Behind Enemy Lines: 5 Questions With USC Expert

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With the Oregon State football team (3-0) set to host No. 7 USC (3-0) at Reser Stadium on Saturday evening, BeaversEdge talks with TrojanSports Publisher Ryan Young to learn more about the Trojans...

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Ryan Young: "Somehow, he's managed to exceed expectations that were already sky high. It's really been something to watch. A program that had no identity, no discipline and was totally rudderless a year ago, now looks so professionally run that one can even more appreciate all that was lacking before.

I personally am amazed that he was able to take some many new pieces from a bunch of places, under a new coaching staff, and produce what looks to be a perfectly in-sync offense most of the time. The commitment from all the skill position players to blocking downfield speaks to the buy-in that exists, the play-calling and play design is something to marvel at a few times a game and the talent is off the charts across the board.

It's easy to see why Jordan Addison won the Biletnikoff Award last year, why Caleb Williams is a Heisman Trophy candidate, why Travis Dye has more than 4,000 career rushing/receiving yards, etc. The defense has been a little bit of a different story. We knew it was going to take a while to fix things on that side as it had just totally fallen apart.

The Trojans are prone to being gashed in the run game and giving up a handful of big chunk plays a game -- but they do have an identity on that side too. They are opportunistic and deliver big plays when it seems to matter most -- 10 turnovers forced through three games and ranking tied for second in the country with 14 sacks. They are the epitome of bend-but-don't-break. So anything is possible week to week on that side of the ball, but the offense is going to consistently score a lot of points.

RY: "They've been the story across the board. Caleb Williams (Oklahoma) has been as advertised -- the velocity and accuracy he's shown (save for an erratic stretch in the first half vs. Fresno State) is very impressive. Addison (Pitt) and Mario Williams (Oklahoma) are the team's top receivers, while fellow transfer Brenden Rice (Colorado) also starts at wideout.

Dye (Oregon) and Austin Jones (Stanford) split the running back duties. Bobby Haskins (Virginia) has shared the left tackle job so far. Solomon Byrd (Wyoming) has emerged as the team's best edge rusher, Eric Gentry (Arizona State) and Shane Lee (Alabama) have been major upgrades at linebacker and Mekhi Blackmon (Colorado) is a rock at cornerback."