Reporter Roundtable: Picks, predictions and perspective for USC-Arizona

With his team 3-3 after losses in three of the last four games, coach Clay Helton has emphasized the goal of pursuing a Pac-12 championship over the second half of the season.

USC (2-1 in the conference) controls its destiny in the Pac-12 South while holding a valuable tiebreaker over Utah. The Utes, Arizona State and this week's opponent Arizona are also all 2-1 in the league, so the Trojans can ensure their spot atop the standings by winning out.

(Whether that can save Helton's job is another matter).

Of course, this is a USC team that is 8-10 since the start of last season, so expecting six straight wins is a most optimistic outlook.

It's a better conversation to be had in a few weeks.

First, USC hosts Arizona (4-2) on Saturday night in the Coliseum in what projects to be an entertaining offensive showcase.

The Trojans will look to build on their strong finish at Notre Dame (four straight scoring drives in the second half) while going against a vulnerable Arizona defense, while the Wildcats will hope QB Khalil Tate can be a difference-maker with his arm and legs against a depleted USC defense.

The TrojanSports.com staff discusses the matchup and gives predictions and perspective for Saturday.

1. What's your expectation for USC's depleted defense and the players who will have to step into larger roles?

Ryan Young: "Moderate concern, but not overwhelming. I think linebacker Palaie Gaoteote is the biggest loss. I know he's been up and down this season, but he's still a very talented and instinctive player and I simply don't know what to expect with Kana'i Mauga filling his void. I'd like to see freshman Ralen Goforth get some work at middle linebacker, sliding John Houston to the weakside. At nickel, I think freshman Max Williams could actually be an upgrade over Greg Johnson. Williams still has plenty to prove, but he looked good in his limited action against Washington and I've been high on his potential since he signed with USC. At cornerback, meanwhile, I have to imagine that Isaac Taylor-Stuart will be limited if he plays at all (he's officially a game-time decision with a sprained ankle). That would mean the defensive debut of freshman Dorian Hewett. I don't have any guess as to how he'll play -- we haven't been able to watch practice since he was moved to corner full-time -- but I'm intrigued by his skill set as one of the fastest players on the roster. While Khalil Tate has had a couple big passing games this season, I'm not worried about the secondary. Maybe that's naïve -- we'll see."

Tajwar Khandaker: "I think the drop-off will be noticeable, but I think the Trojan defense will be fine nonetheless. Isaac Taylor Stuart looked fine when he came back into action last week -- my gut tells me he’ll be able to play. Not having Olaijah Griffin stings, but ITS and Chris Steele have shown they’re capable of holding it down. Greg Johnson’s absence doesn’t concern me all too much; he’s been a liability for most of the year, and the opportunity for younger players like Max Williams to run the nickel spot could be a positive. The absence of Palaie Gaoteote will hurt the most. Kana’i Mauga will look to replace him, but Mauga has profiled more as an edge rusher. It’ll be interesting to see whether or not he’ll be able to handle responsibilities in the middle of the defense for a full game."

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