I found this write up in an ESPN article re: our defense. Interesting take, what do you guys think?
We've talked about USC's defense before, but it's not getting better. Is there a path to the Trojans improving on that side of the ball this season?
Dinich: I've spoken with multiple coaches who have faced USC and said that yes, the scheme is complicated, but it's a good one when properly executed. The Trojans' offense is 118th in time of possession, which causes their defense to be on the field a lot. Because they run a lot of combo coverages that teams have found ways to attack by using different formations, shifts and motions, their defensive backs have been forced to adjust and figure out who is fitting the run on the fly.
One coach noticed they move their defensive linemen post-snap fairly often, so their run fits for their linebackers and support defenders aren't clearly defined, and that causes them to be out of position sometimes. "They are an athletic and twitchy defense, but when individual guys are put at the point of attack to make tackles, they aren't consistent with making them," one coach said. "They usually have guys there, but they have missed quite a few tackles, which also could be due to fatigue."
Rittenberg: Some coaches wonder if USC's larger program philosophies could be hurting the defense's ability to perform in games. A Power 5 coach noted how USC has made several of its major NIL investments at wide receiver -- Jordan Addison, Dorian Singer, Mario Williams, Zachariah Branch -- rather than at defensive line or cornerback, like Georgia and other national contenders do. "It's a different model," the coach said. "It's [Riley's] philosophy -- he's going to outscore you." A Pac-12 coach wondered if USC's defense sees enough varied offensive looks in practice. Although facing Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams and the nation's top scoring offense in practice has its preparation advantages, there are also drawbacks.
"Their offense runs like five passing concepts from 10 and 11 personnel," the coach said. "How do you ever get better at fitting runs and aligning to multiple formations? You don't, and then you bust."
Dinich: It's possible that USC has also been used to playing with a lead, and its game against Arizona was really the first test where every defensive snap truly mattered. One coach who faced USC this season told me he thinks the Trojans' defense is "taking too much heat." He was the second coach who pointed out some injuries, and said the Trojans have a good scheme and talented players. "They do a lot of things, which might cause them to have some missed assignments here or there, but for the most part, they get after the QB," he said. "They have difficult coverage schemes."
Rittenberg: The hard thing to square with USC is the production plays -- 57 tackles for loss (tied for first nationally), 22 sacks (tied for fifth nationally), eight forced fumbles (tied for fourth nationally) -- and the breakdowns with assignments and tackling. Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch's analogy to me a few weeks ago about the baseball pitcher with high strikeouts, low walks and a bad ERA continues to fit this unit. Maybe it is the lack of adversity.
"You're like, 'Hey, go after the quarterback, have a tackle for loss, have a sack, don't worry about giving up a completion play,'" a Pac-12 coach said. "The amount of plays a team would have to make to get back in the game is pretty high. When they're up 35-7 against Colorado and Colorado's going to go as fast as they can and throw hitches and throw screens, you're going to get some plays out of it, but you're not going to get enough plays that are going to cause you to lose."
The point the coach made about USC doing so much -- maybe too much -- has been echoed by others. You wonder if USC should mimic what coordinator Jim Knowles has done with Ohio State, which seems to be taking fewer chances this season but is limiting points (10.2 ppg allowed).
We've talked about USC's defense before, but it's not getting better. Is there a path to the Trojans improving on that side of the ball this season?
Dinich: I've spoken with multiple coaches who have faced USC and said that yes, the scheme is complicated, but it's a good one when properly executed. The Trojans' offense is 118th in time of possession, which causes their defense to be on the field a lot. Because they run a lot of combo coverages that teams have found ways to attack by using different formations, shifts and motions, their defensive backs have been forced to adjust and figure out who is fitting the run on the fly.
One coach noticed they move their defensive linemen post-snap fairly often, so their run fits for their linebackers and support defenders aren't clearly defined, and that causes them to be out of position sometimes. "They are an athletic and twitchy defense, but when individual guys are put at the point of attack to make tackles, they aren't consistent with making them," one coach said. "They usually have guys there, but they have missed quite a few tackles, which also could be due to fatigue."
Rittenberg: Some coaches wonder if USC's larger program philosophies could be hurting the defense's ability to perform in games. A Power 5 coach noted how USC has made several of its major NIL investments at wide receiver -- Jordan Addison, Dorian Singer, Mario Williams, Zachariah Branch -- rather than at defensive line or cornerback, like Georgia and other national contenders do. "It's a different model," the coach said. "It's [Riley's] philosophy -- he's going to outscore you." A Pac-12 coach wondered if USC's defense sees enough varied offensive looks in practice. Although facing Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams and the nation's top scoring offense in practice has its preparation advantages, there are also drawbacks.
"Their offense runs like five passing concepts from 10 and 11 personnel," the coach said. "How do you ever get better at fitting runs and aligning to multiple formations? You don't, and then you bust."
Dinich: It's possible that USC has also been used to playing with a lead, and its game against Arizona was really the first test where every defensive snap truly mattered. One coach who faced USC this season told me he thinks the Trojans' defense is "taking too much heat." He was the second coach who pointed out some injuries, and said the Trojans have a good scheme and talented players. "They do a lot of things, which might cause them to have some missed assignments here or there, but for the most part, they get after the QB," he said. "They have difficult coverage schemes."
Rittenberg: The hard thing to square with USC is the production plays -- 57 tackles for loss (tied for first nationally), 22 sacks (tied for fifth nationally), eight forced fumbles (tied for fourth nationally) -- and the breakdowns with assignments and tackling. Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch's analogy to me a few weeks ago about the baseball pitcher with high strikeouts, low walks and a bad ERA continues to fit this unit. Maybe it is the lack of adversity.
"You're like, 'Hey, go after the quarterback, have a tackle for loss, have a sack, don't worry about giving up a completion play,'" a Pac-12 coach said. "The amount of plays a team would have to make to get back in the game is pretty high. When they're up 35-7 against Colorado and Colorado's going to go as fast as they can and throw hitches and throw screens, you're going to get some plays out of it, but you're not going to get enough plays that are going to cause you to lose."
The point the coach made about USC doing so much -- maybe too much -- has been echoed by others. You wonder if USC should mimic what coordinator Jim Knowles has done with Ohio State, which seems to be taking fewer chances this season but is limiting points (10.2 ppg allowed).
