USC’s ideal offense looks a lot like Washington’s

When scouting another team, USC Coach Clay Helton prefers to watch it play against an opponent that looks like the Trojans.

All coaches do this. Helton wouldn’t learn much from watching an opponent play against Navy’s triple-option, because USC runs a completely different offense.

This leaves USC in a minor bind as it prepares for Washington this week. USC would like to study a USC-like offense playing the Huskies. But the offense USC likes to watch its opponents face — the offense USC feels most closely resembles its own team — hasn’t played Washington.

That’s because it is Washington.

“Two really similar teams,” Helton said. “We look at their offense to be able to look at what they’re doing against other defenses because formationally, personnel, we’re so similar.”

The Huskies represent an aspirational version of USC’s offense. They run similar concepts. They have similarly constructed rosters: solid offensive linemen, a promising young quarterback and explosive weapons at the skill positions.

The only difference is, for most of the season, Washington has done it better.

“They’ve been blowing teams out,” linebacker Michael Hutchings said. “They run their offense in the first half. The second half is usually just getting the game over with.”

USC believes it has found the same formula during its five-game winning streak. At the beginning of each postgame press conference, Helton is fond of analyzing the offense’s balance. He is happy when the passing game ignites or when the running game steamrolls. But he is happiest when both are right about even. During the streak, USC’s passing game has been only slightly more productive.

Though diversity abounds in college football, with air-raid offenses or run-heavy spread teams sharing a conference, Helton believes a balanced attack is most difficult to stop. It fits USC: the Trojans’ recruiting advantage doesn’t require a tricky scheme to put up points.

It is exactly that balance that makes Saturday’s game difficult for defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast. Helton has said Pendergast’s best quality is the ability to take away a team’s strength.

“We’ve been playing really good run football teams, like Arizona and Oregon, good pass teams, like Cal,” Helton said. “So you knew what the strength was.”

Pendergast made those teams revert to their second options, and they sputtered.

But Washington, Helton noted, “really leans on both. It’s the most balanced team that we’ve played.”

How would Pendergast choose a strength?

“You just don’t know,” cornerback Adoree’ Jackson said. “Either or, they’re deadly.”

Washington is fifth nationally in passing yards per attempt (10.3) and sixth in rushing yards per attempt (5.92). The Huskies have passed for just 337 more yards than they have run.

Pendergast said he is “really impressed with what they do.”

“I think it’s 50/50,” safety Chris Hawkins said. “Their run game is superb right now, but also when you’ve got 25 touchdowns between two receivers, you can’t ignore the pass game, either.”

Helton and Pendergast declined to say whether they thought Washington was better at running or passing.

But Helton did allow that Pendergast “identified exactly what he feels the strength is. And we’ll see how it goes.”

A promise is a promise

When he limped off the field at the end of USC’s win over Oregon on Saturday, defensive tackle Stevie Tu’ikolovatu found Helton.

Tu’ikolovatu had aggravated a knee sprain during the game and didn’t return, but after the game, he made a pledge.

“He told me when he walked off the field that he was going to play in the game” against Washington, Helton said.

Tu’ikolovatu, the keystone of USC’s defensive line, hasn’t practiced this week. On Wednesday, he moved around in shorts and no pads.

If he can’t play, Josh Fatu, who has split time with Tu’ikolovatu against uptempo teams, would start. And Jacob Daniel would enter the rotation.

Tu’ikolovatu received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his knee this week, and Helton said he responded well on Wednesday. Helton was optimistic that Tu’ikolovatu would return.

“He’s a warrior,” Helton said. “He’s one of those guys that has a high pain threshold.”

Quick hits

Helton predicted that cornerback Iman Marshall (hamstring) would play against Washington. ... Defensive back Jonathan Lockett (hip) is doubtful. ... Running backs Justin Davis (ankle) and Aca’Cedric Ware (ankle) both practiced with no complications on Wednesday. ... Guard Damien Mama had a cyst drained on the back of his knee, and Helton expects him to return to practice Thursday.

zach.helfand@latimes.com

Follow Zach Helfand on Twitter @zhelfand