Personnel no longer the issue with USC’s defense entering 2023

The USC Trojans impressed last season in year one under Lincoln Riley, as the offensive mastermind helped lead one of the most high-powered units in the country that averaged 41.4 points per game. Unfortunately, their defense was not as formidable, giving up 27.9 points per game and over 40 points in each of their three losses last season.

But according to On3’s JD PicKell, the Trojans’ defense should be improved this season thanks to some new additions to the team.

“Now when you look at the defense, I don’t think that the personnel is the issue anymore,” PicKell said. “Like last year you could have made some excuses that they were getting into the scheme, and there were some guys that maybe didn’t fit, and maybe they didn’t have what they needed defensively.”

The Trojans added 14 players to their team through the transfer portal this offseason, eight of which play on the defensive side of the ball. It’s clear that even in Los Angeles they were aware that they needed to bolster their defense up a little bit, and it’s hard to deny that they did so when you look at some of the names they’ve added.

“With what they did through the portal, what I just mentioned, adding a Bear Alexander from Georgia, adding an Anthony Lucas who was highly recruited, highly rated out of high school from Texas A&M. Going and adding some other pieces with Mason Cobb the linebacker from Oklahoma State, the personnel in my opinion is at least up to par in the Pac-12. It’s at least good enough to get where you expect to go,” PicKell said

There’s no doubt that USC added some talented players to their defense this offseason, but will they mesh and thrive in the Trojans’ defensive scheme? PicKell believes that this lies on the shoulders of defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, who’s now tasked with turning USC’s old and new pieces into a successful and improved defense in 2023.

“So now the pressure shifts back to the defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. Whether it’s practice, whether it’s scheme, whatever you gotta do to be able to get this thing turned around, I think it falls even more so on you this coming year than it did last year because you got better ingredients. If the ingredients are good enough, and the meal isn’t good, then whose fault is that? It’s on the chef right? It’s on the person working with the ingredients,” PicKell explained. “So with Alex Grinch now I think you’ve got good ingredients, I think you’ve got what you need defensively to be good enough, can you put it together?”

The Trojans’ offense will likely be firing on all cylinders yet again with Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams under center. Williams has been regarded by many as a generational talent and the consensus No. 1 overall pick in next year’s NFL Draft. And because of this, USC has a small window to be a nearly guaranteed College Football Playoff contender if they are a well-rounded team this upcoming season.

“Has to be the year because you get Caleb Williams for one more year. Lincoln Riley’s gonna recruit the quarterback position well, he’s gonna have a guy every single year. I would imagine Malachi Nelson‘s probably the next guy in line. But you’ve got a sure thing, as sure of a thing as there is in college football in Caleb Williams playing quarterback for you,” PicKell said. “Make good on that.”