2018 Colorado Wednesday: Notes

The USC defense is ready to face the nation's No. 1 receiver.

Here is the injury report, per head coach Clay Helton: LB Cameron Smith (pulled with a hamstring), DL Brandon Pili (pulled with a toe), C Toa Lobendahn (out with back spasms), RB Stephen Carr (out with a stomach bug), and QB Jack Sears (out with a lower back).

The Buffaloes are led by sophomore WR Laviska Shenault Jr., the nation's leader in receiving yards per game. He scored four touchdowns last week, two through the air and two more on the ground. "They use him in a pretty unique way," said CB Ajene Harris, who will see him in the slot. "They try to line him up as a tail, as a slot receiver, get him on some jet sweep motions. That's things we've got to prepare for and be on the same page in the secondary."

The defense is watching extra film to prepare for all those different looks. "It's a lot of eye candy no doubt," freshman DB Talanoa Hufanga said. "But coach just really says keep your eyes on your luggage. And for us we got to make sure we watch that and see where our guy goes and make sure we follow up and when we know it's across the line of scrimmage that's when we got to attack the ball."

While the Trojans are impressed by Shenault, they are not intimidated. "Not a talent that we haven't seen before, it's just a matter of keeping him contained and competing out there," Harris said. "We've seen every type of receiver. It's nothing new. It's going to be a challenge and we're ready to step up to it."

Shenault is not a one-man show. Colorado QB Steven Montez has developed into one of the league's top passers. "On tape, he looks a little more mature," Harris said about Montez. "He's obviously a big quarterback, we'll have to gang tackle him, wrap him up, take out his legs. He's just matured over the last two years."

The Trojans want to pressure Montez into turnovers like the two interceptions that he gave them last season. "We need to get more turnovers," said OLB Porter Gustin, who vowed that he would play on Saturday despite an ankle injury. "That's something that we need to create, and that just comes with doing the little details right. Everyone doing everything right. We've had little mistakes here and there that have cost us. We just need to clean up little things and be disciplined."

Gustin leads the Pac-12 in sacks, but the rest of the defense has not been nearly as productive in the pass rush. "We've done some things well, but at other times, for example, on a blitz, two guys will be in the same gap and it kind of ruins it and the quarterback escapes. So little things like that," Gustin said. "And we really need to focus on shutting down the run, because once you do that, you can force him to pass, then it's third-and-long, and then you get an opportunity."

Smith was pulled for "precautionary reasons" today. The hamstring is a concern because he's dealt with it a "couple of times" this season, Helton said. "Every time it gets tight, we've shut it down for a day or so and he's been able to come back. We'll see where it's at."

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