Alex Grinch stresses need for improved pass rush on USC defense

USC is a dynamo on the offensive side of the football. No surprise, given the transfer haul on that side of the ball and, first and foremost, the guy the Trojans brought in as head coach. But it was always the defense, and still is the defense that prevents Lincoln Riley’s teams from achieving their ultimate dreams.

USC lost to Utah by the slimmest of margins last time out. Put up 42 points. Came out with 28 in the first half. Caleb Williams threw five touchdowns to zero interceptions. The unit was practically flawless. Yet the team still lost. One side of the ball to blame, essentially.

So, coming out of the bye, USC defensive coordinator Alex Grinch is hounding his defensive front for improvement. Particularly among the pass rush, which just hasn’t lived up to Grinch’s standards. He wants more out of the athletes along along the line, he shared at a press conference this week.

“Yeah, I mean, you call the rush for a reason right. It’s, you know, in the 3-4 structure. You’re saying the rush linebacker already rushes more than he drops. And it’s designed to be a position where you let an athlete go be an athlete. And there’s instances where they got drop coverage, like any defense that has itself an outside linebacker.”

Grinch needs more Trojan uniforms generating pressure, creating tackles for loss, just wreaking havoc with impact defensive plays along the defensive front.

“We expect guys to be in the backfield, you know. Not just hold point, not just line up. If we want a guy sitting on the line of scrimmage, we recruit a 355-pound guy and sit him on the edge and stand there and take on blocks. And so, you know, our M.O. has been to have guys that are athletes. Allow them to be athletes and go hunt the quarterback. So that’s something that we need more of. Trying to feel out our toughness on defense, just generally, all season.”

Toughness, athleticism and relentlessness. That’s what Alex Grinch is looking for in pass rushers. The USC DC is trying to light a fire under his guys heading into the home second half of the season.