USC’s fate against Washington State is very much up in the air
Reporting from Pullman, Wash. — USC has faced a full palette of offenses this season, including several spread schemes, grind-it-out Stanford, read-option Boston College and pseudo-traditional Oregon State.
On Saturday at Martin Stadium, Washington State will present a different challenge.
Second-year Cougars Coach Mike Leach favors the pass, nearly exclusively.
His Texas Tech quarterbacks thrived in his “Air Raid” offense, and Washington State last season finished fourth nationally in passing yards per game.
So, it’s no surprise that senior quarterback Connor Halliday is averaging nearly 65 passes a game.
USC Coach Steve Sarkisian this week respectfully lamented what he described as the “numbing repetition” of the Cougars’ unrelenting passing attack, which ranks first nationally at 490 yards per game.
“They throw the ball all over the place,” Sarkisian said.
Washington State has won only two games, but one victory came at Utah.
USC, of course, is still smarting from last week’s 24-21 defeat at Salt Lake City, so the Trojans would be wise not to look past the Cougars.
USC has already experienced one passing onslaught: Arizona’s Anu Solomon threw 74 times a few weeks ago. The Trojans escaped with a victory only because the Wildcats missed a field-goal attempt in the final seconds.
USC defensive backs say they welcome the challenge of facing Halliday and his talented receivers.
Senior safety Gerald Bowman, sidelined against Utah because of a foot injury, is expected to return Saturday and fortify a secondary that will be under fire.
“The plays will come to you if you do what you’re supposed to,” Bowman said. “You can’t get antsy.”
Halliday has passed for 32 touchdowns, with 10 interceptions.
USC has intercepted nine passes.
Freshman cornerback Adoree’ Jackson is still looking for his first.
“I’ve got to find a way to do it,” said Jackson, who has broken up several passes, tipped one to a teammate for an interception and forced a fumble.
USC also must come up with the formula for putting away opponents.
The Trojans blew second-half leads and lost to Arizona State and Utah in the final seconds. They barely hung on to defeat Stanford and Arizona.
Sarkisian and his players spoke all week about “finishing” games and developing a “killer instinct.”
And not only on defense.
USC’s offense has been positioned to keep alive drives that might have secured victories. But it failed to convert key third and fourth downs, giving opponents the chance to win games in the final seconds.
“We always set ourselves up,” quarterback Cody Kessler said. “It just comes down to executing plays. That’s all it comes down to.”
Kessler and the offense should have plenty of opportunities against a Washington State defense that ranks 110th among 125 major college teams against the pass and gives up 38 points a game.
Last season, Washington State defeated USC, 10-7, at the Coliseum in a game devoid of touchdowns by either offense. USC fans booed former Trojans coach Lane Kiffin and his play-calling.
The vibe — and the offensive production from both teams — should be different this time.
Last month, Washington State was tied at halftime against high-powered Oregon before losing, 38-31. The next week, Halliday passed for three second-half touchdowns as the Cougars overcame a 17-point halftime deficit and defeated Utah, 28-27, at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Now, Halliday will try to upend the Trojans with passes on nearly every play.
USC’s goal on defense?
“Just try to make it hard on them,” Sarkisian said, so “that it’s not pitch-and-catch all day.”
Twitter: @latimesklein
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