USC Football: 5 biggest questions facing Trojans in spring 2018

1. Will the Trojans stand out as Pac-12 favorites?

The Pac-12 could be wide open in 2018 and USC will be one of the teams to watch for, depending on quarterback play. Washington, Oregon, UCLA, Stanford and Washington State will all be in contention for the conference crown, among other dark-horses, but will the Trojans prove to be the team to beat?

Clay Helton returns a team that went 11-3 last season and had one of the best offenses in the nation. However, replacements atop the three major skill positions on offense will be forced to fill some big shoes, but will they be able to do so?

The Trojans need to prove that the offense won’t miss a beat despite Sam Darnold, Ronald Jones II and Deontay Burnett moving on. If the offense can look at least somewhat competent and the defense proves that it can hold its own, fans can feel better about their team’s chances in 2018.

Next: NFL Mock Draft 2018: First round through Pro Days

It’ll be tough to prove a team worthy of favoritism in the conference title race this early in the offseason, but spring will be a good indicator of just how far the Trojans have to go.