Column: USC finally has a defense under Lincoln Riley. Let the playoff dreaming begin
Lincoln Riley celebrates with DE Anthony Lucas after a crucial 27-20 victory over LSU at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday night. (Robert Gauthier / LAT)
Dylan Hernandez (LA Times) — LAS VEGAS — Who were these players, and what did they do with USC’s defense?
They were physical.
They made open-field tackles.
They kept their team in the game when the offense was stalled.
Finally, in Lincoln Riley’s third year as coach, the Trojans have a defense. Finally, under first-year defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn, they have a defense that can strike fear into their opponents.
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. 13 Louisiana State were on the other side of the football.
This defense lets the Trojans dream again. This defense could make them relevant on the national stage in ways their recent defenses couldn’t. This defense is why USC could be one of the 12 teams that reaches the College Football Playoff this season.
“This new defensive identity is way different, I would say, than in previous years,” sophomore defensive end Braylan Shelby said.
Countless magicians performed on the nearby Las Vegas Strip on Sunday night, but none were as extraordinary as Lynn, who previously transformed UCLA’s defense into the best in the country against the run.
“Some pretty good Big Ten football today,” Riley said.
LSU drove the ball to USC’s three-yard line on the opening drive of the game but was kept out of the end zone as a fourth-down blitz by linebacker Mason Cobb forced Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier to throw an errant pass.
Cobb also sealed the victory by intercepting a pass by Nussmeier with four seconds remaining in the game.
The Trojans gave up an average of 186.5 yards per game on the ground last season. On Sunday, against an LSU team with a physical offensive line, they yielded just 117 yards, of which 39 were gained on one play.
Shelby said, “We knew what they thought our weaknesses were going to be.”
USC DE Sam Greene celebrates with family in the stands after the Trojans’ win Sunday. (Robert Gauthier / LAT)
Basically, that USC would be as soft as it was under Lynn’s predecessor, Alex Grinch.
In interviews leading up to the game, LSU offensive lineman Will Campbell compared the meeting with USC to a “fistfight” and was open about how the Tigers expected to win.
“We’re gon’ run the ball,” Campbell said.
Lynn ensured that wouldn’t happen.
“We needed to turn that around when it came to this season,” Shelby said. “This entire offseason we went in with the mindset of, ‘We need to turn this around, we can’t be known as that.’ This whole offseason was just working on mainly stopping the run. Past seasons, that was a big thing for us, so turning that around was a big thing for us this year and I feel like we are doing that so far.”
Part of the reason the Trojans looked as if they had a new defense was because they, in fact, had a new defense. They started six transfers on defense, including tackles Gavin Meyer and Nate Clifton.
Meyer is listed at 6 foot 3 and 290 pounds, and Clifton 6 foot 4 and 295.
USC DE Lorenzo Cowan (37) makes a confetti angel on the field after the Trojans’ win Sunday. (Robert Gauthier / LAT)
“There were points in the game, you could see that for sure, how the size of our defense, how we were much stronger at the point of contact,” Shelby said.
The defense was especially dominant at the most critical stage of the game, after LSU took a 17-13 lead late in the third quarter on a 13-yard reception by Aaron Anderson. The Tigers had a chance to blow open the game. The Trojans wouldn’t let them, forcing them to punt on successive possessions.
The defensive stands allowed USC to reclaim the lead at 20-17 when Moss connected on a 28-yard pass with receiverJa’Kobi Lane.
“We battled all game long,” Riley said.
With the longstanding problem apparently taken care of, USC’s greatest question mark might now be Riley, who continued to have game-management problems.
He wasted precious seconds at the start of his team’s final drive of the first half, forcing him to decide whether to take a shot at the end zone or settle for a field-goal attempt, which kicker Michael Lantz missed. He squandered two timeouts early in the fourth quarter.
Riley also doesn’t seem entirely comfortable in the spotlight, as he made multiple references to how he doesn’t care what’s written or said about him in the media — usually a telltale sign that a person cares deeply about what’s written or said about him.
However, that’s another problem for another day. For now, the Trojans can celebrate. They have a defense. They have a chance.
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Urban Meyer — “So far the hire of the year has been D’Anton Lynn,” the former coach said on The Triple Option podcast. “That was a different-looking animal on defense to hold them to 20 points. The tackling a year ago was awful. We actually did a couple of shows on it. Lincoln Riley made a change and brought in the guy from cross-town at UCLA and it showed up.”
LAT – Ryan Kartje – USC quarterback Miller Moss part of 2022 dispute that triggered university investigation
So USC football is good again and they have the white surfer dude looking QB. Let’s dig up some dirt on him. What did they find? As a freshman he wasn’t getting along with his roomate! Shocking! Put it on the Front Page! These disputes just never happen to ordinary college freshmen. What crap journalism. Gossip loving TMZ, but a national newspaper? Who doesn’t have a college room mate story?
USC DC D’Anton Lynn walks on the field after the Trojans’ 27-20 victory over LSU at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday. (Jevone Moore / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) “This new defensive identity is way different than in previous years,” DE Braylan Shelby said. “We hold ourselves accountable. We hold ourselves to a standard.” Linebacker Eric Gentry, whose unusual skill set confounded the last defensive staff, was a force in the middle, tallying seven tackles in just 29 snaps. “I know [LSU is] looking out there like, ‘Damn, they got a 6-foot-6 linebacker,’ linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold said of Gentry. “Like,… Read more »
Vannini — After a weekend that gave us only a few upsets but several mighty impressive performances, where does everyone move in this week’s edition of The Athletic 134?
“Hello, USC. The overhauled defense looked more than competent, and Miller Moss looked like a proper Lincoln Riley quarterback as the Trojans upset LSU 27-20 and now move up to No. 15 (from No. 33), while the Tigers drop to No. 16 (from No.13). nytimes.com
Host Randy Cross (1975 UCLA All-America OC/OG who helped lead his Dick Vermeil-coached team to the 1976 Rose Bowl Championship over #1 undefeated OHIO ST):
“I thought the most impressive win of the weekend was Sunday Night when USC took out LSU. Line of scrimmage, Miller Moss, wherever you want to go, this was a different Trojan team. This was the old-school Trojan team.”
Just wish Bear Alexander would exhibit his talent and release his energy to penetrate and cause havoc as a DT. I understand he made just 1-tackle against LSU? I hope he contributed more in the game?
Paul Finebaum — “I’d like to say something about Lincoln Riley. He corrected his situation. Give him a lot of credit. They look like a team that can contend for the bottom of the 12-team playoff. LSU doesn’t. They look like only the 6th or 7th best team in the SEC. That’s what SC beat. Lincoln Riley won this. Lincoln Riley doesn’t have to answer to anyone.”
After one game into the season this expert has USC picked for the playoff. If only he could think before he speaks he wouldn’t look like such an a-hole. But then he knows very little about anything outside the south.
6-6, 215 lb LB Eric Gentry (“The Stork”) has always been a favorite of mine because he’s so competitive.
Here he is with 7:39 to go, and USC trying to protect a 17-13 lead with LSU driving at their own 30. It’s 3rd and 1 and the veteran ASU transfer Gentry somehow manages to knife inside the tight end, blowing up the play and forcing a 35-yard punt, giving the Trojans great field position.
Notre Dame and Penn St should be ahead of Ole Miss and Oregon. Oregon should have dropped further. Top 10 for USC in 3 weeks looks doable. Who would have thought that a month ago?
In my lifetime we’ve done it once and one year we had a tie. But not a silly pipe dream. We will compete with everyone on our schedule and will most likely be favored in all but one game (I assume Michigan will be favored). It looks way better than it did Sunday before 4:30.
USC surges, Oregon falls out of top five in first US LBM Coaches Poll of regular season US LBM Coaches Poll The US LBM Coaches Poll is conducted weekly throughout the regular season using a panel of head coaches at Football Bowl Subdivision schools. The panel is chosen by random draw, conference by conference plus independents, from a pool of coaches who have indicated to the American Football Coaches Association their willingness to participate. Each coach submits a Top 25 with a first-place vote worth 25 points, second place 24, and so on down to one point for 25th.… Read more »
I still see the final touchdown as a statement for the Trojan offense. They could have easily gone for the field goal and a three point win, but Riley put the ball in the hands of the running back and the offensive line. He knew overtime was a possibility, but a touchdown was a better possibility for everyone. LSU came back out after the kickoff with a few seconds (I think 8) and threw an interception. It wasn’t a game winning interception, it was a win sealing interception. If I had to predict what comes next I guess USC will… Read more »
Correct me if I’m wrong but the defense had the look of bend don’t break NFL style to it. Give a cushion in the middle of the field, prevent the big play, and tighten up closer to the end zone. Running an NFL defense should bode well for recruiting defensive talent in December.
Missed tackles in the single digits. I think we will see them tighten up the coverage as the season progresses. It was a good defense against an unknown offense, stop the run and prevent the big plays.
You couldn’t really ask for a better overall showing by USC vs LSU in terms of offense, defense, and special teams. After watching the game a second time, this is more evident than ever. This 2024 team clearly has better overall chemistry and far superior composure as well. It’s as though the players want to erase the stain of 2023. Throw in better size, speed, and conditioning, and the ability to play tough at the end when it counted against a talented foe, making big plays on both sides of the ball. The new Trojan coaches have imparted much more… Read more »
One of the things I noticed was that they kept the DL guys fresh, rotating players in and out. That big line of LSU didn’t wear down the USC line. Shows depth at a place people were worried about.
Coach Lynn is a rising superstar and will be so hard to hang on to. The NFL and other colleges will be calling him for coordinator and head coaching positions, it’s the way it works. But we have such a good succession plan if that happens. Belk or Entz can step right in and keep continuity. Riley hired a sustainable and competent staff. Hoping we can keep all of these guys together for a few years, but realize they are all in demand. For now, grateful to see us play real defense.
Miller Moss Earns Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week LOS ANGELES — USC QB Miller Moss earned Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors after leading the No. 23 ranked Trojans to a 27-20 victory over No. 13 LSU in front of a record-breaking, sold-out crowd at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday (Sept. 1). This marks the first official Big Ten honor for a Trojan football player. In USC’s first meeting with LSU in 40 years, Moss went 27-for-36 (.750) for 378 yards, a career-best, while throwing 1 TD. He is the first Trojan starting QB… Read more »
The focus on Riley at the end of the article gets weird. It’s like, “she must really like me because she appears to have no interest in me.” The LA Times can’t just write an article without their little agendas and biases showing through. I didn’t like the timeout management in the 4th quarter, but the timeouts did come at times when we were discombobulated and we needed to get it together or avoid delay penalties. My main objection was waiting too long to call the second to last timeout. We burned time we needed and then called it anyway.… Read more »
Lincoln Riley celebrates with DE Anthony Lucas after a crucial 27-20 victory over LSU at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday night. (Robert Gauthier / LAT)
Hire of the Year!
Urban Meyer — “So far the hire of the year has been D’Anton Lynn,” the former coach said on The Triple Option podcast. “That was a different-looking animal on defense to hold them to 20 points. The tackling a year ago was awful. We actually did a couple of shows on it. Lincoln Riley made a change and brought in the guy from cross-town at UCLA and it showed up.”
LAT – Ryan Kartje – USC quarterback Miller Moss part of 2022 dispute that triggered university investigation
So USC football is good again and they have the white surfer dude looking QB. Let’s dig up some dirt on him. What did they find? As a freshman he wasn’t getting along with his roomate! Shocking! Put it on the Front Page! These disputes just never happen to ordinary college freshmen. What crap journalism. Gossip loving TMZ, but a national newspaper? Who doesn’t have a college room mate story?
JC … pathetic shame on you LATimes
You see why so many movie stars and rock stars and other famous people hate the paparazi.
USC DC D’Anton Lynn walks on the field after the Trojans’ 27-20 victory over LSU at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday. (Jevone Moore / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) “This new defensive identity is way different than in previous years,” DE Braylan Shelby said. “We hold ourselves accountable. We hold ourselves to a standard.” Linebacker Eric Gentry, whose unusual skill set confounded the last defensive staff, was a force in the middle, tallying seven tackles in just 29 snaps. “I know [LSU is] looking out there like, ‘Damn, they got a 6-foot-6 linebacker,’ linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold said of Gentry. “Like,… Read more »
Back up the Brinks Truck and pay Lynn whatever it takes to keep him! Promise him a Natty if he stays. Whatever title he needs.
Tiger Killer Woody Marks is called “Woody” because of his love for Toy Story.
The Athletic’s Chris Vannini moves USC up
Vannini — After a weekend that gave us only a few upsets but several mighty impressive performances, where does everyone move in this week’s edition of The Athletic 134?
“Hello, USC. The overhauled defense looked more than competent, and Miller Moss looked like a proper Lincoln Riley quarterback as the Trojans upset LSU 27-20 and now move up to No. 15 (from No. 33), while the Tigers drop to No. 16 (from No.13).
nytimes.com
CBS Sports Inside College Football
Most Impressive Week 1 Performance
Host Randy Cross (1975 UCLA All-America OC/OG who helped lead his Dick Vermeil-coached team to the 1976 Rose Bowl Championship over #1 undefeated OHIO ST):
“I thought the most impressive win of the weekend was Sunday Night when USC took out LSU. Line of scrimmage, Miller Moss, wherever you want to go, this was a different Trojan team. This was the old-school Trojan team.”
Just wish Bear Alexander would exhibit his talent and release his energy to penetrate and cause havoc as a DT. I understand he made just 1-tackle against LSU? I hope he contributed more in the game?
DTs and number of tackles is not important … penetrating and gap control
Bear did a nice job when rotated in
Paul Finebaum — “I’d like to say something about Lincoln Riley. He corrected his situation. Give him a lot of credit. They look like a team that can contend for the bottom of the 12-team playoff. LSU doesn’t. They look like only the 6th or 7th best team in the SEC. That’s what SC beat. Lincoln Riley won this. Lincoln Riley doesn’t have to answer to anyone.”
Finebaum goes on to trash Brian Kelly
After one game into the season this expert has USC picked for the playoff. If only he could think before he speaks he wouldn’t look like such an a-hole. But then he knows very little about anything outside the south.
6-6, 215 lb LB Eric Gentry (“The Stork”) has always been a favorite of mine because he’s so competitive.
Here he is with 7:39 to go, and USC trying to protect a 17-13 lead with LSU driving at their own 30. It’s 3rd and 1 and the veteran ASU transfer Gentry somehow manages to knife inside the tight end, blowing up the play and forcing a 35-yard punt, giving the Trojans great field position.
What an incredible play!
Great read. He just sold out like he knew what was coming.
Seems Like Old Times Again
Week 1 Coaches Poll 1 Georgia (51) 2 Ohio State (3) 3 Texas (1) 4 Alabama 5 Ole Miss 6 Oregon 7 Notre Dame 8 Penn State 9 Michigan 10 Missouri 11 Utah 12 Tennessee 13 Oklahoma 14 USC 15 Miami (Florida) 16 Kansas State 17 Oklahoma State 18 Arizona 19 LSU 20 Kansas 21 Iowa 22 Clemson 23 NC State 24 Louisville 25 Washington Others receiving votes: Georgia Tech 86; Texas A&M 78; Memphis 43; Kentucky 23; Boise State 22; SMU 19; Auburn 13; Wisconsin 11; Iowa State 10; UNLV 9; Tulane 9; Maryland 9; Liberty 9; Nebraska 8;… Read more »
Notre Dame and Penn St should be ahead of Ole Miss and Oregon. Oregon should have dropped further. Top 10 for USC in 3 weeks looks doable. Who would have thought that a month ago?
USC is #13 in the latest AP poll (up 10 spots)
1 GA
2 OHIO ST
3 TEXAS
4 ALA
5 ND
6 OLE MISS
7 ORE
8 PSU
9 MO
10 MICH
11 UTAH
12 MIA
13 USC
14 TENN
15 OU
16 OKS
17 KSU
18 LSU
19 KU
20 ARIZ
21 IOWA
22 LOUIS
23 GT
24 NCS
25 CLEM
We have #5, #8 and #10 on our schedule. If we win those, we most likely will be in the playoffs.
Even 2 out of 3 might do it. Win all 3 should be in the CCG. Everything looks possible now.
10-2 will get us in.
How does 12-0 look now?
In my lifetime we’ve done it once and one year we had a tie. But not a silly pipe dream. We will compete with everyone on our schedule and will most likely be favored in all but one game (I assume Michigan will be favored). It looks way better than it did Sunday before 4:30.
USC surges, Oregon falls out of top five in first US LBM Coaches Poll of regular season US LBM Coaches Poll The US LBM Coaches Poll is conducted weekly throughout the regular season using a panel of head coaches at Football Bowl Subdivision schools. The panel is chosen by random draw, conference by conference plus independents, from a pool of coaches who have indicated to the American Football Coaches Association their willingness to participate. Each coach submits a Top 25 with a first-place vote worth 25 points, second place 24, and so on down to one point for 25th.… Read more »
I still see the final touchdown as a statement for the Trojan offense. They could have easily gone for the field goal and a three point win, but Riley put the ball in the hands of the running back and the offensive line. He knew overtime was a possibility, but a touchdown was a better possibility for everyone. LSU came back out after the kickoff with a few seconds (I think 8) and threw an interception. It wasn’t a game winning interception, it was a win sealing interception. If I had to predict what comes next I guess USC will… Read more »
Correct me if I’m wrong but the defense had the look of bend don’t break NFL style to it. Give a cushion in the middle of the field, prevent the big play, and tighten up closer to the end zone. Running an NFL defense should bode well for recruiting defensive talent in December.
Missed tackles in the single digits. I think we will see them tighten up the coverage as the season progresses. It was a good defense against an unknown offense, stop the run and prevent the big plays.
You couldn’t really ask for a better overall showing by USC vs LSU in terms of offense, defense, and special teams. After watching the game a second time, this is more evident than ever. This 2024 team clearly has better overall chemistry and far superior composure as well. It’s as though the players want to erase the stain of 2023. Throw in better size, speed, and conditioning, and the ability to play tough at the end when it counted against a talented foe, making big plays on both sides of the ball. The new Trojan coaches have imparted much more… Read more »
One of the things I noticed was that they kept the DL guys fresh, rotating players in and out. That big line of LSU didn’t wear down the USC line. Shows depth at a place people were worried about.
Coach Lynn is a rising superstar and will be so hard to hang on to. The NFL and other colleges will be calling him for coordinator and head coaching positions, it’s the way it works. But we have such a good succession plan if that happens. Belk or Entz can step right in and keep continuity. Riley hired a sustainable and competent staff. Hoping we can keep all of these guys together for a few years, but realize they are all in demand. For now, grateful to see us play real defense.
Check out Big 10 Network, football coaches interviews, USC features and replaying the LSU game. Riley may be on today.
Miller Moss Earns Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week LOS ANGELES — USC QB Miller Moss earned Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors after leading the No. 23 ranked Trojans to a 27-20 victory over No. 13 LSU in front of a record-breaking, sold-out crowd at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday (Sept. 1). This marks the first official Big Ten honor for a Trojan football player. In USC’s first meeting with LSU in 40 years, Moss went 27-for-36 (.750) for 378 yards, a career-best, while throwing 1 TD. He is the first Trojan starting QB… Read more »
Dude F off … save your dimestore psychoanalysis for F ing Trump or something
Or f ing Kameltoe.
Hey brother, how about keeping personal politics out of this website. It’s about sports, OK? Fight on brother!
I agree. ‘88 brought it up and deserved a negative acknowledgement. Now it’s a draw. Time to call the game before someone gets hurt.
The focus on Riley at the end of the article gets weird. It’s like, “she must really like me because she appears to have no interest in me.” The LA Times can’t just write an article without their little agendas and biases showing through. I didn’t like the timeout management in the 4th quarter, but the timeouts did come at times when we were discombobulated and we needed to get it together or avoid delay penalties. My main objection was waiting too long to call the second to last timeout. We burned time we needed and then called it anyway.… Read more »
Just a stupid hack ending … wtf
Pipe down, Frances.
Dylan Hernandez graduated from UCLA in 2002.
There U go … hack