USC FILM ROOM: Breaking down Markese Stepp's big game at Notre Dame

USC redshirt freshman running back Markese Stepp has been building hype and momentum since the spring, even more so through the preseason and especially with each mounting week this fall.

The clamoring for Stepp to see a larger role peaked further after he turned 10 carries into 82 yards and a touchdown at Notre Dame last weekend.

It wasn't just what Stepp did, though -- it was how he did it.

Stepp should indeed be in line for more carries this week with USC leading rusher Vavae Malepeai out indefinitely following knee surgery, so we go deep inside the film to break down exactly why so many are so excited about the young Trojans running back.

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Analysis: On his first carry of the game, Stepp lines up directly beside Slovis in the pistol formation. With the snap, the offensive line down-blocks to the right, opening a large seam right up the middle. Stepp sees the hole and makes the easy choice to hit it, running full speed through the opening. His acceleration is on full display here, bursting through the gap too quickly for the Irish defenders around it to even touch him. After breaking past the line of scrimmage, Stepp has grass ahead of him and sprints for 16 yards before making contact with the safety. The defender strikes Stepp and wraps up his legs perfectly, but the big back manages to fall forward for an additional few yards. It’s a little surprising that Stepp runs straight into the last defender -- he was in perfect position to beat him one-on-one with either a juke or simply by running him over, and this could have been a touchdown had he done so. Stepp acknowledged later that this was a missed opportunity.

Analaysis: On a key third-and-1 from the Fighting Irish 22, Stepp is behind and to the left of Slovis in the pistol once again. The Trojans are in trips bunched tight to the left of the offensive line, and with the snap the running back is handed the ball for a dive down the middle. Immediately upon taking the handoff, Stepp is hit by a defensive lineman 3 yards behind the line of scrimmage after left tackle Austin Jackson is blown backwards. The defender, who has 50 pounds on Stepp at the least, hits him in the backfield and for 90 percent of running backs this is a tackle for loss. Not for Stepp. The back sheds the tackle with ease, aided by a quick stiff arm, and once again displays his burst, accelerating toward the hole. Stepp is hit by two more Irish defenders, but it’s too late. His secondary burst is enough to push his momentum through the tackles for a first down.

Analysis: Stepp is to the right of the QB in the pistol, and with the snap the Trojans run a sweep to the left. Both the center and left guard pull and the running back follows them towards the sideline looking for space to cut upfield. Unfortunately for him, the run blocking here is a mess. Notre Dame penetrates the backfield easily, and with nowhere to go Stepp is taken down 3 yards short of the line of scrimmage. Contrary to popular belief, I don’t find this to be a bad play call. Stepp is primarily a between-the-tackles runner, but there’s no reason he shouldn’t run the ball outside on occasion -- he’s fully capable of it. The problem here is just the poor blocking.

Analysis: On a pass play, USC lines up in simple dubs with Stepp to the right of Slovis in the pistol. Notre Dame blitzes, sending six total rushers at the quarterback, and Stepp is left with the task of picking up a blitz down the middle from an inside linebacker. Though the back squares up correctly and meets the linebacker head up, he’s driven backwards into Slovis. The quarterback feels pressure from a different pass-rusher on the outside before Stepp is pushed into him and slightly underthrows a post route to Amon-Ra St. Brown for what should have been a touchdown. Stepp does a great job of getting himself in position and getting his hands on the blitzer -- he only gets pushed backward due to a lack of proper footwork. Stepp is a very strong football player. If he comes forward to meet the rusher instead of waiting for him and drops a good anchor with his feet, he’d be able to set a clean block instead of being driven back.

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