After two games, USC receivers ready for any role at Boston College

USC’s offensive game plan changed dramatically in its first two games, making it difficult to predict what Coach Steve Sarkisian intends to do Saturday at Boston College.

Sarkisian deployed an arsenal of receivers in the Trojans’ 52-13 victory over Fresno State. Ten players caught a pass against the Bulldogs. Six made a reception in the first quarter.

A week later in the Trojans’ 13-10 victory at Stanford, only four players caught passes.

USC ran 105 plays against Fresno State, but was limited to 59 against the Cardinal. Sarkisian said his team could have been “more aggressive” in the passing game.

“We just weren’t for a variety of reasons,” he said.

The role change was unexpected for young receivers who made multiple plays in the opener.

Freshman Juju Smith, who caught four passes for 123 yards against Fresno State, had one reception for minus-two yards at Stanford.

“I thought I was going to get more playing time,” Smith said. “I mean, not more playing time, but more catches. We came out with the ‘W’ and that’s all that matters.”

Sophomore Darreus Rogers did not catch a pass against the Cardinal after catching five for 60 yards in the opener.

“It was just the game plan,” Rogers said. “The receivers that were in were doing a great job, so I wasn’t really mad or anything about the game.”

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