Many USC fans preferred Jack Sears to JT Daniels last year. Especially after drubbings by Stanford and Texas in which USC was largely unable to move the ball, fans looked down the depth chart for hope at the quarterback position. That hope manifested at Arizona State, after JT Daniels had been in concussion protocol and backup Matt Fink broke his ribs on this play.
Against Arizona State, Sears completed 20 passes on 28 attempts, bettering JT Daniels in season passing efficiency, touchdowns per game, and passer rating. The offense put 28 on the scoreboard, but ultimately fell short, losing 38-35.