Three Michigan players to watch against USC

What players should you have your eyes on in the Michigan game at USC?

Michigan defensive back Jyaire Hill | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Justice Haynes

There really isn’t another top choice here. Justice Haynes has been the guy to watch so far in every Michigan game, and this upcoming game against USC is no exception. Haynes has just been so good for Michigan this year, carrying the ball 85 times for 654 yards and 8 TD’s through five games. He’s been Michigan’s best player so far this year and I don’t see that stopping in this game. USC got carved up on the ground at Illinois a couple weeks ago to a tune of 35 carries for 171 yards(4.9 yards per carry) and a TD. The success Illinois had on the ground leads me to believe Michigan can have similar success on the ground against this USC defense. 

Jyaire Hill

I picked Jyaire Hill here because USC has two legitimate NFL draft picks at wide receiver, with one possibly projecting to go in the 1st round next April. Makai Lemon and Ja'Kobi Lane are both very good WR’s, and Makai Lemon in particular can give defense a lot of problems. He can beat DB’s in so many ways, he’s capable of taking a screen pass 50 yards for a TD, and also winning a jump ball in the end zone. Not many wide receivers can win in every way and at every level of the field but Makai Lemon is absolutely capable of that. Ja'Kobi Lane is another really good player at WR for the Trojans as he’s a big-bodied deep threat type who can also win in the red zone. Jyaire Hill in particular, and all the other defensive backs for that matter, will have their hands full this weekend and I’m very curious to see if the Wolverines' secondary can keep these guys in check or not. 

Derrick Moore

Derrick Moore has been really good thus far for Michigan against both the run and the pass. Jayden Maiava is a really good QB for the Trojans and it’ll be up to Derrick Moore and company to make sure he doesn’t feel comfortable back there. USC’s offensive line has had problems blocking the better defensive lines they’ve faced this season and Michigan’s defensive line will be the best they’ll have played to this point. Derrick Moore is also coming off possibly the two best games of his career in my opinion, playing really well both on the road at Nebraska as well as last weekend against Wisconsin. I expect Derrick Moore to continue to have success here against this USC offensive line and make Jayden Maiava feel uncomfortable in this one. 

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