What’s wrong with USC’s defense? Is it the same story or are there new issues?
1 year, 2 months ago

What’s wrong with USC’s defense? Is it the same story or are there new issues?

LA Times  

Bryson Shaw had been here before. But Shaw insisted that Grinch’s players were “letting him down.” “I don’t know what else to tell you besides we gotta fix it,” Shaw said. “I’m just focused on Arizona,” Shaw said, “and getting ready to roll for that.” Everyone around USC is well aware of the narrative that’s followed the defense since late last season. Not to a coach.” Grinch called it “low-hanging fruit” to compare, but when asked what went wrong in the second half Saturday, acknowledged that “unfortunately, we’ve been down this road before.” That road got especially dark, especially fast last season, as USC unraveled against Utah, missing 15 tackles, and completely collapsed in the Cotton Bowl, when it gave up more than 10 yards per play against Tulane. In spite of losing the nation’s sack leader from last season, USC ranks fifth with 19 sacks and is averaging five more pressures per game than in 2022.

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History of this topic

USC final thoughts: What stood out in the Trojans’ comeback over Wisconsin?
2 months, 3 weeks ago

USC final thoughts: What stood out in the Trojans’ comeback over Wisconsin?

New York Times  

LOS ANGELES — USC overcame an 11-point halftime deficit with a dominant second half and pulled away from Wisconsin for an impressive 38-21 victory on Saturday afternoon. Naturally, we have to start with USC’s offensive line since that was one of the big topics of discussion this past week. CBS sideline reporter Jenny Dell reported during the second half that …

Lincoln Riley confident USC offensive line can be ‘damn good’ despite Michigan loss
3 months ago

Lincoln Riley confident USC offensive line can be ‘damn good’ despite Michigan loss

LA Times  

The left tackle was cramping. Still, Riley didn’t seem concerned on Tuesday about the line’s long-term trajectory, instead once again reiterating his belief that USC’s offensive line can be “really damn good” this season. We’ve got to get back on track that way, and I’m confident we will.” Michigan’s Josaiah Stewart knocks down USC quarterback Miller Moss during the Trojans’ …

The Times of Troy: Michigan loss exposed these weaknesses on USC’s offensive line
3 months ago

The Times of Troy: Michigan loss exposed these weaknesses on USC’s offensive line

LA Times  

Ryan Kartje, your USC beat writer at the L.A. Times, coming at you from my mom’s dinner table in Michigan, less than an hour south of the Big House, for another week of the Times of Troy newsletter. No one on USC’s staff comes out of the loss to Michigan looking worse than the Trojans offensive line coach, whose unit …

No. 13 USC’s revitalized defense dominates again in a 48-0 blowout of Utah State
3 months, 2 weeks ago

No. 13 USC’s revitalized defense dominates again in a 48-0 blowout of Utah State

Associated Press  

The AP Top 25 college football poll is back every week throughout the season! “Very hard to shut people out in modern-day college football, so I’m really proud of us maintaining our play defensively the entire night, and the complementary ball was really good,” coach Lincoln Riley said. That was a big emphasis point, so we were proud of the …

USC takeaways: Defense, running game carry Trojans to first shutout since 2011
3 months, 2 weeks ago

USC takeaways: Defense, running game carry Trojans to first shutout since 2011

New York Times  

LOS ANGELES — Letdown or lookahead performances were a constant theme across college football on Saturday. It would’ve been easy for 13th-ranked USC to fall into that trap against Utah State while on short rest after an emotional victory over LSU last Sunday. Safety Kamari Ramsey smothered Utah State’s tight end and broke up a pass on a third-and-3 to …

Lincoln Riley can start CFP dreaming now that USC has a defense
3 months, 3 weeks ago

Lincoln Riley can start CFP dreaming now that USC has a defense

LA Times  

Who were these players, and what did they do with USC’s defense? New starting quarterback Miller Moss passed for 378 yards and transfer running back Woody Marks scored a pair of touchdowns, but the most important revelations in the Trojans’ season-opening 27-20 victory over No. LSU drove the ball to USC’s three-yard line on the opening drive of the game …

USC makes a big opening statement with thrilling last-minute victory over LSU
3 months, 3 weeks ago

USC makes a big opening statement with thrilling last-minute victory over LSU

LA Times  

Fatigue was setting in. USC wide receiver Kyron Hudson makes an acrobatic one-handed catch in front of LSU linebacker West Weeks during the first half Sunday. He had new defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn to thank, in part, for that, as USC’s defense held an opposing offense to 20 or fewer points for the first time since last September. That’s what …

No. 23 USC unveils its revamped defense in Vegas with last season’s embarrassment still stinging
3 months, 3 weeks ago

No. 23 USC unveils its revamped defense in Vegas with last season’s embarrassment still stinging

Associated Press  

The AP Top 25 college football poll is back every week throughout the season! “When you do that, you hold on to stress, sadness, anger.. Last year is not something you forget, but it’s something you learn from and move on, and that’s how we approach this year.” USC was 116th in rushing defense, while crosstown rival UCLA finished second, …

USC out to prove its revamped defense can win a ‘fistfight’ against LSU
3 months, 3 weeks ago

USC out to prove its revamped defense can win a ‘fistfight’ against LSU

LA Times  

USC defensive end Jamil Muhammad prepares for a snap against Nevada in September. “We’ve known what the challenge is going to be since I got the job here.” Players and coaches had been answering the same questions for months, repeating the same refrain about how a defense that dwelled near the bottom of every statistical category last season would be …

USC defense commits to bulking up and helping build Trojans’ new scheme
4 months, 3 weeks ago

USC defense commits to bulking up and helping build Trojans’ new scheme

LA Times  

USC defensive lineman Bear Alexander is expected to play a key role in the Trojans’ transformation under the direction of co-defensive coordinators D’Anton Lynn and Eric Henderson. D’Anton Lynn was a defensive assistant, having followed his father, Anthony, from Buffalo to L.A. Eric Henderson was an assistant defensive line coach, still finding his way in his first NFL job. And …

What went wrong for Lincoln Riley and USC in 2023? ‘Something’s really off there’
1 year ago

What went wrong for Lincoln Riley and USC in 2023? ‘Something’s really off there’

New York Times  

In USC’s dream scenario, it would be spending the next two weeks preparing for the program’s first-ever trip to the College Football Playoff. This was one of the worst defenses we’ve faced.” Said another Pac-12 head coach: “They have some talented guys on defense, but they miss a ton of tackles. Where’s the defensive lineman no one can block?” asked …

USC football recruiting reset: 7 thoughts on the Trojans entering early signing period
1 year ago

USC football recruiting reset: 7 thoughts on the Trojans entering early signing period

New York Times  

LOS ANGELES — Lincoln Riley is less than 24 hours from putting the finishing touches on his second full recruiting class at USC. There are still some promising pieces, but USC needs to land more elite linemen if it wants to make noise nationally, which is something we’ve been saying for five years and two different coaching staffs. There’s no …

D’Anton Lynn says USC ‘is not that far away’ from fielding a great defense
1 year ago

D’Anton Lynn says USC ‘is not that far away’ from fielding a great defense

LA Times  

Former UCLA defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn has hit the ground running, recruiting for USC shortly after he switched schools. Ten months before USC made him one of the highest paid defensive coordinators in college football, D’Anton Lynn didn’t have a lick of experience coaching college kids. USC coach Lincoln Riley saw firsthand the foundational differences in UCLA’s defense after one …

USC vs. Oregon takeaways: Hope vanishes with injuries and mistakes
1 year, 1 month ago

USC vs. Oregon takeaways: Hope vanishes with injuries and mistakes

LA Times  

The door technically was still cracked open, his team’s Pac-12 Conference title hopes still intact. “That’s the difference.” Even as USC’s defense stabilized somewhat in the second half, the two deep touchdowns would underscore what has now become an unimpeachable truth about this USC season. “It’s tough,” wideout Tahj Washington said, “just living with the ride of what is versus …

From Monte Kiffin to Alex Grinch: How USC’s defense lost its way over 15 years
1 year, 1 month ago

From Monte Kiffin to Alex Grinch: How USC’s defense lost its way over 15 years

New York Times  

LOS ANGELES — Though 14 years have passed since that Halloween night in Eugene, Ore., former USC defensive coordinator Rocky Seto still recalls Oregon’s tempo, Jeremiah Masoli at quarterback and the intense atmosphere in the crowd. “They’re out of their gaps,” said one Pac-12 assistant who has faced USC’s defense over the past two years. They don’t know how to …

USC’s lack of progress on defense compelled Lincoln Riley to fire coordinator Alex Grinch
1 year, 1 month ago

USC’s lack of progress on defense compelled Lincoln Riley to fire coordinator Alex Grinch

Associated Press  

The AP Top 25 college football poll is back every week throughout the season! LOS ANGELES — Lincoln Riley said he hadn’t seen much progress or improvement from Southern California’s defense since the previous November, and that’s why he finally decided to fire coordinator Alex Grinch. “We simply weren’t making the progress that we all expected we would make,” Riley …

Letters to Sports: Lincoln Riley and USC continue to disappoint
1 year, 1 month ago

Letters to Sports: Lincoln Riley and USC continue to disappoint

LA Times  

If the Trojans were as defensive on the field as Lincoln Riley is in the press room we’d be undefeated. Rob Raban Huntington Beach :: With USC’s deep pockets buying the head coach and quarterback from Oklahoma, they should dip back into these same deep pockets and send them back. Mike Aguilar Costa Mesa :: Lincoln Riley’s game plan probably …

USC vs. Utah five things to watch: Trojans plan to ‘attack it harder’ after loss
1 year, 2 months ago

USC vs. Utah five things to watch: Trojans plan to ‘attack it harder’ after loss

LA Times  

Behind closed gates and high walls, everything looks great for USC. Emboldened by their first loss of the year, the Trojans returned to the practice field with “a little more edge,” offensive lineman Jonah Monheim said, “a little more fire.” But Monheim knows just being the team that practices well when no one is around to see it won’t make …

USC recruiting reset: How can Lincoln Riley and the Trojans close strong in 2024 cycle?
1 year, 2 months ago

USC recruiting reset: How can Lincoln Riley and the Trojans close strong in 2024 cycle?

New York Times  

LOS ANGELES — There’s been quite a bit of consternation about USC’s on-field product over the past month as the Trojans have played some rather unimpressive football. So with the early signing period two months away, let’s examine USC’s 2024 class as it’s currently constituted, as well as the staff’s efforts towards closing strong. This state of affairs is especially …

USC takeaways: Offensive line miscues helped fuel Trojans’ ugly loss at Notre Dame
1 year, 2 months ago

USC takeaways: Offensive line miscues helped fuel Trojans’ ugly loss at Notre Dame

LA Times  

Justin Dedich wandered alone in the aftermath, cameras capturing the moment as Irish fans flooded the field and USC’s sixth-year senior center weaved his way between them toward the tunnel one last time. Dedich had come to Notre Dame Stadium three times now in his USC tenure, and each successive trip to South Bend had left the Trojans devastated and …

Commentary: USC fans better get ready for a lengthy Lincoln Riley rebuilding project
1 year, 2 months ago

Commentary: USC fans better get ready for a lengthy Lincoln Riley rebuilding project

LA Times  

It’s going to take a long time — especially when calculated in USC years. No time is soon enough.” USC coach Lincoln Riley bows his head and walks to the bench during the first half of his team’s loss at Notre Dame on Saturday. The way Riley talked that dreamy day, he must have felt confident Caleb Williams was going …

Roundtable: What do USC and UCLA have to do to win their top 25 games Saturday?
1 year, 2 months ago

Roundtable: What do USC and UCLA have to do to win their top 25 games Saturday?

LA Times  

Times college football writers Ben Bolch, Ryan Kartje, J. Brady McCollough and Thuc Nhi Nguyen discuss key questions ahead of No. Kartje: Lincoln Riley has done his best to project confidence about where USC’s defense is headed, but nothing about the last three games suggests the Trojans will be fine going forward. The best quarterback USC has faced so far …

USC football hears the critics. Lincoln Riley offers an emphatic response
1 year, 2 months ago

USC football hears the critics. Lincoln Riley offers an emphatic response

LA Times  

USC coach Lincoln Riley calls an offensive play from the sidelines during the game against Arizona at the Coliseum on Saturday. After the team’s Heisman-winning quarterback provided unprompted, emphatic support of USC’s embattled defense last weekend, the coach provided his own Tuesday, saying the outside perception of the Alex Grinch-led unit fails to see the whole picture of an improving …

Another inconsistent defense threatens to ground No. 9 USC’s loftiest ambitions
1 year, 2 months ago

Another inconsistent defense threatens to ground No. 9 USC’s loftiest ambitions

Associated Press  

The AP Top 25 college football poll is back every week throughout the season! That’s because the college football world knows USC’s defense has been leaky and inconsistent again under second-year head coach Lincoln Riley and his longtime defensive coordinator, Alex Grinch. Despite another year of talent additions and familiarity with the scheme, the Trojans are still struggling to stop …

‘It’s embarrassing.’ Defensive woes threaten to derail USC’s title aspirations
1 year, 2 months ago

‘It’s embarrassing.’ Defensive woes threaten to derail USC’s title aspirations

LA Times  

Colorado tight end Michael Harrison is lifted by offensive tackle Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan after scoring a touchdown against USC in the third quarter of the Trojans’ 48-41 win Saturday. Its superstar quarterback was well into whipping up his weekly wizardry, piling up easy points and slinging four first-half touchdown passes on his way to a career-high-tying half-dozen, when USC’s defense had …

USC vs. Arizona State takeaways: Will defense once again shatter CFP dreams?
1 year, 3 months ago

USC vs. Arizona State takeaways: Will defense once again shatter CFP dreams?

LA Times  

Through three weeks and three lopsided blowouts, USC grew accustomed to finishing its Saturdays in cruise control. Even USC’s much-maligned defense looked stout, shutting down the likes of San José State, Nevada and Stanford, the latter two of which it held to a combined 24 points. As the rest of the Pac-12’s contenders offered resounding statements of their strength — …

USC football keeps winning, but Trojans will need more vs. top Pac-12 teams
1 year, 3 months ago

USC football keeps winning, but Trojans will need more vs. top Pac-12 teams

New York Times  

The Athletic has live coverage of Deion Sanders and Colorado vs. USC in Week 5 college football action. USC’s defense surrendered 28 points to an offense that was on its third-string quarterback and scored only 24 points against Southern Utah when it was healthy, not extremely banged up like it was this week. The unit that couldn’t tackle against Utah …

Is No. 5 USC as strong as its record? Three good and three bad trends for the Trojans
1 year, 3 months ago

Is No. 5 USC as strong as its record? Three good and three bad trends for the Trojans

LA Times  

There was no way Lincoln Riley would bite, even if the stats gave him a perfect reason to indulge. “Do you think this team has the chance to be the best team you’ve ever coached?” a reporter asked this week. “This team has a chance to be a very good team,” said Riley, who is in second year leading USC …

Heisman winner Caleb Williams throws 5 TD passes and No. 6 USC routs Nevada 66-14
1 year, 3 months ago

Heisman winner Caleb Williams throws 5 TD passes and No. 6 USC routs Nevada 66-14

Associated Press  

The AP Top 25 college football poll is back every week throughout the season! “A few plays here and there that we’re going to want back, that we know we have to continue to clean up, but we took a step this week.” Williams passed for 258 yards and four TDs on just 15 completions while USC built a 35-7 …

Letters to Sports: The Grinch that stole USC’s defense
1 year, 3 months ago

Letters to Sports: The Grinch that stole USC’s defense

LA Times  

It’s very admirable to have loyalty to a friend or colleague, but it should go both ways. If coach Alex Grinch has any loyalty to Lincoln Riley, he should quit immediately or step aside and let a real coach with experience help his friend put together a great defensive squad for the Trojans. Kip Dellinger Santa Monica :: As usual, …

USC wins opener, but Lincoln Riley must fix the damn defense
1 year, 3 months ago

USC wins opener, but Lincoln Riley must fix the damn defense

LA Times  

USC linebacker Eric Gentry tackles San José State quarterback Chevan Cordeiro during the first half of the Trojans’ 56-28 win Saturday at the Coliseum. “Here we go, everybody’s gonna write the narrative after the first game,” he said. “The second part of the message was … we’ve got a long way to go and a lot to get better at.” …

‘There’s a method to our madness.’ How USC women built the best defense in program history
1 year, 9 months ago

‘There’s a method to our madness.’ How USC women built the best defense in program history

LA Times  

USC’s Okako Adika and Kayla Williams celebrate after the Trojans’ upset win over Stanford in January. Allowing just 54.8 points per game, USC is on pace to have the best scoring defense in the program’s NCAA history. “I feel like I have a lot to prove on the defensive end and I know what I can do so it’s just …

USC coach Lincoln Riley: ‘We’re excited about where we’re headed defensively’
1 year, 9 months ago

USC coach Lincoln Riley: ‘We’re excited about where we’re headed defensively’

LA Times  

USC quarterback Caleb Williams and coach Lincoln Riley look on during the first half of the Cotton Bowl game against Tulane on Jan. 2 in Arlington, Texas. I think there’s certainly a lot less new, but at the same time, we’ve pushed the guys to understand that what was acceptable 12 months ago is not necessarily acceptable now.” Nowhere is …

USC football: 10 thoughts from Lincoln Riley’s state of the program discussion
1 year, 11 months ago

USC football: 10 thoughts from Lincoln Riley’s state of the program discussion

New York Times  

LOS ANGELES — Lincoln Riley spoke with the media for two hours on Tuesday morning. Extremely doable and it’s going to happen and it’s not going to take long.” And there’s one aspect where USC must continue to improve — the defensive front. USC brought in several defensive transfers last season, but with the exception of linebacker Eric Gentry and …

USC coach Lincoln Riley defends keeping Alex Grinch and outlines plans for Year 2
1 year, 11 months ago

USC coach Lincoln Riley defends keeping Alex Grinch and outlines plans for Year 2

LA Times  

When Lincoln Riley first hired Alex Grinch to direct his defense at Oklahoma, the coach expected it would take time before expectations matched reality. Compelling enough to keep Riley’s confidence at USC, where Grinch’s debut as his defensive coordinator went nowhere near as well, concluding with a Cotton Bowl collapse and subsequent calls for Grinch’s ouster. But any doubts about …

USC final thoughts: Examining the epic Cotton Bowl collapse and the Alex Grinch dilemma
1 year, 11 months ago

USC final thoughts: Examining the epic Cotton Bowl collapse and the Alex Grinch dilemma

New York Times  

DALLAS — The Cotton Bowl collapse was equal parts stunning and humiliating, and it sent USC into the offseason with plenty of questions. Looking ahead to the Cotton Bowl, I wrote that while Caleb Williams was USC’s headliner, the reality is the spotlight would be focused on defensive coordinator Alex Grinch over the next year. But USC’s defense crumbled in …

USC’s defense again reeking stain on Riley’s regime
1 year, 11 months ago

USC’s defense again reeking stain on Riley’s regime

LA Times  

Tulane’s Alex Bauman catches the game-winning touchdown pass as USC’s Eric Gentry tackles him during the Cotton Bowl Classic on Monday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Tulane running back Tyjae Spears runs with the ball as USC defensive lineman Nick Figueroa defends during the first half of the Cotton Bowl on Monday in Arlington, Texas. “Offense is out there, …

USC’s title hopes still alive despite ongoing defensive issues: Trojans takeaways
2 years, 1 month ago

USC’s title hopes still alive despite ongoing defensive issues: Trojans takeaways

New York Times  

LOS ANGELES — It was far from perfect, but ninth-ranked USC pulled out a 41-35 win against Cal to improve to 8-1 and keep its Pac-12 title and College Football Playoff hopes alive. Some other troubling numbers for USC’s defense: • The Trojans allowed just 36 second-half points in the first six games of the season. I had to prove …

Commentary: Lincoln Riley and USC fail to achieve statement win as playoff hopes dim
2 years, 2 months ago

Commentary: Lincoln Riley and USC fail to achieve statement win as playoff hopes dim

LA Times  

USC coach Lincoln Riley speaks with quarterback Caleb Williams during the first half of a 43-42 loss to Utah on Saturday night. The seventh-ranked Trojans had every opportunity to leave this house of horrors victorious for the last time on their Pac-12 farewell tour, but their defense wilted again and again, giving up 415 yards passing to Utah quarterback Cameron …

Lincoln Riley's USC Trojans are Pac-12's best playoff shot
2 years, 3 months ago

Lincoln Riley's USC Trojans are Pac-12's best playoff shot

LA Times  

The day after Utah lost to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, I talked with George Kliavkoff. But, based on what we saw in USC’s 66-14 blitzing of Rice Saturday at the Coliseum, this could be a very fruitful two years for the Pac-12, which hasn’t had a team reach the College Football Playoff semifinals since 2016 and just watched …

USC football feels like USC football again with Lincoln Riley
2 years, 3 months ago

USC football feels like USC football again with Lincoln Riley

LA Times  

USC coach Lincoln Riley celebrates with his players after a touchdown against Rice on Saturday. The outcome of the Trojans’ first game with new coach Lincoln Riley and his two-dozen transfers — a 66-14 victory over Rice — was completely expected. “We’re going to do everything we can as a team to keep working so people can’t even stand the …

Showtime: Lincoln Riley’s star-studded USC ready for debut
2 years, 3 months ago

Showtime: Lincoln Riley’s star-studded USC ready for debut

Associated Press  

The AP Top 25 college football poll is back every week throughout the season! He has assembled a star-studded roster that includes ex-Sooners quarterback Caleb Williams and the 2021 Biletnikoff Award winner in wide receiver Jordan Addison to reboot a program with several national championships and seven Heisman Trophies in its illustrious history. “That’s what I’m really, really excited to …

Five questions ahead of USC’s first fall football camp under Lincoln Riley
2 years, 4 months ago

Five questions ahead of USC’s first fall football camp under Lincoln Riley

LA Times  

When Lincoln Riley took the reins of a USC program in desperate need of a rebuild, no one expected a new foundation to be laid overnight. As USC opens its first training camp of the Riley era on Friday, plenty of other pressing questions need to be answered first: What should we expect from quarterback Caleb Williams and new top …

No Air Raid? USC could run the ball more often under new coach Lincoln Riley
2 years, 8 months ago

No Air Raid? USC could run the ball more often under new coach Lincoln Riley

LA Times  

During three seasons spent as the architect of USC’s offense, Graham Harrell went to great lengths to reassure fans his Air Raid could generate a capable run game. USC Sports USC’s Caleb Williams practicing more patience in the pocket USC’s Caleb Williams is a dual-threat quarterback but coach Lincoln Riley says his next progression is to stay longer in the …

Commentary: With Lincoln Riley in charge, USC has finally stopped living in fear
2 years, 10 months ago

Commentary: With Lincoln Riley in charge, USC has finally stopped living in fear

LA Times  

We’re in the early stages of getting to know Lincoln Riley’s quirks. “There’s zero communication, and then all of a sudden Caleb and his family make the decision to jump into the transfer portal,” Riley said, “and we had a conversation shortly after that, and I don’t think we talked even one bit of football. Riley was happy to discuss …

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