In two days, the Trojans return to the Coliseum to go to battle against the physical No. 3 Utah Utes. Interim head coach Clay Helton believes the game will be won up front and he is confident his offensive and defensive lines are up for the challenge.
- USC will most likely be playing without some of its biggest offensive contributors on Saturday. Wide receivers Steven Mitchell Jr. and Darreus Rogers are "probably not going to make it" for the game. LT Chad Wheeler continues to be day-to-day as he undergoes concussion protocol. RB Tre Madden is still dealing with a sore knee which may affect his playing time against the Utes.
- To compensate for the injuries, RT Zach Banner will move to left tackle and freshman Chuma Edoga will fill in at the right tackle spot with Nico Falah backing up both positions. Deontay Burnett, Dominic Davis and Adoree' Jackson will help support the depleted wide receiving corps. According to the head coach, Ronald Jones II will have the opportunity to see more playing time with Madden's limited capacity.
- Helton is confident in Edoga's ability to step up this weekend as the freshman played right tackle all four years of high school. "He has as good of feet as I've seen, very comparable to Matt Kalil and Tyron [Smith]...Not to say that he's there yet, he has a lot of growing to do and a lot of work to continue to do but you see the tools."
- The interim head coach is not concerned about Cody Kessler, despite his two interceptions in back-to-back games. The key for the quarterback on Saturday, according to the head coach, is to remain confident in his decision-making and patient with the flow of the game. "I don't want him to force anything. I don't want him to press, to say 'Gosh, I've got to make a play.' Just let it come to you. When he does that, you're talking about a kid that's been 70 percent plus his entire career."
