- Messages
- 5,407
- Reaction score
- 311
As the Holiday Bowl matchup comes closer, we here at MTB break out our crack opposition research team once again.
Up today is a look at what the Trojans will throw at UW with their offense. So, let’s see what our research team has uncovered about USC.
Starters: (2015 season stats)
WR: Darreus Rogers (6-1, 215, Jr.) — 26 receptions, 264 yards, 2 touchdowns
WR: Steven Mitchell Jr. (5-10, 190, So.) — 35 receptions, 308 yards, 4 touchdowns
WR: JuJu Smith-Schuster (6-2, 215, So.) — 85 receptions, 1,389 yards, 10 touchdowns
LT: Chad Wheeler (6-7, 280, Jr.) — Started 12 of 13 games, named 2015 All-Pac-12 second team
LG: Damien Mama (6-4, 355, So.) — Started 12 of 13 games, named 2015 All-Pac-12 honorable mention
C: Khaliel Rodgers (6-3, 305, So.) — One of 4 players to start at center in 2015, making 6th start of the season
RG: Viane Talamaivao (6-2, 320, So.) — 7 starts in 2015
RT: Zach Banner (6-9, 360, Jr.) — Started 13 games (12 at RT, 1 at LT), named All-Pac-12 first team & USC OL of the Year
RB: Justin Davis (6-1, 195, Jr.) — 157 attempts, 875 yards, 5 touchdowns, 72.9 yards per game
OR Ronald Jones II (6-0, 185, Fr.) — 145 attempts, 940 yards, 8 touchdowns, 72.3 yards per game
QB: Cody Kessler (6-1, 215, Sr.) — 67.6 comp. %, 3,315 yards, 28 touchdowns, 6 interceptions, 255.0 yards per game
TE: Taylor McNamara (6-5, 245, Jr.) — 10 receptions, 62 yards, 4 touchdowns
SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 05: Cody Kessler #6 of the USC Trojans drops back to pass against the Stanford Cardinal during the second quarter of the NCAA Pac-12 Championship game at Levi’s Stadium on December 5, 2015 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Team Rankings:
USC Offense Rankings: (Stat/Pac-12/National) *according to CFBstats.com
Total Offense: 449.6 ypg — 7th — 34th
Scoring Offense: 34.9 ppg — 5th — 30th
Passing Offense: 273.5 ypg — 5th — 31st
Rushing Offense: 176.2 ypg — 8th — 61st
Badgers Defense Rankings: (Stat/B1G/National)
Total Defense: 267.1 ypg — 1st — 3rd
Scoring Defense: 13.1 ppg — 1st — 1st
Passing Defense: 169.2 ppg — 2nd — 6th
Rushing Defense: 97.9 ypg — 1st — 4th
Advanced Stats
*courtesy FootballStudyHall.com
The Basics
Category USC Wisconsin
S&P+ (Rk) 19 28
Category USC offense Wisconsin defense Wisconsin offense USC defense
Yards per play (Rk) 5.97 (33) 4.06 (3) 5.02 (96) 5.63 (92)
Yards per game (Rk) 440.2 (37) 256.6 (1) 375.3 (86) 412.6 (79)
Points per possession (Rk) 2.79 (21) 1.02 (1) 2.10 (76) 2.05 (68)
Category USC offense Wisconsin defense Wisconsin offense USC defense
S&P+ (Rk) 39.6 (12) 15.1 (7) 26.2 (86) 25.4 (49)
Rushing S&P+ (Rk) 109.7 (34) 119.5 (14) 98.7 (80) 111.0 (35)
Passing S&P+ (Rk) 112.6 (38) 126.7 (9) 110.2 (39) 107.1 (41)
Standard Downs S&P+ (Rk) 109.7 (36) 121.6 (7) 101.3 (63) 108.1 (35)
Passing Downs S&P+ (Rk) 111.9 (41) 127.0 (11) 112.1 (40) 110.4 (32)
Q1 S&P+ (Rk) 112.3 (40) 129.8 (10) 97.6 (83) 93.7 (90)
Q2 S&P+ (Rk) 122.3 (18) 110.0 (46) 130.1 (9) 118.6 (20)
Q3 S&P+ (Rk) 112.0 (39) 140.6 (5) 105.8 (57) 122.2 (19)
Q4 S&P+ (Rk) 107.2 (45) 122.2 (11) 93.4 (99) 111.6 (33)
Five Factors
Category USC offense Wisconsin defense Wisconsin offense USC defense
EXPLOSIVENESS 1.27 (57) 1.17 (24) 1.16 (111) 1.26 (72)
EFFICIENCY 45.3% (27) 33.2% (8) 41.8% (69) 43.2% (83)
FIELD POSITION 28.1 (108) 27.7 (27) 33.2 (11) 29.4 (61)
FINISHING DRIVES 5.3 (16) 3.3 (3) 4.1 (107) 4.4 (44)
TURNOVER MARGIN EXPECTED:
USC 3.00 (40)
Wisconsin 0.00 (72) ACTUAL
USC 12 (9)
Wisconsin 2 (52)
When USC has the ball…
Standard Downs
USC Offense
Wisconsin Defense
Avg.
Avg.
Rk
Avg.
Rk
Edge
Standard Downs S&P+ 109.7
36
121.6
7
Wisconsin
Standard Downs Success Rate 51.4
22
38.7
9
Wisconsin
Standard Downs IsoPPP 1.09
71
1.17
26
Wisconsin
SD Line Yards per Carry 3.05
45
2.88
66
USC
SD Sack Rate 3.9%
46
4.9%
71
USC
Passing DownsUSC Offense
Wisconsin Defense
Avg.
Avg.
Rk
Avg.
Rk
Edge
Passing Downs S&P+ 111.9
41
127.0
11
Wisconsin
Passing Downs Success Rate 31.0
62
22.4
7
Wisconsin big
Passing Downs IsoPPP 2.00
17
1.54
44
USC
PD Line Yards per Carry 3.48
39
2.80
31
PD Sack Rate 11.7%
118
9.5%
25
Wisconsin big
3 Keys to Badgers Success:1. Red Zone Defense — How do the Badgers defense do what they do despite a weaker offense? The key comes in their ability to not allow many red zone opportunities, and even then they usually don’t end well. Wisconsin leads the Big Ten in red zone defense, allowing just 16 scores in only 22 opportunities this season. Just eight of those 16 conversions were of the touchdown variety. Conversely, USC is sixth in the Pac-12 converting 87 percent of their red zone chances (47-54). Something will give, and Wisconsin needs to be its stingy self in the red zone if they’re going to win.
2. Make USC One-Dimensional — Wisconsin’s defense is clearly one of the best statistically in all of college football. However, this USC offense is at a level it hasn’t seen since Week 1, and that didn’t end well at all. Slowing down star receiver and one-time Badger recruit, JuJu Smith-Schuster seems logical, but that’s not easy to do. What Wisconsin needs to do is not allow the running game to get going in any way, shape or form. It will allow Aranda and Co. to dial up the blitzes and make USC’s shaky offensive line (35 sacks given up) have to respond to pressure — something they clearly haven’t done much of this season.
3. Limit Explosive Passing Plays — While we’re looking at our newest section in opposition research, advanced stats, it is clear that the biggest worry area for the Badgers defense is USC’s ability to score quickly on explosive plays (see Passing Downs IsoPPP). Wisconsin’s defensive weakness has been giving up those big plays from time to time, and it shows in this stat as well, ranking 47th in the country in IsoPPP defense on passing downs. Eliminating the big passing play goes hand-in-hand with our second point, but it also means guys like Sojourn Shelton and Michael Caputo stepping up plenty in coverage downs as well.
The post Badgers Opposition Research: USC offense edition appeared first on Madtown Badgers.
Continue reading...
