Stanford Wednesday: Notes

The Trojans are preparing for a Stanford offense which could be without its starting QB KJ Costello, who is in concussion protocol.

Typical of an opening game, the USC defense had some bright moments, but also plenty to work on going into Week 2. On the positive side, the Trojans forced three turnovers, including Isaiah Pola-Mao's game-saving interception in the end zone. "I saw they had a 6-foot-6 or 6-foot-7 guy out there on our corner, and I just knew that they wanted something, either a fade or something over there," the redshirt sophomore safety said. "So as soon as they snapped the ball and he looked, I knew that there was going to be something over there, so I just took off."

On the negative side, the Trojans gave up 206 yards rushing, but defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast was happy with how the team handled conventional running plays. Going into each game, Pendergast's primary focus is on "the true running back," and USC held him to 57 yards on 14 carries (3.8 ypc) which is solid. However, "the thing that I was disappointed in was the scramble yardage and the ability to keep plays alive."

To solve that problem, Pendergast said the USC pass rushers need to "take the blinders off." The Trojans collected three sacks on the night, but Pendergast said it could have been five more if they were more clinical in getting the quarterback to the ground.

Pendergast was succinct in his praise for freshman DE Drake Jackson. "I am glad he is a USC Trojan," he said. "He was as advertised."

Jackson got better as the game progressed. "I wouldn't say I was nervous," the freshman said about his first college game. "I'd say that I was just hesitant at times. But after the first hit, I was good and I was in the game like it was any other game."

Overall, it was a dream experience. "It was just an amazing feeling to be in the game. It was crazy to me — I was talking to my dad and I told him I always wanted to play college football. Now I watch college football and I'm in it. It's just like 'wow, I'm really here now,'" said Jackson, who is very happy about his choice to come to USC. "I love it. I wouldn't ask for anything else, couldn't see myself anywhere else. This is home."

Now, Jackson will experience his first USC-Stanford game, a rivalry renowned for being a big man's game. "We just want to come out and be physical and play hard," Jackson said. "We're in our home stadium and we'll treat it like it's our last game."

As for how the Trojans will adjust to Costello playing or not playing QB for Stanford, the answer was USC-centric. "It's the same thing for us, next person up. It doesn't really matter who's at the helm of our offense. We're going to play Trojan defense," Pola-Mao said.

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