While all the focus -- and scrutiny -- remains on how USC is using its two quarterbacks, another storyline heading into the Trojans' game at Arizona State last week was how they would spread around the passing targets without star receiver Drake London.
It was the first full game since London's devastating season-ending ankle injury and probably no coincidence that it was also not a good night for the passing offense, as Kedon Slovis and Jaxson Dart combined to go 24 of 45 for 220 yards, 0 TDs and 2 INTs.
"We left a lot of plays out there. They were playing hard. They did some good things, but I feel we left a lot out there," receivers coach Keary Colbert said of his unit.
But USC did at least get a lot of receivers/tight ends involved during that 31-16 loss in Tempe, Ariz., in ways many of them haven't been all season.
Here was the snap count breakdown of the wide receivers and tight ends, per PFF (out of 80 total offensive plays for the Trojans):
-Sophomore WR Gary Bryant Jr. -- 70 (season high, but more notably a season-high 41.3 percent of his snaps came on the outside rather than in the slot)
-Redshirt sophomore WR Tahj Washington -- 61 (standard usage)
-Redshirt junior TE Malcolm Epps -- 34 (second-most all season behind 36 the previous week vs. Arizona)
-Freshman TE Lake McRee -- 33 (season high, 19 snaps more than his offensive debut in Week 9)
-Redshirt senior TE Erik Krommenhoek -- 32 (standard usage)
-Redshirt sophomore WR Kyle Ford -- 30 (season high)
-Redshirt sophomore TE Jude Wolfe -- 21 (less than the last three games)
-Freshman WR Michael Jackson III -- 19 (season high, first extensive offensive action)
-Freshman WR Joseph Manjack IV -- 14 (second-most since Week 3 but less than his 27 the previous week vs. Arizona)
-Redshirt senior WR K.D. Nixon -- 2 (first offensive snaps since Week 6)
It was safe to assume that Bryant and Washington would further separate as the team's top two receivers, which happened as Washington finished with 9 catches for 78 yards and Bryant 6 catches for 64 to lead the offense. They also combined for 27 of the 42 total passing targets, while no other individual had more than 4.
What was unknown is what the trickle-down impact of London's absence would be on the lesser used WRs and TEs.
And to some degree, given the lack of production, it's still unknown.
Ford, Epps, McRee and Jackson were the biggest beneficiaries in terms of increased playing time, but none parlayed that into a notable stat line, so the distribution could certainly change next week vs. UCLA. Ford had 2 catches for 24 yards but a critical drop late in the game, Epps had 1 catch for 19 yards and Jackson had 1 for 11. (It should also be noted that Bryant had 2 drops and Washington had 1.)
