Pac-12 analysts weigh in on Khalil Tate, JT Daniels and the USC-Arizona matchup

The matchup between USC and Arizona on Saturday night isn’t quite what it could have been. The Trojans and Wildcats are each 2-2. You wouldn’t be wrong to describe their respective starts as disappointing.

But the game is still thick with intrigue and possibilities. It features Pac-12 stars of the present and near-future. Although it’s still September, it will have a profound impact on the South Division race.

To break it all down, the Star reached out to two bona fide experts of Pac-12 football. Petros Papadakis played for USC, works as a game analyst for Fox and co-hosts a popular sports-talk radio show in Los Angeles. Yogi Roth coached at USC and works as a studio and game analyst for Pac-12 Networks.

Despite their similar lines of work, each has a distinct viewpoint. In separate interviews, the Star asked Papadakis and Roth the same set of questions about Saturday's game. Their answers have been lightly edited for brevity and clarity. The conversation begins where it always does: quarterback.

Khalil Tate hasn’t run the ball as much or as effectively this season. What do you make of the way he’s been used and has played so far?

Papadakis: “People all over the country are talking about it. We sit in production meetings with other coordinators and they ask what we think. It’s a big topic. It’s not just something that’s going on on East Congress. People are talking about it in Southern California because of his roots here.

“I want to see him run the ball. He’s a pretty good thrower, but frankly, he’s not using his absolutely dominant skills running the football, or at least threatening to run the football. His throwing ability becomes less impressive (as a result).

“If you took Aaron Rodgers’ ability to move in the pocket away from him, what kind of quarterback would he be? Khalil Tate is not running the ball. He’s not actively seeking vertical run lanes. He’s not throwing his body into the line of scrimmage. Those things aren’t happening for whatever reason. If he’s not doing those things, it’s going to take a giant dimension away from what you can do with the offense.

“The answers to those questions are inside the building. I don’t know what the answers are.”

Roth: “I’ve watched every snap of his, and I’d break it down as follows: First game, he’s clearly trying to be a pocket passer and throw the ball down the field. He looks the part. The second game, they try to run (him) more; second drive, he injures his ankle to a certain degree. Third game, you start to see a little bit more of the zone-read/RPO game. Oregon State game, they utilized that really well.

“What you see is his impact, his influence on linebackers and mid-level defenders. They’re just following him. J.J. Taylor, the linebacker is waiting backside forever and is the last guy to get near him on the (62-yard) touchdown run, which should have been a 4- or 5-yard gain. That’s the Khalil factor.

“I think they’re going to continue to evolve this offense — specifically, moving him in the pocket. He can be a pocket passer. But being a pocket passer doesn’t mean you have to stand there and be a statue anymore. I don’t believe in the phrase ‘tall in the pocket.’ I believe in the phrase ‘strong in the pocket.’ Khalil, to me, can be so strong in the pocket. Subtle movements, second-reaction game.

“They’re creating the second-reaction game. With the zone read, he’s already moving. He’s already on a second reaction. I think that’s where he can be lethal.

“The thing we haven’t seen yet, which I’m sure ’SC doesn’t want to see Saturday night, is when he put his foot in the ground. He just hasn’t done it yet. I think that’s still going to be part of the game plan for him. I think it’ll just evolve as the year gets going and everybody learns about each other.”

What's your assessment of USC freshman quarterback JT Daniels so far?

Papadakis: “I don’t think he’s their problem. I think he’d be a lot better suited, and so would Sam Darnold have, if they picked up some blitzes with backs, allowed the quarterback to step up in the pocket with a little more protection and allowed him to make pro-style decisions as opposed to just running around like a chicken with his head cut off whenever anybody comes hot. So you’re responsible for any blitzer in that offense and whoever beats one of the offensive linemen one-on-one?

“They’re veteran-laden but not good on the O-line, which is not a good sign. The kid would be better served in some other situations. But I don’t have a problem with him down-in and down-out as a player. He gets after it. He competes. And he’s trying to do what they ask him to do.”

Roth: “He’s really impressive. … To throw it 40-plus times in a game (against Texas) is something I don’t think any of us thought he would be asked to do. But the way they’ve been inconsistent running the football and dictating terms on the offense front, he’s gonna have to do that (occasionally).

“He’s handled it brilliantly in terms of everything that comes with ’SC, which is rolled up in this quote: ‘When you sign with 'SC, you’re a household name. When you start, you’re a Heisman candidate.’ That’s just the reality. That is not easy.

“Physically, he can play the game. What’s most impressive is, mentally, he hasn’t flinched. He has stood in the pocket when he knew pressure was coming. He’s faced the media after a tough interception in a tough game. He’s tried to put the team on his back when he has to.

“Everything for him is a first. This is the first time he’s gone on the road in a conference night game in a crazy environment. It ain’t gonna be easy. The student section is going to be on top of him. I’m sure they’re going to be enjoying his mustache. They’re going to be enjoying lots of things.”

What did you think of the Kevin Sumlin hire when Arizona made it?

Papadakis: “I was surprised at the way the Ken Niumatalolo thing played out. I just thought it was strange. I also thought it was strange that Khalil would take credit for it later in the summer. I thought that was ill-advised, to even bring it up again. I understand it was a time of chaos, and Rich Rodriguez wasn’t fired in the normal cycle of how people get fired. But I didn’t like the way that played out.

“But I thought they really recovered well hiring Kevin Sumlin. A guy who knows how to staff. Knows how to hire people. Knows how to coach a football game and put in a program. Knows how to recruit.

“It’s kind of a weird year because of the way he took over. There was a lot of hype about Khalil Tate and what he could do in this offense, and obviously that fit hasn’t been what people thought it would be early in the season. Which doesn’t make it a failure. It’s just taken a little longer to click in.”

Roth: “I thought, other than Chip Kelly, that it was the biggest steal of the offseason. Chip Kelly is the biggest hire (in the Pac-12) since Chris Petersen, maybe Jim Harbaugh. I thought it was huge.

“I’ll never forget Sumlin’s opening press conference, how honest he was, about how he went to the (coaches’) convention and (other) coaches kind of picked him up. Coaches go through a lot. He clearly went through a lot this last year (at Texas A&M), let alone all the other years. There’s a lot that happened with that team — jumping onto the national stage. That was incredibly impressive.

“I had a chance to meet him at (Pac-12) Media Day, and I was more impressed. Everyone I’ve talked to about him raves about the kind of guy he is.

“The reality is with that team — and I think this is all five new head coaches (in the Pac-12) — coaches don’t know everything about their teams (when they’re new). ‘I’m still learning about them. I don’t know what they’re like on third down on the road at Houston. I can’t tell you that until after that game and I see who they are and what they do.’ I think he’s still learning who his team is, and clearly there’s an element of that on offense.”

What will it take for Arizona do to win the game Saturday night?

Papadakis: “If they’re not moving the ball offensively … USC is going to be bigger, stronger and faster. Even though they don’t really utilize that inside with their offense, they certainly do with their big receivers. They’re all big, strong guys that are gonna make plays. And this kid (Daniels) is not afraid to throw it up.

“Arizona could create adversity. They could create positive things early. But USC also could take advantage of their physical dominance early too and just get up. USC is going to win three of four games in conference every year just because they’re USC, no matter how bad they are that year.

“I expected USC to beat Washington State. I expect USC to beat Arizona. But Arizona has a great chance to win the game.

“If Arizona can move the ball, it’ll be a shootout, and you never know. Then it’s a game like last year’s game.

“Being at home, playing at night, going up against a freshman … I would expect to see a lot of elaborate stuff coming at JT Daniels, trying to hit him like Stanford hit him and get after him in that way. Washington State might’ve been (a) different (outcome) if they had (Alex) Grinch, the coordinator who had seen USC last year and the year before and had success.

“Marcel Yates has faced ’SC. He’s got a little more experience than the guy last week (Tracy Claeys, who came to WSU from the Big Ten). I give Arizona just as good of a chance. USC should win the game. It doesn’t always play out like that.”

Roth: “The RPO threat with Khalil Tate has to be there. The more pressure you can put on the edge or perimeter of USC’s defense, the better.

“I still think USC is an elite defense. But if you force them to play 11-on-11 football, it’s just hard. If he’s healthy, and he can play the zone-read game, the RPO game and be one-on-one with (defenders), I’m going to bet on Khalil.

“And I think they’ve gotta win on special teams. They’ve gotta steal one possession. Because I think ’SC is primed to run the table. If you look at their schedule, who they have, when they have them, they know their reality right now and what’s up for grabs.

“I think it’s going to be a classic game. We thought this was going to be a preview of the South championship, if there was one, in the preseason. Neither team has done what we expected. But overall, I love the game.”