Can Wobbly USC Get Back On Track?

For season to stabilize, USC needs to unlock its defensive line

After a strong start to the season against overmatched opponents, the Trojans’ defensive front has been neutralized the last three weeks with more challenges on the horizon

Luca Evans (OC Register)  —  LOS ANGELES — It was impossible to argue with Lincoln Riley’s preseason assessment of the changes in his defense, a locker room suddenly filled with heavyweights and transfer-portal talent, USC’s head coach delivering a late-August line eloquent in its simplicity.

More good players. Less bad players.”

No disrespect intended. But on paper, it was the truth: filling the middle came the destructive Bear Alexander from Georgia and steady Kyon Barrs from Arizona, and the edges brought Jamil Muhammad from Georgia State and Anthony Lucas from Texas A&M, and USC seemed to have considerably more pieces for defensive coordinator Alex Grinch to maneuver on a turnover-predicated defensive chessboard.

“Our defense is more complicated than last year, which is good,” returning end Solomon Byrd said preseason, “because I don’t think teams will be, like, able to get a beat on us.”

They had their moment in the desert in a “Twilight-Zone”-esque night overall against Arizona State in September, running poor Sun Devils quarterback Drew Pyne ragged on an eight-sack night. Byrd, Muhammad, and returner Romello Height wreaked havoc from the outside. Alexander continued a torrid start rampaging through forests of interior offensive linemen.

Opening the second half in Boulder the following week, as USC amassed a 41-14 lead, Muhammad brought down Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders to end a Buffs drive. Then Height tracked him down on a third-and-15 on the following drive, bouncing up into a “Karate-Kid”-style crane pose in celebration.

Since Height went Daniel LaRusso (Karate Kid played by Ralph Macchio) in that third quarter, 24th-ranked USC (6-2 overall, 4-1 Pac-12) has amassed just three sacks and a handful of pressures, a far cry from the front’s dominant early-season games against Nevada and Arizona State.

Returning tackle De’Jon Benton brought down Sanders once more in that Colorado game, but Sanders largely avoided pockets collapsing through a variety of play-action and quick-hit fourth-quarter looks to dice up USC’s secondary. Then Arizona’s offensive line ground down the Trojans’ front. Notre Dame neutralized them completely, with just three pressures and no hits generated in a harsh loss. And Utah’s Bryson Barnes ran circles around them, exacerbating glaring issues with containing mobile quarterbacks.

“Maybe just, guys are just out of position,” linebacker Mason Cobb said Tuesday, after Barnes ran for 52 yards and a game-sealing scramble with seconds left in the fourth quarter. “They kept running that lead and trying to chase it from the backside and play the read from the quarterback. And I feel like guys are just hesitant a little bit.”

No player appeared more out of position against Utah – through little fault of his own – than freshman Braylan Shelby, a 6-foot-5, 245-pound tornado of a pass-rusher who Grinch deployed on the third play of the game Saturday to “put some bigger bodies on the field,” as Grinch said Tuesday.

Shelby was torched, unceremoniously, on a wheel route by safety Sione Vaki for a 53-yard gain.

It happened again, on a similar play in the fourth quarter, Shelby forced into coverage on Vaki as the Utah two-way dynamo took another catch for 36 yards.

“There’s no justification for doing it, other than it’s a play that hasn’t shown up on video,” Grinch said Tuesday as the team prepares to play at Cal (3-4, 1-3) on Saturday.

Naturally, the development drew a fresh and unrelenting wave of ire against Grinch, the embattled coordinator who gamely shrugged off pressure when asked about it Tuesday. But beyond schematic choices, USC also had clear trouble getting simple production out of its new-look defensive front.

Muhammad (six sacks), Height (four) and Byrd (five) have taken noticeable and consistent leaps as pass-rushers. But Alexander, after a dominant start, was benched for returner Benton after penalties against Colorado and was visibly emotional on the sidelines after being ejected for targeting against Utah. Lucas and Barr have seen inconsistent and largely unproductive snaps. Purdue transfer Jack Sullivan was dropped from the rotation entirely against Utah.

“Probably, I can do a better job of – keep feeding all of them,” defensive line coach Shaun Nua said this week of his line on an appearance on the “Trojans Live” radio show.

That line needs more mouths to eat, for this defense to play a role in salvaging the season.

ocregister.com

_______

TrojanDailyBlog members —  We always encourage you to add factual information, insight, divergent opinions, or new topics to the TDB that don’t necessarily pertain to any particular moderator post or member comment.

 

 

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Fighton74
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October 27, 2023 8:29 am

I love people who keep mentioning that we should have taken Baylor’s coach ahahahah. Question is Baylor ranked? Also Baylor’s coach does not have a better record than Riley!!! Baylor needs an OC like we need a DC. The problem is very simple. New coach takes a few years to get your recruits. Especially defensively. Grinch is not man for the job at DC. Riley may like him, but he does not fit the bill as to what is needed for SC’s defense. Not enough discipline, not enough recruiting power, and not the kind of DC that Riley needs. Grinch… Read more »

Fighton74
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October 26, 2023 8:41 pm

Speculation Caleb not motivated. Question how motivated would you be after carrying a team for two seasons with not even a middle of the road defensive presence for help?

illinoisusc
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October 26, 2023 5:27 pm

This is going to be an ok year at USC if we beat Cal and the ruins. Just one missed penalty in the late first half against Utah that the refs call and it could have been very good…..and we have not lost to dub or Oregon yet….things happen sometimes. We could still be 9-3 or better. IMO….What happened is that some media which may have known better and others that did not, boosted the pre season hype to unrealistic levels. No way this team was going to the playoffs with the OL and DL we had. We lost to… Read more »

Jalenbuck1
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October 26, 2023 4:50 pm

Where Riley really looks bad, Helton had Darnold and led them to a 10-3 record and a win over Penn St in the Rose Bowl. Riley is supposedly a far superior coach and Williams is a far superior QB but thus far they seem quite even.

RialtoTrojan
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October 26, 2023 2:59 pm

“Our defense is more complicated than it was last year” Why? It’s defense not rocket science! This reason alone is enough to sack Grinch. There only needs to be three basic packages. A run package, a pass package and an RPO package. The line needs to be able to distinguish whether they are in the right set. The Safety needs to play Safety, not edge rusher. The Linebackers cover the middle ground between the line and the D-backs. The D-backs need to umbrella the whole field. The reason our defense is getting beat on big plays is because they’re still… Read more »

Steveg
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October 26, 2023 3:03 pm
Reply to  RialtoTrojan

A zone defense would be help a lot, at least then the backs may have the chance to look for the ball instead of running to catch up to the receivers.

SC Gator
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October 27, 2023 8:50 am
Reply to  Steveg

So many plays where multiple defenders are chasing whoever has the ball from behind.

USC1988
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October 27, 2023 12:12 am
Reply to  RialtoTrojan

This guy is a mess … if he had any dignity at all he would resign

Steveg
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October 27, 2023 7:29 am
Reply to  USC1988

That is what I used to say about Helton

ATL D.D.S.
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ATL D.D.S.
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October 27, 2023 8:28 am
Reply to  Steveg

and Uncle Hugs and Stubborn LR have the same record at this point of their respective USC eras.

SC Gator
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October 27, 2023 8:43 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Pretty obvious, isn’t it? The Mule from Muleshoe.

SC Gator
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October 27, 2023 8:49 am
Reply to  RialtoTrojan

The problem, to my untrained eye, is that on half the plays (and especially when the offense shifts or runs motion) the defenders are jumping up and down at the snap trying to figure out what their assignments are. And from the number of missed assignments it’s fair to say they’re not very good at figuring.

Paul_Muad_dib
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October 27, 2023 12:47 pm
Reply to  SC Gator

Exactly. Its so embarrassing to see them yell and point at each other. Some completely ignore their teammates. You can tell the defense isn’t well coached. Every time the USC offense shifts or motions, the opposing defense adjusts accordingly like they were coached to.

SC Gator
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October 27, 2023 6:52 pm
Reply to  Paul_Muad_dib

I cringe when I see them checking their wristbands as the ball is being snapped.

Paul_Muad_dib
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October 26, 2023 1:09 pm

Lincoln Riley has to look himself in the mirror and make some big decisions. He will need to fire Grinch immediately after the UCLS game so that we can hire a stop DC to bolster recruiting. I predict USC will beat Cal & UCLA, get blown out at Oregon and lose a close game to Washington. That leaves us at 8-4 with a boring bowl game that USC may or may not show up for. Here’s to 2024!!! lol

USC1988
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October 27, 2023 12:17 am
Reply to  Paul_Muad_dib

Not seeing a win vs UCLA … hell not even at Cal. Forget the other two especially the rout at Oregon. Where I believe Grinch will be tarmaced. And no bowl game, if we do get an upset or two. SC never shows up for a bowl unless the Rose. Save the humiliation.

Fighton74
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October 26, 2023 10:19 am

I’m gonna keep pounding the same questions into the wall with SC. How is it that most of the PAC-12 has a better defense than you do with a top 5 offense…Inexcusable!!!!! How is that you have a top 5 offense and you cannot attract defensive recruits. We lost Ugaleilei last year to Oregon. This year we are loosing Asa to Notre Dame from Bosco. We are loosing Woodyard from Bosco too as well as Breland from Mater Dei. You cannot let other schools pluck the deference makers from your own backyard period!!!!! Is Chip Kelly and offensive or defensive… Read more »

Golden Trojan
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October 26, 2023 11:07 am
Reply to  Fighton74

Two reasons. One, SC doesn’t have a DC that 5* HS defensive players want to play for, and/or 2, SC will not pay HS kids enough to get them.

Steveg
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Steveg
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October 26, 2023 3:01 pm
Reply to  Golden Trojan

Hopefully with our new AD that money that has been missing will appear and USC can get back in the game.