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Sam “The Spark” Darnold is on Fire!
Sam Darnold was firing on all cylinders against the Arizona State Sun Devils this past weekend. There was a lot of flak about SC’s quarterback situation, but now the picture is very clear. Darnold completed 22 of his 33 pass attempts for 352 yards and 3 passing touchdowns. Darnold also displayed some quickness with his feet as he ran for a touchdown in the redzone.
A “spark” is exactly what Darnold has provided for this football team. He’s an up-tempo style quarterback who doesn’t waste time patting the ball. He seems to get through his progressions really quick, hitting his first or second read most of the time. The play-calling has been great over the past two games. The coaches are doing a great job by catering to Darnold’s strengths as a quarterback, which has a lot to do with his recent success. He has already built a great chemistry with his go-to receiver Juju Smith-Schuster, the two connected for 3 touchdowns. The reemergence of Smith-Schuster has come at the perfect time, considering the fact the he got off to a slow start this season.
Darnold’s ability to thrive in the quick intermediate pass game spells trouble for upcoming opponents. Timing routes can be hard to stop, especially when Justin Davis is running the ball well and keeping the defense honest. This USC offense can be great as long as they take care of the football. The Trojan’s have finally found their answer and look to turn their season around this week against the 21st ranked Colorado Buffaloes.
#InDarnoldWeTrust