USC Football: Trojans Offensive Line a Potential Weak Link Against Notre Dame

They'll need this unit on their A-game this Saturday

The USC Trojans have their most challenging game to date as they head to Indiana to take on their arch-rivals, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. 

The conditions will not be in the Trojans' favor as it will be 42 degrees in the nighttime with cloudy skies, a 17% chance of rain, and winds traveling roughly 14 mph, according to Weather.com. 

This calls for a run-first type of game, meaning the offensive line will need to show up and show out for the backfield. Unlike last week, where the offensive line had their worst performance of the seaosn against the 3-3 Arizona Wildcats. 

That lackluster performance won't fly against the 21st-ranked Fighting Irish. According to USC offensive lines coach Josh Henson, the lien is still "a work in progress," and we noticed after giving up four sacks and 37 pressures to QB Caleb Willaims.

Still, USC head coach Lincoln Riley believes in his big men upfront and is confident in that group.  

“We do feel like we’ve got a good group right now to work with,” Riley said. “There’s definite signs of us being able to play the ball that we feel like we’re going to be capable of playing there, which we feel like is high.”

(via LA Times)

It was evident that Williams had never faced that type of pressure in his entire USC tenure, and he wasn't shy to let the people know about it. 

“I have not taken a hit like that before,” Williams said. “I tend to stay out of those.”“It’s not this crisis thing,” he said. “But again it’s being consistent getting your job done every snap.”

(via LA Times)

If there's a time for the Trojans O-line to show up, it's this Saturday. The conditions put USC in a tough predicament, and the run game will need to thrive for the Trojans to steal a major road win, meaning the offensive line will play a big role in ensuring that. 

Protect Williams, MarShawn Lloyd, Austin Jones, and the others, and the Trojans should be able to do what they want on that side of the ball. 

It's imperative for USC to establish the run, gain time of possession, and dominate the Fighting Irish on the ground. We'll see how the O-line comes out and responds.