Chasen Johnson has quietly become one of USC’s steadier pieces in the secondary, and now the redshirt sophomore corner is staring down a different kind of test in Week 11.
Through eight games, Johnson has put together 14 total tackles, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery while working in a rotating role. Against No.
9 Indiana, though, the assignment gets louder. The Hoosiers bring two top targets to the table in Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh, and both have forced defenses to pick their poison.
Becker has 50 catches for 875 yards and nine touchdowns. Marsh has added 38 receptions for 669 yards and eight scores. Johnson knows exactly what kind of challenge that creates.
“Real physical guy. Has some great speed. He's a real experienced receiver, so it's going to be a great matchup,” Johnson said.
The quarterback situation is just as unsettled. Like USC’s Week 9 matchup with Ohio State, the Trojans won’t know for sure who they’re preparing for until game time. Indiana’s options are Josh Hoover and Grant Wilson, with Wilson having taken over in the second half against Minnesota.
“We prepare every game the same way no matter who's out there,” Johnson said about the Hoosiers’ quarterbacks. “So, we just attack the film room and do as much as we can with the receivers’ tendencies and all that.”
If Indiana has a clear calling card on offense, it’s the run game. The Hoosiers are averaging 5.1 yards per carry, which ranks No. 17 nationally, along with 33.6 rushes and 172.5 rushing yards per game.
“Like I said, they're a disciplined program, really experienced,” Johnson said about their run game. “You know the great coach [Curt Cignetti] that they have.”
That experience has shown up in tight finishes, too. Indiana is 4-1 in one-score games, something Johnson pointed to as a sign of how well the group is wired.
“I think that's because they're so close,” Johnson said of Indiana's ability to win close games. “They must have a real, great culture because how they how they end up on top every time.
Not a coincidence. So, we just got to go out there, play our best game.”
USC’s own growth has come on the defensive side, where tackling has been a point of emphasis. The Trojans entered the season with second-level tackling as a recurring issue, but the unit has improved as the year has gone on. Week 9 stood out as its best showing, with 62 solo tackles and a cleaner effort at limiting explosive plays.
“We hit that tackle circuit and we pay attention to our leverage tackles and being aggressive.”
The bigger response, though, came after USC’s 24-7 loss to Wisconsin, when the noise around the program grew louder. Questions about toughness, Lincoln Riley’s job security and the Trojans’ fading playoff hopes all swirled at once. Johnson said the way the team handled that stretch mattered.
“I definitely say our edge and our camaraderie. Staying together and not turning on each other when things go bad,” Johnson said about the team.
“Just keeping that brotherhood, because this week has been about us and our standard. Once we focus on that off the field, then it'll just come together on the field.”
Johnson also credited second-year cornerbacks coach T-Reed for helping him sharpen the details of his game.
“T-Reed, he stays the same throughout it all. Real solid guy so he doesn't really change up at all. Same intensity, same edge, same attention to detail and it doesn't change,” Johnson said about the second-year cornerbacks coach.
“I definitely say off the field, as watching film, being able to recognize splits and tendencies from receivers,” Johnson said when asked how Reed has helped him grow as a player.
“Great… You have a bad rep here and there and he's just always the positive guy coming in your ear, making sure you got that next-play mentality with that veteran experience he has.”
Johnson also sees a clear difference in how one teammate is developing.
“100 percent. He looks way more gifted. He looks way more comfortable out there.”
In Other News...
Indiana Gets One Encouraging Sign Before Must Win USC Matchup
Indiana at least got one bit of positive injury news heading into a must-win matchup with USC, with quarterback Josh Hoover expected to be available after being left off the initial injury report. Coach Curt Cignetti still has not named a starter, but he said Hoover will be in uniform if he stays clear of the report, giving the Hoosiers some stability at the most important position as they try to keep their season on track.
The rest of the availability picture is less reassuring. Leading rusher Turbo Richard and defensive end Kellan Wyatt have already been ruled out, while cornerback A.J. Harris and linebacker Rolijah Hardy are listed as questionable, leaving Indiana with several key spots still unsettled. Even with Hoover trending in the right direction, the Hoosiers are heading into a game where every healthy body matters, and the final lineup could shape how much room they have to compete with USC. [Read more 🡒]
Indianas Quarterback Uncertainty Just Got Bigger Before USC
Indianas quarterback situation got a little murkier this week as Curt Cignetti sorted through a room already under scrutiny ahead of USC. Grant Wilson missed practice because of the flu, while Josh Hoover was held out for injury recovery, leaving the Hoosiers to lean more heavily on backup Jacob Bell, who drew praise from Cignetti for the way he handled his work on the field.
The timing is less than ideal with USC looming, especially with Cignetti already pointing to the Trojans offense and defense as a major test. Indiana also has some cleanup to do in other areas, including special teams, which adds another layer to a week that was already going to be about finding answers before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Urban Meyer Just Reignited Indianas CFP Respect Debate
Indianas place in the College Football Playoff conversation took another public hit this week when Urban Meyer weighed in on the rankings, and the former coach did not exactly defend the Hoosiers standing. On FOX, Meyer pointed out that Indiana slid from No. 4 to No. 9 even without playing in Week 10, using the drop as evidence that the committee may have overvalued the Hoosiers early on.
The larger debate around Indiana has only grown louder as Notre Dame and UCLA moved up in the rankings and the Big Ten and Big 12 continue to jockey for playoff representation. Meyers comments fed right into the skepticism around Indianas rsum, with unimpressive wins and a shaky strength of schedule becoming the central sticking points in how the Hoosiers are being judged. [Read more 🡒]