Caleb Williams: USC's defense is 'a lot better'
If not for having one of the nation’s worst defenses, USC might well have been a College Football Playoff team last fall. So the USC defense has been out this offseason to move from the liability column to the asset column.
Already some of the team’s offensive stars have seen a big difference.
“Speaking on my side of it, the defensive line has gotten a lot better with its technique,” Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Caleb Williams said. “Guys we brought in, guys wanted to make the play, guys understanding what they’re doing, how they’re supposed to do it.”
USC lost only three games in 2022, and two of those losses came by just one point in an absolute shootout. The Trojans fell to Utah 43-42 in the regular season, then fell to Tulane 46-45 in the Cotton Bowl.
A little stiffer USC defense in either game could have been the difference.
It didn’t happen last year, though, keeping USC at least a year away from making the kind of noise it really wants to. But is that Achilles’ heel from a year ago actually disappearing?
“The D-line is getting back there,” Williams said. “They’re getting back there faster, a lot stronger, whatever the case may be. So it forces myself to progress in my reads faster, it’s been making me better as a player.”
Top 10
- 1
Nico Iamaleava update
Josh Heupel provides latest on Tennessee QB
- 2
Kirk calls out trash throwing
Herbstreit: "Enough is enough, clowns"
- 3
Ole Miss storms field
Celebration starts too early after beating Georgia
- 4
Herbstreit 'retired' from CFP show
College football analyst no longer on Tuesday rankings reveal
- 5
Tour of Oxford
Goalposts visit local landmarks after Georgia upset
Williams was lights out a year ago, capturing the Heisman Trophy after throwing for 4,537 yards with 42 touchdowns and just five interceptions. He also ran for 382 yards and 10 scores on the ground.
If he’s getting even better as a result of an improved USC defense, watch out.
The entire defense seems motivated to improve and not hold the team back this fall. The Trojans finished just 106th in total defense a year ago, twice losing games that the offense scored more than 40 points in.
That won’t cut it if USC hopes to be a playoff contender. The healthy competition between the offense and the USC defense this offseason, though, has Williams encouraged.
“Then also them just trying to throw different things at me when we go against each other,” he said, “It’s been good. It’s been fun. It’s been challenging. That’s what you want, especially from that side of the ball.”