USC under pressure against high-octane Arizona State

Since Clay Helton was made USC’s full-time football coach in November, his team has gone 1-6.

It is a slow start that has left a fervent fanbase frustrated.

But as pressure has intensified, Helton said he understands the disappointment.

“I know the expectations of ’SC, and I’m a realist,” Helton said this week. “We’re in a production-based business. If you don’t win, especially at this level, there’s going to be griping, and it’s well deserved.”

The decision to remove the interim tag from Helton was popular late last season. Two days before the official aouncement, the Trojans had finished atop the Pac-12 South with a victory over rival UCLA. They had won five of six games. Players raved.

Then feelings soured.

In its next three games, USC lost the Pac-12 championship game to Stanford, the Holiday Bowl to Wisconsin and this season’s opener to Alabama.

“We asked for him,” junior safety Chris Hawkins said. “Now we have to go perform. We haven’t done that.”

A loss Saturday night to Arizona State threatens to drop the Trojans to 0-3 in the conference for the first time since 2011. It could also nearly eliminate them from contention for the division title.

In the five seasons since the conference split into two divisions, no team has won the South with more than three losses. Effectively, USC would then need to win its final six conference games.

Asked about the heat on Helton, Hawkins said it was little of a concern. Things have remained steady.

“Everybody wants to be here, but not everybody can handle the pressure,” Hawkins said. “I feel like he is handling the pressure well. He’s keeping our spirits up. He’s keeping his own spirits up.”

The Sun Devils present a formidable test. They are 4-0 for the first time since 2007.

When USC has the ball

USC had its best offensive performance this season at Utah.

It averaged 7.9 yards per play, its best mark in a Pac-12 game since a 44-17 win at Washington State in 2014.

But the Trojans finished with only only two offensive touchdowns, undone by three fumbles in opposing territory, including one in the red zone. The previous game, they were flagged for five false starts at Stanford.

“I think we have the guys, we have the weapons,” redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Darnold said. “We just need to execute.”

The offense’s resurgence came as Darnold made his first start at quarterback, taking over for Max Browne.

Darnold threw for 253 yards on 69 percent passing. He also picked up 41 rushing yards, the most by a USC quarterback since 2004.

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The Trojans are looking to be more explosive.

They have only two plays from scrimmage this season of 40 yards or more, 107th in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

In its win at Arizona State last season, USC had two passing plays of at least 40 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown pass from Cody Kessler to Adoree’ Jackson.

Under Todd Graham, the Sun Devils have often been one of the teams in the conference to blitz most frequently.

“He is ultra aggressive,” Helton said. “You primarily see it on second and third downs, or second and long, when he thinks he’s ahead of the game. He wants the ball out of the quarterback’s hands extremely fast.”

That might free up junior receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. As Arizona State’s defense brings pressure, it leaves its secondary in man coverage, Helton added.

It might be a favorable matchup for USC. Arizona State ranks last nationally in pass defense.

When Arizona State has the ball

The last time USC defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast faced Arizona State, the Trojans gave up 62 points and 612 total yards.

Pendergast remained on staff, but Lane Kiffin did not. He was fired after the game.

The Sun Devils rank first in the Pac-12 in scoring offense, averaging 49 points per game, as well as putting up 6.31 yards per play.

“I don’t think field goals are going to be good enough,” Helton said.

In a 51-41 win over Cal last week, the Sun Devils scored 31 points in the fourth quarter.

“They scored 31 in the fourth?” Hawkins said. “That’s impressive.”

Quarterback May Wilkins presents a passing and ruing threat.

Ruing back Kalen Ballage has run for nine touchdowns — eight against Texas Tech to tie an FBS record.

Arizona State finished with 68 points against the Red Raiders.

The Trojans hope to avoid a similar shootout.

“We can’t expect our offense to score 60 points like Texas Tech,” Hawkins said. “That’s not the kind of team we are. We don’t really want to play that kind of game.”

Last week, the Trojans’ defense wore down in the fourth quarter, as Utah scored touchdowns on its final three drives.

“It doesn’t matter what the opponent does,” sophomore linebacker Cameron Smith said. “We have to play the whole game. We have to finish games.”

Sophomore linebacker Cameron Smith said USC plans to blitz more.

“That’s definitely in the gameplan this week,” he said.

The Trojans have not generated much pressure, with only five sacks in four games.

When they have blitzed, the Trojans have allowed 8.6 yards per play, ranking 10th in the Pac-12, according to ESPN.