USC Football Spring Game 2017: 5 things to watch for

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With the USC Football Spring Game taking place on Saturday, what should be watched for?

The USC Trojans had a rough beginning to the 2016 college football season, going 1-3. However, just two games into a quarterback change, the tide seemed to turn in their favor, leading to them winning out the rest of the year. This included the Rose Bowl win over Penn State.

With that being three months old and a recruiting period having come and gone, it’s time to look toward the 2017 season for USC. Familiar faces will be back, along with some interesting new players to potentially make this team a contender for the National Championship.

The first step will be the spring game, which takes place on Saturday, Apr. 15. What should fans look out for with this latest incarnation of the USC Football team?

Mar 7, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu (51) during spring practice at Howard Jones Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

5. A first look at Marlon Tuipulotu

USC had one of the best rush defenses in college football, ranking 26th in the country in yards allowed on the ground with 1,604. This made for third in the Pac-12, only behind Washington State and Utah.

However, could it look even better in 2017? If so, it may be due to the presence of Marlon Tuipuloto, one of the star freshmen USC acquired in their loaded recruiting class. He could be the player to replace Stevie Tu’ikolovatu, too, who graduated.

Tuipulotu had previously decided to attend Washington but switched his commitment to join USC, a coup for something in-conference like this. Based on what Helton told the Los Angeles Times about the 6-foot-3, 295-pound defensive tackle, it seems like this is already paying off:

"“You don’t see too many 300-pound men with his athleticism and his quick twitch. It’s just evident on the tape. It shows up each and every day.”"

Could that mean we already see Tuipulotu bulldoze through the offensive line during the spring game? If so, fans will witness the future anchor of the front seven for years to come. That may add pressure to his performance on Apr. 15, but with one quick rush on Darnold, that could change everything.

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