The No. 18 USC Trojans are heading into Week 11 with the kind of injury pileup that keeps opening doors for younger players.
That’s especially true with a road trip to No. 9 Indiana, where the matchup should demand real physicality and, for some Trojans, a chance to prove they belong in bigger roles.
This is the stretch where “developing” starts to lose its value. If USC wants to keep its roster from getting squeezed by transfer portal concerns, a few younger names need to show up now.
The ground game feels like the clearest place to start. Indiana’s defensive front has been one of the best in the Big Ten and across the country, holding opponents to 2.5 yards per carry, which ranks No. 2, and 83.4 rushing yards per game, good for No.
- The Hoosiers also bring a 9.57 sack percentage rate, which ranks No. 9, and they’ve piled up 32 sacks overall.
Even so, USC showed in Week 9 against No. 20 Ohio State that it can function in a Big Ten-style game when the conditions get ugly. With temperatures expected to sit in the low to mid 40’s, the Trojans may need to lean on the run again.
That makes freshman Shahn Alston a natural fit for this spot. He has 24 carries for 120 yards and one touchdown in seven appearances, and at 5-10, 220 pounds, he brings the kind of downhill style that matches the weather. He also showed a little of that spark in the 24-7 loss to Wisconsin in Week 8, when he was one of the few bright spots with seven carries for 28 yards.
If USC gives Alston short-yardage work, he could help soften up Indiana’s defense and create cleaner lanes for King Miller and Waymond Jordan to attack for bigger gains. There’s also the possibility he breaks one himself.
The passing game may need a different kind of spark. In Week 9, much of USC’s damage came after the catch, including Trent Mosley’s 69-yard touchdown and Mark Bowman’s 70-yard play that set up a score. Repeating that kind of production won’t be easy, but Indiana’s secondary gives the Trojans a shot.
That’s where freshman wideout Ethan “Boobie” Feaster comes in. He has slipped away from meaningful reps at times, whether because of his age or how games have unfolded, but his speed is too obvious to keep sitting on the shelf.
During his junior year at DeSoto High (Texas), Feaster averaged 17.8 yards per reception and finished with 1,777 yards and 21 touchdowns, according to MaxPreps. He also added 112 yards on kickoff and punt returns. His track background has sharpened his acceleration, change-of-direction ability and short-area quickness, and he has a verified top speed of 21.3 miles per hour.
Screens, short-to-intermediate throws and jet sweeps are the kinds of touches that can unlock him, especially while he continues learning Lincoln Riley’s pass concepts.
The same logic applies to the rest of USC’s young pass-catchers. The 2027 wide receiver class is loaded enough to push for playing time, and getting Feaster and Tron Baker involved matters for both retention and development.
There’s also work to do on the defensive side, where the Trojans may need fresh bodies just to survive the trench battle. Indiana runs the ball well, averaging 5.1 yards per carry, 33.6 rushes per game and 172.5 rushing yards per game, which ranks No. 41.
That puts more responsibility on USC’s younger front-seven players. Defensive tackles Tomuhini “Tom Tom” Topui Jr. and Jaimeon Winfield have already seen more snaps in the last two games, and both bring 6-3, 320-pound frames that fit the interior fight. They don’t need to stuff the stat sheet if they can clog lanes, force runs outside and create pressure.
That kind of work would also help keep Jide Abasiri, Alex VanSumeren and Jahkeem Stewart fresher if this turns into a long battle up front. Floyd Boucard deserves mention too; the sophomore has shown up on this list often and is settling into a more important rotational spot. He’ll be needed again.
One more name to watch is redshirt freshman Jadyn Ramos. Transfer Zuriah Fisher has not made much of an impact off the edge, and Luke Wafle can’t carry everything by himself, which leaves Braylan Shelby as the only dependable rotational option at defensive end. Shelby has played in all nine games but has just five total tackles and two tackles for loss.
Ramos has the kind of frame and production that should earn him more chances. At 6-4, 250 pounds, he posted 18 sacks and 36.5 tackles for loss in his senior year at Conroe High (Texas), and USC could use that kind of backfield disruption. Like the receivers, the defensive line is feeling pressure from the 2027 class, and that only raises the urgency for Ramos to get on the field.
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Now the attention shifts to No. 9 Indiana, a matchup Johnson sees as a real test for USCs defense. He pointed to the Hoosiers strong run game and the variety they bring at receiver, while also noting the Trojans progress in tackling, the growing camaraderie in the secondary and the impact second-year corners coach T-Reed has had on his development. [Read more 🡒]