What We Learned: Notre Dame’s offense will be ‘a lot to deal with’ for USC

If USC is going to beat Notre Dame, deemed a near two-touchdown favorite by sports books, it’s offense will need to play considerably better than it did just two weeks ago at Washington, and better than it did in two weeks before that at BYU.

Its level of performance versus Stanford or Utah will likely do. As for the defense, which hasn’t experienced nearly the same amount of fluctuation from week to week, knocking off the Fighting Irish in South Bend on Saturday will require their best effort of the season.

Notre Dame’s offense is hardly a juggernaut. It’s just efficient. And it’s looks to be the best offense USC, which has allowed between 20 and 30 points in all five games, will have faced to this point.

“This one definitely is a big challenge,” defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast said. “It’s a formidable offense and we’re looking forward to the challenge.”

That challenge specifically entails a power run game producing 5.2 yards a carry and a passing attack predicated on short and intermediate throws. The hard part is, as Pendergast put it, “they give you the whole gamut from sideline to sideline to have to cover.”

“I think they’re very diverse in what they do,” he added. “They obviously have a very good RPO game with the quick combinations outside with all their different formations. And they also have a very sophisticated dropback game. So they’re a lot to deal with, not only from a run game standpoint but the things they provide you in the passing game. And the quarterback sees the field really well. He knows the system and operates at a really high level.”

The same can be said about safety Talanoa Hufanga, arguably USC’s best defensive player. The sophomore was cleared to play earlier this week after sitting out against Washington with a concussion and shoulder sprain.

USC will be closer to full strength on defense than it has been since Week 2 versus Stanford, as defensive end Christian Rector said his ankle is about 85-90 percent. Cornerback Olaijah Griffin is also said to not be experiencing any issues after missing the last game because of back spasms.

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Hufanga, meanwhile, remained in a non-contact jersey for a second consecutive day Wednesday as a precaution, but said he doesn’t have any limitations heading into South Bend this weekend. His presence in particular is a potential game-changer for the Trojans. Hufanga was recently rated by Pro Football Focus as the Pac-12’s best tackler. He’s also a Swiss Army knife of sorts for Pendergast.

"I think he brings a whole other energy level to our defense when he's available,” Pendergast said. "... He can do a lot of different things for us. He can play up around the line of scrimmage, he can play in the intermediate part of the field or he can play in the back part of the field. We've had things kind of dialed up for him when he's been available to be in all those different situations so to be able to utilize some of those things is kind of part of what we [planned for] in the offseason."

A notable plan for this weekend is defending Fighting Irish’s RPO plays, which they seemed to have utilized more of earlier in the season. Book isn’t maybe as big of a threat to run as some of the other QBs the Trojans have already faced, but his mobility and willingness to take off makes him a constant threat.

Given the variations in their run game, and how the pass often plays off of it, Hufanga’s role will be vital to USC’s initiative to contain it.

“It comes back to the eye control,” he said. “If you have bad eyes you’re going to be out of your spot, and that’s when they make plays.”

His assessment mirrors that of defensive backs coach Greg Burns, who was also asked what would be the X factor in defending RPOs.

“The secondary keeping their eyes where they need to keep them,” he said, before uttering six words that have kept USC’s defense from making the leap from good to great:

“And then make open-field tackles.”

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