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USC head coach Clay Helton said the team is mostly healthy with the exception of CB Jonathan Lockett, who will undergo season-ending hip surgery on Friday. Full injury report: OL Khaliel Rodgers (concussion), QB Sam Darnold (hip flexor), TE Daniel Imatorbhebhe (hamstring), WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (wrist), OL Nathan Smith (knee).
- A Southern California kid who was raised a Trojan fan, QB Sam Darnold acknowledged what a dream it's been to play in the Rose Bowl Game. "It's a really big deal," he said. "I've grown up watching this game, so it's really special for me."
- The way Helton is game-planning, he'd have Darnold think he's playing in the Rose Bowl Game this very Saturday. "We're basically going to act like we play a game this Saturday ... And then we're going to repeat that next week and do the exact same gameplan," Helton said. "We installed our first and second down gameplan today. We'll re-do that next Tuesday and we'll re-do that Bowl Tuesday. And hopefully we're flying by January 2."
- Helton thinks the preparation will be crucial in stopping a high-scoring (36.7 PPG) Penn State team. He called PSU QB Trace McSorley "creative" and praised RB Saquon Barkley, who recently earned Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year.
- While impressed with the Nittany Lions' offense, he also said he expects an aggressive defensive scheme, having coached alongside current PSU defensive coordinator Brent Pry at Memphis earlier in their careers. "You see the zone pressure that he brings," Helton said. "He's really getting to the quarterback and really hurting you in the run game."
- Helton hopes his team can protect its quarterback, since Max Browne has left the team to pursue transfer opportunities. Without Browne backing up Darnold, Jalen Greene will likely be the No. 2 QB come gameday. Helton called Greene "brilliant" and said his experience and maturity earned him the backup spot over freshman Matt Fink, whose redshirt year Helton would like to preserve.
- RT Zach Banner (pictured), who was recently named a CollegeSportsMadness All-American, will be key in protecting the QB during the Rose Bowl Game. A senior who endured sanctions and coaching changes, Banner got choked up when thinking about his legacy at USC. "Regardless of this being the first and last Rose Bowl I'll get to be a part of, the struggles of going to other types of bowls and having lost seasons and stuff like that --- it was worth it. I wouldn't change it for anything."
- Watch Helton's full press conference here:
