Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/193620
✦ top storylines: notre dame vs. USC By Lou Somogyi with 13 official visits and numerous other unofficial treks. This time, Kiffin won't be on USC's sidelines. He was ousted after the 62-41 drubbing at Arizona State Sept. 28, which dropped his career record at USC to 28-15. It's a similar scene to 2011, but hopefully a different outcome. Don't Forget About The Game Two years ago, Notre Dame was in virtually the same situation against USC like this year, especially with an extra week of preparation. However, it seemed there was concentration on everything except the actual game for the nine-point favorite Irish: • The game was moved to night, Notre Dame's first primetime start at home in 21 years, which made it an event in itself. • Introduced the week of the game was a new shiny gold helmet painted with the same gold leaf used on the Administration Building's Golden Dome. The helmets in prior years had looked too plain. • In an effort to help liven the game-day atmosphere, music was piped in for the first time over the public address system on crucial plays, with Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train" on third-down situations for the opponent evoking the most reaction. • Notre Dame hosted its biggest recruiting weekend ever for a home football game with 15 official visits and numerous other unofficial visits. Among the 15 officials were California standouts such as defensive lineman Arik Armstead, wide receiver Deontay Greenberry and safety Shaq Thompson, none of whom ended up at Notre Dame, plus other standouts such as running back Keith Marshall and offensive lineman John Theus, who both ended up with the Georgia Bulldogs. There was one other event that week: An actual football game. Whereas Notre Dame came out sluggish, almost tight and seemingly unfocused, USC was sharp and determined. The Trojans drove 66 and 62 yards for touchdowns on their first two possessions for a quick 14-0 first-quarter lead, and they staved off the Irish thereafter in the 31-17 conquest. It was similar to this Keep 'Em On The Run Fifth-year senior outside linebacker Devon Kennard and the Trojans have limited opponents to an average of 107.2 rushing yards per game and just 3.7 yards per carry. photo by john pyle/courtesy usc year's Oklahoma game where the Sooners moved quickly ahead 14-0 and held on to maintain that two-touchdown cushion in a 35‑21 win. "We may have bought into the hype somewhat," Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith said after the USC loss. USC second-year head coach Lane Kiffin noted how the "Super Bowl" atmosphere at Notre Dame helped his team concentrate better on the task at hand. "Our guys came in and just wanted to make sure that we played really well and didn't worry about everything else," Kiffin said. "If you would have seen our guys in warm-ups, they were really low key and saving their energy and were not buying into all of the energy on the sidelines." Two years later, USC is back in town, reinvigorated by a mid-season coaching change. The game is at night again, with two weeks to prepare for Notre Dame, and it's one of the bigger recruiting visit weekends ever at a Notre Dame football game, ✦ Page 7 One of Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly's favorite individual performances of last season was senior Theo Riddick's 146 rushing yards on 20 carries at USC in the 22-13 victory. Riddick didn't have any game-breaking runs (his longest gain was 20), but he repeatedly barreled through for the tough inside yardage. "He broke countless tackles and got us the tough yards that we needed," Kelly praised. "You just look at his jersey after the game, and there's no wonder why this team has the toughness it does." Notre Dame outrushed USC 222-95 yards, a sharp contrast to the Irish getting outrushed by the Trojans 219‑41 a year earlier in a 31-17 loss at home. In fact, during Notre Dame's current five-game losing streak at home to USC it has averaged only 87 rushing yards per contest. Against a USC five-man front line led by fifth-year senior outside linebacker Devon Kennard, it will be mandatory for the Irish to not place too much on the passing game to produce points. In its first four games this season, USC's defensive front controlled the line of scrimmage, holding its opponents in check with the run: Hawaii (23 rushing yards), Washington State (seven), Boston College (101) and Utah State (118). Arizona State detonated with 612 yards total offense (261 rushing), but the leading rusher was quarterback Taylor Kelly with