[AncientCityIndian]

Darnold has a really quick release with great accuracy and given time he will pick you apart. Last year, USC had a veteran O line that played better as the year wore on.  This year they lost 3 of 5 starters and while the new guys are probably very talented, we all know there is a learning curve to the line playing as a cohesive unit.  I am glad we play them early.  It is incumbent upon us to play tight man coverage and put pressure on Darnold.  This can only be accomplished with a great line push up the middle, excellent cornerback play and incessant blitzes from multiple directions to keep them off balance and guessing.  We certainly will not stop Darnold all day but if we make him pass under pressure and into our strength, the secondary, we will force some errant tosses.  Of course, if USC is able to run on us, we are in trouble.  I have every hope that we are capable of forcing Darnold to have to pass to defeat us.  We just cannot give him all day to do it or we will become toast.  It will also be incredibly helpful if we dominate the TOS and limit their opportunities to score and if we do not turn over the ball at all.  It is also an advantage that their wide receivers are inexperienced although they have strength at tight end. I expect them to test our OLB`s with some passes out of the backfield to their running backs, possibly early and often to negate the blitzes from the outside.  Because of that and a few other matchup considerations, I suspect we may also blitz a secondary guy on occasion.

The great unknown, the elephant in the room, is how Darnold will react to constant pressure since he had so little of it last year.  Let us hope we can bring it and he has a learning curve problem of his own.

[AncientCityIndian]

Darnold has a really quick release with great accuracy and given time he will pick you apart. Last year, USC had a veteran O line that played better as the year wore on.  This year they lost 3 of 5 starters and while the new guys are probably very talented, we all know there is a learning curve to the line playing as a cohesive unit.  I am glad we play them early.  It is incumbent upon us to play tight man coverage and put pressure on Darnold.  This can only be accomplished with a great line push up the middle, excellent cornerback play and incessant blitzes from multiple directions to keep them off balance and guessing.  We certainly will not stop Darnold all day but if we make him pass under pressure and into our strength, the secondary, we will force some errant tosses.  Of course, if USC is able to run on us, we are in trouble.  I have every hope that we are capable of forcing Darnold to have to pass to defeat us.  We just cannot give him all day to do it or we will become toast.  It will also be incredibly helpful if we dominate the TOS and limit their opportunities to score and if we do not turn over the ball at all.  It is also an advantage that their wide receivers are inexperienced although they have strength at tight end. I expect them to test our OLB`s with some passes out of the backfield to their running backs, possibly early and often to negate the blitzes from the outside.  Because of that and a few other matchup considerations, I suspect we may also blitz a secondary guy on occasion.

The great unknown, the elephant in the room, is how Darnold will react to constant pressure since he had so little of it last year.  Let us hope we can bring it and he has a learning curve problem of his own.