Without Drake London, USC moves on with Kyle Ford (81) ready to step up

How will opposing defenses and the USC offense adjust without Trojans star receiver Drake London on the field?

Adam Grosbard (OC Register)  —  LOS ANGELES — On Sunday, as news trickled down throughout the program that USC wide receiver Drake London would miss the rest of the season with a fractured ankle, fellow wideout Kyle Ford approached cornerback Chris Steele with a request.

During one-on-ones this week at practice, Ford said, I only want to go against you.

“That was something that me and Drake had going for a minute, that was the only dude I would really go against,” said Steele, USC’s top corner. “So that just kinda let me know where Kyle’s head is at.”

The big question as USC prepares to face Arizona State on Saturday night is how the Trojans’ offense moves on in light of London’s injury, suffered last week in the second quarter of USC’s win over Arizona. London accounted for 29.6% of USC’s total offense through eight games, and has altered the ways defenses play the Trojans all year.

Take USC’s game against Colorado last month. The Buffs started by trying to double-team London, then moved to one-high safety and man coverage on receivers. When neither of those coverage plans worked, Colorado put most of their defenders into coverage to account for the pass, only for USC to switch to the run game.

All told in that game, London accounted for 130 yards, but USC’s offense went for 276 through the air and 218 on the ground.

The past two weeks, it seemed like USC was on the verge of creating the perfect storm on offense, with a dominant receiver like London complemented by running back Keaontay Ingram, who has averaged 171 yards rushing the past two games.

The hope was it would create a pick-your-poison situation for opposing defenses: Do you load the box to stop Ingram and leave London room to operate, or overcompensate for the standout receiver and allow Ingram to run wild?

The Arizona State game will be the case study in how defenses play USC now that London isn’t out there. A loaded box to stop Ingram makes the most sense for how teams will play it now, especially for a team like ASU that limits teams to 3.69 yards per carry.

“We were talking about it. We might get more man coverage without Drake,” USC quarterback Kedon Slovis said of the way defenses might adjust. “Drake is a huge receiver for us and it hurts to lose him, but any of the other guys out here can win against man coverage or expose defenses when they get a chance.”

USC will rely more heavily on guys like Gary Bryant Jr. and Tahj Washington. The pair of sophomores already had sizable roles this season; Washington is second on the team with 32 catches for 396 yards, while Bryant is just behind London with five touchdown receptions.

But the Trojans will need more targets to step up, especially if they are to offset the increased scrutiny that Ingram is sure to face. There are candidates like receivers Joseph Manjack IV and Michael Jackson III, or tight ends Malcolm Epps and Jude Wolfe.

But the early favorite to earn a bigger role is Ford, the redshirt sophomore who missed much of his first two seasons at USC because of separate ACL tears.

Ford got into the mix early in the season, with three catches for 35 yards in Week 2 against Stanford and making his first career touchdown reception the following game against Washington State.

But he did not play the next three games before coming back after the bye week for one reception against Notre Dame and two catches for 20 yards following London’s injury against Arizona.

“I feel like I’ve done a good job with my chances and obviously it sucks not being able to help your team because that’s the main thing, the main end goal for everything,” Ford said after practice Monday. “But here it is now. So I’m not going to dwell on the past and stuff.”

At 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds, Ford would give USC (4-4, 3-3 Pac-12) the physically imposing receiver it lost with London. Agility has sometimes been an issue as he’s come off the two surgeries. But Ford said Monday he felt the fastest and twitchiest he has this year, more to do with the rhythm of the season than separation from his last surgery.

Ford admitted Monday that his preparation has changed this week with the looming opportunity ahead of him against the Sun Devils (5-3, 3-2). Part of that is asking Steele for those one-on-one looks, part is just a greater focus with playing time to be seized.

That’s been felt throughout the receivers room this week.

“I’m not saying we weren’t serious before, but it’s definitely a lot more locked in, for sure. You can kinda feel that,” Ford said. “But I don’t think that’s taken away from any fun of the game. That’s a big part of our receiver room, we have fun and we do our job well.”

Ford arrived at USC as part of the same recruiting class as London, and describes London as his best friend. The two had a talk after the injury, in which Ford promised to carry the baton for his fallen teammate. London had a message for Ford, too.

“Go do it, go continue what I’ve been doing type thing and I told him I got him,” Ford said. “I feel like I can come in and make an impact and take over that role pretty well. I’m confident I’m ready, I’m ready for sure.”

USC (4-4, 3-3) at Arizona State (5-3, 3-2)

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Arizona

TV/Radio: ESPN/790 KABC

ocregister.com

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