the front line, but the Trojans have a potential great one in sophomore tackle Tuli Tuipulotu (6-4, 290), who will be supported by senior DE Nick Figueroa (6-5, 275), and by potential junior All-America outside linebacker candidate Drake Jackson (6-4, 250), who has 17 career tackles for losses and 7.5 sacks.
Add to the mix junior corner Chris Steele (6-1, 190) and senior safety Isaiah Pola-Mao (6-4, 205) and there is potential there. And let’s not leave out true freshman defensive end Korey Foreman (6-5, 265), who was last year’s recruiting prize of the high school world.
Last week, San Jose State offensively hung 35 points on Southern Utah en route to a 45-14 demolition of the Thunderbirds, so we’ll find out whether the Trojans’ defense is up to the challenge of a San Jose State offense led by senior Nick Starkel (174 yards and 17 TDs with 7 picks last year (64.2% completions), who is supported by SJSU’s top two runners from last season in senior Tyler Nevens (6-0, 231) and junior Kairee Robinson (5-8, 201/313 yards, 19 catches). Tight end Derrick Deese Jr. (6-4, 236) is the Spartans’ top returning pass catcher (20 grabs, 5 TDs last year). Four-year starting left tackle Jack Snyder (6-5, 310), an All-MWC first teamer in 2020, heads the Spartans’ offensive line.
On special teams, we’ll see whether Trojans’ sophomore placekicker Parker Lewis (6-3, 205), who had his moments in 2020, can right himself after a shaky training camp, but there’s no question about Trojans’ junior punter Ben Griffiths (6-7, 240), an all-star candidate, who is so respected by his teammates that he was elected by them as a 2021 team captain. San Jose State will counter with junior placekicker Matt Mercurio (6-1, 176), who last season kicked 24-of-25 field goal attempts from inside 40 yards and 5-of-10 behind 40. The Spartans return sophomore punter Elijah Fischer (6-2, 185).
The Obvious: In 2020, the Trojans’ offense averaged 33.3 points per game, while the 2021 San Jose State defense allowed 14.0 points in their season opener against Southern Utah.
The Not So Obvious: In 2021, San Jose State’s offense is averaging 45.0 points per game after their season opener while the Trojans’ 2020 defense allowed 26.0 points per contest.
The Obvious: Clay Helton is in his sixth season as the Trojans’ head coach (45-23) .
The Not So Obvious: Regarding San Jose State, Helton said, “Coach Brennan has done an amazing job in his four-year tenure there. Winning the Mountain West and having an undefeated regular season. He has a good team that starts together with the quarterback. I think that (quarterback) Nick (Starkel) is doing an amazing job with four touchdowns and 400 yards in his opening game. He’s a Sunday quarterback, he really is. He has a host of great players around him. He actually hit nine of them in the game (against Southern Utah).
“Defensively, you can really see the veteran leadership that they have, both in the front and the back end. This is an experienced group, a veteran group, guys that have played a lot of play and you can tell the confidence they have coming off of last year. It was evident in the game last Saturday. It’s a great challenge for us right off the bat. To be honest with you, you play teams like San Jose, BYU, Notre Dame non-conference, and it gives you a great opportunity to produce a great resume. We’re looking forward to the opportunity.”
The Obvious: The head coach of San Jose State is Brent Brennan, who is in his 5th season (16-30).
The Not So Obvious: Regarding the Trojans, Brennan said, “USC is that team that everybody grew up watching. They’ve always been incredible. They are well-coached; they have awesome personnel. They lost one game a year ago, right, in the conference championship. They have a first round draft pick at quarterback, draft picks at every position. How do we get ready for that? For me, it’s day by day…It’s been hard because we had this game (Southern Utah) but everybody, the media, our players’ families, their cousins and uncles, all they want to talk about is the SC game, right?”
The Obvious: The Trojans will start junior All-Pac-12 quarterback Kedon Slovis.
The Not So Obvious: Slovis has completed 70% of his career passes for nearly 5,500 yards and 50 TDs and is a Heisman candidate after an All-Pac-12 first team season in 2020 when he led the nation in completions.
The Obvious: The starting quarterback for San Jose State is senior Nick Starkel from Argyle, Texas.
The Not So Obvious: Prior to transferring to San Jose State, Starkel spent time at quarterback for the Texas A&M Aggies and Arkansas Razorbacks, respectively. Last week against Southern Utah, Starkel threw for 394 yards and four touchdowns while running in for another Spartan’s score.
The Obvious: Tyler Nevens is a starting running back for San Jose State.
The Not So Obvious: To make extra money, Nevens, who attended local Hacienda Heights Los Altos High, used to sell lemonade during events at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
The Obvious: Trojans’ defensive backs coach Donte Williams is considered one of the best D-back coaches and recruiters in the country.
The Not So Obvious: Donte Williams spent three seasons (2013-15) at San Jose State, coaching the corners the first season and serving as the secondary coach and recruiting coordinator the final two seasons.
The Obvious: On their roster, the Trojans have seven players from the Bay Area.
The Not So Obvious: Those Bay Area Trojans include DL De’jon Benton (Pittsburg HS), OL Andres Dewerk (Los Gatos HS), TE Grant Jones (De La Salle HS), TE Erik Krommenhoek (Monte Vista HS), TE Sean Mahoney (Archbishop Mitty HS), OL Jalen McKenzie (Clayton Valley HS) and WR Danny Ryan (St. Ignatius HS).
The Obvious: Trevon Sidney is a former wide receiver (2016-18) for the Trojans.
The Not So Obvious: Sidney, who wears No. 10 for SJS, is a wide receiver on the 2021 San Jose Spartans’ roster.
The Obvious: Derrick Deese Jr. is the starting tight end for San Jose State.
The Not So Obvious: Deese’s father, Derrick Deese, was once an offensive lineman for the Trojans (1990-91).
The Obvious: All Pac-12 teams will play this week.
The Not So Obvious: Below is this week’s Pac-12 schedule, television channels, kickoff times, and earlier results.
Thursday, Sept 2
At No. 24 Utah 40, Weber State 17
At No. 25 ASU 41, Southern Utah 14
Friday, Sept. 3
UNCO at Colorado (6 p.m./Pac-12 Networks)
Saturday, Sept. 4
Stanford at Kansas State in Arlington, Texas (9 a.m./FS1)
Fresno State at No. 11 Oregon (11 a.m./ Pac-12 Networks)
San Jose State at No. 15 USC (2 p.m./ Pac-12 Networks)
Oregon State at Purdue (4 p.m./ FS1)
Montana at Washington (5 p.m./ Pac-12 Networks)
LSU at UCLA (5:30 p.m./FOX)
BYU at Arizona (7:30 p.m./ ESPN)
Nevada at Cal (7:30 p.m./FS1)
Utah State at Washington State (8 p.m./ Pac-12 Networks)
Note: All times above are Pacific Daylight Time.
The Obvious: During each of the Trojans’ home games, there are a number of highlights and promotions before and during games.
The Not So Obvious: Right before Saturday’s kickoff with San Jose State, there will be a military flyover by five planes from the Tiger Squadron. The Trojans will also recognize the Trojans’ women’s water polo team for winning the 2021 NCAA championship, and the men’s basketball team will be honored for reaching the 2021 Elite Eight.
The Obvious: And finally, in its transition to the On3.com network, WeAreSC.com is adding improvements in content areas such as panel discussion video shows and increased recruiting coverage.
The Not So Obvious: One of the new shows is a lively video panel presentation entitled “Inside the Trojans’ Huddle.” The show airs each Tuesday and features WeAreSC columnists Kevin Bruce, Chris Arledge, Erik McKinney, and Greg Katz. This Tuesday the panel reviews the San Jose State game, provides a Stanford preview, and speaks to topics both from the world of USC football and college football in general. Check it out.
