USC football is entering an interesting stage of the season, not just because Saturday’s matchup with Arizona will be key to their fortunes in the Pac-12 South, but also because Game 5 has the potential to officially burn redshirts.
“There are some decisions that have to be made when you get to four games. Are you going to commit to play the guy the rest of the year?” head coach Clay Helton said on Wednesday. “We sat down and made those decisions this morning.”
The Trojans have a database charting player participation in each game, including specific number of plays on offense, defense and special teams to help coaches determine who is and isn’t worth saving for the season.