Three key USC football stats to know for 2018

What story do the statistics tell about USC football going into the 2018 season? The Trojans have the talent, but returning production is Jekyll and Hyde.

The 2018 season is still a couple months away, but preparations for the coming campaign are on the horizon.

As the Trojans get ready to defend their Pac-12 crown, the numbers both reinforce and call into question their ability to once again top the conference.

Here’s a look at three key stats you need to know before the 2018 season:

70.7 percent of tackles from 2017 return

When it comes to returning production, USC’s offense and defense are essentially Jekyll and Hyde.

The Trojans return 70.7 percent of tackles from the 2017 team, per Phil…