After their Week 7 bye, the No. 16 USC Trojans will be back on the road vs. the Wisconsin Badgers on Oct. 24. Besides preparing for another loud crowd, redshirt freshman safety Alex Graham says the secondary will need to step up in run support as well.
Stopping Wisconsin’s Run Game
“They're a super physical team, so just us coming down, making tackles, taking on blocks, keeping our leverages. Just playing ball at the end of the day. Having fun with it,” Graham said on how the secondary can help the front seven with stopping the run.
The Badgers currently run the ball 53.43 percent of the time (No. 57 in the nation) – 32.8 rushes per game (No. 97). They average 4.1 yards per carry (No. 76) and 136 yards per game (No. 84).
Dual threat quarterback Colton Joseph is the lead rusher with 69 carries for 333 yards and four touchdowns. Coming in second is 5-11, 214 pound senior back Abu Sama III with 224 yards off of 34 touches. Junior running back Darrion Dupree – 5-11, 218 pounds – also has 215 yards on 49 carries and two scores.
“At the end of the day, remember you have to do your one job, your 111. Do your job. Continue to play as a team and stay together.”
Impact of the Crowd Noise Simulator
One of the key features of the Bloom Football Performance Center has been the crowd noise simulator at the practice field. During Penn State week, the Trojans were preparing for the White Out crowd by blasting the sound system. Once again, they will be relying on it for the rowdy Camp Randall Stadium crowd.
“I think, like, definitely, ever since one of the first practices. Really, when they first installed it, we've been using them. Yeah, kind of used to it now,” Graham said about the crowd noise simulator.
House of Pain’s “Jump Around” has been blaring at the Bloom throughout the week, but Graham doesn’t mind one bit.
“It's been amazing. You know just to hear that – I actually like the song, so it turns me up. I really be jumping on the sideline when I'm in a game,” Graham said about Wisconsin’s fourth quarter song. “I jump around literally, but you know, I enjoy hearing that. I think it's going to be a fun one this week.”
“I don't think so,” Graham said when asked if he will get tired of hearing the song by the end of the week. “I really like that song.”
Taking it One Game at a Time
“It's the next one,” Graham said about the importance of the Wisconsin game. “Like I said, take it week by week. It's a team in front of us [that’s] trying to mess our record up. But you know, two good teams ready to play.”
The latter half of the Trojans’ schedule is projected to be a brutal one. They completed the first part of the gauntlet by beating Penn State at home. Now they’ll have to put on a similar performance in Madison. Then in Week 9 (Oct. 31), the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes are coming into town.
Starting quarterback Julian Sayin won’t be suiting up due to a season-ending injury, but Graham remains adamant that the Trojans are taking it one week at a time.
Recovery During the Trojans’ Bye Week
“Just keeping my body right. Making sure I'm recovering the right way … watching film and you're preparing for the next game,” Graham said about how he spent the bye week.
“Yeah, of course. More recovery, like you said, got more time. It's really the same schedule, though, with us still practicing everything. But overall, just keep the routine and routine, you know. Don't change it up. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.”
The redshirt freshman previously suffered an injury in the first half of the Rutgers game in Week 3. Graham ended up sidelined for the Oregon game, but he made his return to the field against Washington (Week 5) with three total tackles.
At the midway point of the season, Graham has a total of 15 tackles (eight on the defense), three tackles for loss, two sacks and a quarterback-hurry.
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