LOOKING FOR REDEMPTION IN A DESERT
Trojans will try to beat Sun Devils in Tempe for first time since 2009
TEMPE, Ariz. — USC is back in the desert, back in the place that led to the end for former coach Lane Kiffin — and opened the door for Steve Sarkisian.
The Trojans’ loss to Arizona State two years ago at Sun Devil Stadium was Kiffin’s final game as USC’s coach, a fact he learned a few hours afterward when Athletic Director Pat Haden fired him at LAX.
Sarkisian’s immediate future probably is not quite as tenuous. He is only four games into his second season.
But last week’s loss to Stanford left Sarkisian, his coaching staff and Haden feeling scalding heat unrelated to the forecast for triple-digit temperatures here.
Before the season, Saturday night’s Pac-12 Conference game between the Trojans and Sun Devils was regarded as pivotal to USC’s chances of winning the loaded South Division.
It got exponentially
bigger after Stanford pushed around the Trojans’ defense in a 41-31 USC loss at the Coliseum.
USC plunged from sixth to 19th in the Associated Press media poll amid questions — and complaints from some fans — about Sarkisian and defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox.
If USC loses again, it would be 0-2 in conference play for the first time since 2013. And that did not bode well for the former head coach.
Wilcox said this week that the defense’s performance against Stanford was “unacceptable” that “it all starts with the coaches” and that he expected the Trojans to respond with better play against the Sun Devils. It could be a challenge. After three consecutive home games, USC plays on the road for the first time with a roster that includes about a dozen freshmen in starting or prominent backup roles.
And an Arizona State team that has won twice after losing its opener against then-unranked Texas A&M will be buoyed by one of the Pac-12’s most raucous crowds.
“It’s loud,” USC quarterback Cody Kessler said of Sun Devil Stadium. “It’s crazy.”
Much of the student section’s attention is expected to be directed at Sarkisian, who will be in an opposing stadium for the first time since he appeared to be drunk while speaking at a preseason booster event.
Sarkisian hopes the Trojans will bond away from home.
“It might be good for us to get on the road and be together and be tight,” he said, “because it’s going to take that kind of mentality as a team, not only this game, but moving forward throughout the season.”
Last season, USC lost to Arizona State at the Coliseum on a 46-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Mike Bercovici to receiver Jaelen Strong as time expired. The play is known by some in these parts as the “Jael Mary.”
Strong is now in the NFL, but Bercovici and several key players are back for a team that will try to keep USC winless at Sun Devil Stadium since 2009.
“He definitely has a gunslinger mentality,” Sarkisian said of Bercovici, adding, “Hopefully, we can force some errant throws when he’s letting it rip to create some turnovers.”
USC’s defense, which has not forced a turnover since the opener, is trying to rebound after failing to consistently pressure or contain Stanford quarterback Kevin Hogan, who burned the Trojans with passes and scrambles.
Bercovici also has shown he can use his legs to make plays on read-option decisions and scrambles.
“As long as we keep him in the pocket and we cover I think we should be fine,” USC linebacker Su’a Cravens said.
Trojans defensive linemen, who have generated only 11⁄2 sacks, will attempt to pressure Bercovici.
“There’s a lot of improvement that needs to be done,” tackle Delvon Simmons said, “and I feel like we’re capable of getting it done.”
Sarkisian, Wilcox and Haden certainly hope so.