USC head coach Clay Helton has repeated it over and over again since he took over as the Trojan head coach — the key to winning is running the ball and stopping the run.
That mantra holds true for the Trojans as they prepare to take on the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Rose Bowl
Though PSU boasts a potent passing attack, USC’s coaches have singled out the ground game as their big priority, focusing on making their opponent one-dimensional.
“Well, obviously, if you look at the numbers, they’re very talented running the ball, and that’ll be the first and foremost thing that we need to guard against,” defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast said.