/ STAFF WRITER
For most of the Steve Sarkisian era, USC was known for its fast starts and sometimes shaky finishes. In 18 games under Sarkisian, the Trojans outscored their opponents, 226-60, in the first quarter. They also lost six of those games.
USC is 3-1 under interim coach Clay Helton – but has been outscored, 49-17, in the first quarter. That includes a 7-0 deficit against Arizona on Saturday night that swelled to 14-0 on the first play of the second quarter.
Avoiding another sluggish start is among the top items on Helton’s to-do list as USC prepares to face Colorado on Friday night.