Boston College at USC: BC Defense vs. USC Offense
By Joe Micik
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Boston College used to boast some of the best defenses in the country, even as recently as several years ago. Likewise, the USC Trojans have in modern times had fearsome offenses with Heisman Trophy winners at the helm. Now, both units are shells of their former selves, though things may be looking up for one of them.
BC Defense vs. USC Offense: Stat Comparison
Boston College’s defensive statistics are vastly improved over 2012, at least in keeping with the fact that only two games have been played. Villanova and Wake Forest are not quite Alabama and Oregon, but you have to play the teams you’ve scheduled. On the other hand, those are the offensive statistics that the Trojans have compiled in two games against Hawaii and Washington State — from the USC perspective, “offensive” has a double meaning. The Rainbow Warriors have not been heard from since Colt Brennan skipped town, and Washington State may improve but are coming off of a nine-loss season.
We can only work with the statistics we have, and those we do have say that the Eagles defense has done better overall with its task than the Trojans offense has.
The USC offense has been a mess for the majority of their first eight quarters of the 2013 season. Head coach Lane Kiffin did not even commit to a starting quarterback until Monday, choosing to do the quarterback-by-committee thing for the first two games, with unfortunate results. Of course, asking him to pick a quarterback out of the crop he has might be more like asking him to pick a punch to the face or a kick to the stomach. Both their starter, Cody Kessler, and the backup, Max Wittek, are inexperienced and have struggled. Their only other viable option, Max Browne, is a true freshman whom most knowledgeable Trojan fans would prefer to redshirt. USC is going to have its growing pains either way, and they have chosen to roll the dice on Kessler.
Meanwhile, Boston College’s defense has matched its 2012 sack total (6) in two games and has generated seven turnovers already. The Eagles and Trojans have been equally opportunistic in the latter department, tying for third-most takeaways in the country. Boston College has bent but not broken, and has been so obviously more aggressive than in years past that it almost goes without saying.