Joel Klatt expects improved defense to help USC bounce back in 2024

There’s going to be improvement for USC in 2024, so long as the defense takes a step forward, according to Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt.

As is the case seemingly every year, the Trojans have to get better on that side of the ball if they’re to support Lincoln Riley’s offense. Now moving to the Big Ten in 2024, it might be much more important.

Still, Klatt is high on USC to bounce back from an eight-win season.

“USC is a fascinating one because I’ve always said as you know, that all Lincoln Riley needs is just an average defense and that’s going to be a really good team,” Klatt said on his show. “They were not an average defense a year ago, they were 8-5. Now D’Anton Lynn comes in as the defensive coordinator and this is a guy that is in the vein of that Ravens-esque style of defense. The Harbaugh-esque style of defense, what’s been successful for Michigan over the last couple of years.”

Since Riley is a quarterback whisperer, he can plug anyone in. It’s been the case at USC and even at Oklahoma.

Miller Moss could be the latest example after he showed out in the Holiday Bowl. As long as that defense doesn’t get gashed, the Trojans should be in good shape.

“If the Trojans fix that defense, they should be really good because it doesn’t matter who Lincoln Riley’s quarterback is,” Klatt said. “He’s had success with every guy that he’s ever put up in that position. I think that that would continue even if it’s Miller Moss. He had a great Holiday Bowl and I really liked the young skill position players namely Zachariah Branch. I think he’s one of the best in America.”

In two seasons in Hollywood, Riley has posted two more top-three offenses at an average of 41.6 ppg.. That gives him four of those in seven seasons as a head coach.

It’s just that, in a pair of seasons at USC, they’ve also had two defenses outside the Top-90 that have given up an average of 31.8 ppg.. That’s including 43 ppg. in their eight losses. In seven years, he has only one defense finish in the Top-30, let alone higher than in the Top-60.

Riley has firepower that is of a championship caliber. It’s just a matter of if he can ever field a sufficient defense, especially in a new conference next fall with USC.