USC vs. Michigan: Three things to watch during the Trojans’ Big Ten opener

Before Jim Harbaugh built Michigan back into a national power, the coach was nearly kicked to the curb in Ann Arbor, Mich. Patience with Harbaugh’s plans wore thin. Recruiting was lagging. Fans called for his firing.

But Michigan kept Harbaugh and he raised a national title trophy in 2023.

As USC coach Lincoln Riley saw it, that was the sort of commitment required to rebuild a top program from the ground up. Like Harbaugh, he had no plans of letting outside pressure derail his process at USC.

“They had some ups and downs, right when Jim got there,” Riley said. “A lot of people thought on the outside, ‘Oh, they’re not gonna be able to turn it around,’ and they stayed the course. The thing I respected the most about them is they stayed very true and committed to their process and ignored everybody on the outside that thought they deserved an opinion.”

USC’s coach finds himself at a critical point in his own rebuilding process, straddling the line between building and contending with his 2-0 Trojans. A major measuring stick lies ahead on Saturday, as USC opens its Big Ten slate against the program whose success Riley hopes to emulate.

Michigan looks vulnerable after an early loss to Texas. But Riley has made clear how much respect he has for the defending champions. He has no intention of overlooking them.

“Everyone wants to write the story after a couple games of the season for everyone, and it’s a long season, man,” Riley said. “That’s a good football team that we have a lot of respect for. To have anything less would be a mistake on our part.”

Here’s what to watch as No. 11 USC heads to Ann Arbor, Mich., to take on No. 18 Michigan on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. PDT in a game airing nationally on CBS (Channel 2, Paramount+).

New plan for a new QB?

Preparation for new Michigan starting quarterback Alex Orji began almost three weeks ago. USC’s defense just didn’t know it yet.

That’s when USC first turned its focus to defending the read option ahead of a matchup with Utah State, whose fill-in quarterback, Bryson Barnes, had burned them on the ground the year before as Utah’s backup.

Barnes, who had 88 yards in his previous outing, ultimately finished with minus-8 yards rushing against USC, which successfully kept him in the pocket and forced him to pass. It didn’t go well for Barnes.

Read more: Lincoln Riley isn’t too bothered that Michigan has switched quarterbacks

USC is likely to employ a similar plan for slowing down Orji, who has 31 career rushing attempts to just seven passes — six of which came in the first three games this season. USC defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn said there was plenty USC needed to improve upon from the Utah State film, “which Michigan probably saw and thought, ‘All right, we can capitalize on that.’”

The uncertainty of a new quarterback isn’t going to alter Lynn’s plans much, he said. To the point that one of USC’s defensive leaders, Jamil Muhammad, had to name-check the new guy before saying he was “excited to play somebody that’s as elusive as him.”

Interior terror

Had Riley only arrived a bit earlier at USC, maybe Michigan — instead of the Trojans — would be preparing to face one of the nation’s most disruptive defensive tackles.

Riley immediately made four-star Servite defensive tackle recruit Mason Graham a priority recruiting target upon being hired at USC. But the last-ditch effort proved too late.

“There wasn’t enough of a relationship there, and he was far enough down the road with those guys that it was one of those things where, had it been earlier, maybe it would have been different, maybe it wouldn’t have,” Riley said. “No surprise to me to see the kind of player he’s become.”

Read more: Hernández: USC has become a Big Ten power and should reach the College Football Playoff

Now he’ll have to find a way to account for not only Graham, but also defensive tackle Kenneth Grant, who make up arguably the most fearsome interior in college football. Both are expected to be first-round picks in the upcoming NFL draft, with Graham viewed as a potential top-five selection, and both have the ability to make it a long day for USC’s unproven offensive line.

The pair is sure to test right guard Alani Noa, the least experienced and most inconsistent player on USC’s interior.

“It’s a big test, big test,” Riley said. “Obviously, the two defensive tackles are tremendous, but the edge guys are good too. So a big challenge that we’ve got to embrace.”

Establish the run

USC running back Woody Marks already knows where USC’s first foray into the Big Ten will be decided Saturday.

“It always starts up front with the O-line, D-line,” Marks said. “We’ve been preaching that since fall camp, spring ball. It starts up front with the big guys, and the little guys, which they call us, we’ll follow along.”

USC will need its little guys, Marks most of all, to make a big impact if it hopes to keep the ball out of the hands of a Michigan offense that will presumably attempt to grind the game to a halt on the ground.

Read more: ‘It was already written.’ How USC center Jonah Monheim became the Trojans’ leader

Marks came alive against Utah State, rushing the ball 13 times for 103 yards and a touchdown, while Quinten Joyner rushed for 84 yards in 10 carries and two touchdowns. But against Michigan, neither is likely to find that kind of running room.

On the opposite side, Michigan is sure to try to jump-start Donovan Edwards, the Wolverines’ elusive star running back who has started slowly this season. Edwards is averaging 50 yards per game this season while being outpaced by power back Kalel Mullings.

“He has great vision,” Lynn said of Edwards. “You always have to be prepared for him to cut the ball back. Great size, great speed. He’s a really good back, and we know he can get it going at any point.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.