The USC Trojans are gearing up for a significant test as they prepare to face the LSU Tigers in their 2024 college football season opener.
With a revamped defense that has added 1,400 pounds of muscle, the Trojans are looking to improve on last season's struggles, where they allowed an average of 35 points per game.
Head coach Lincoln Riley has made notable changes to the defensive lineup, and while bringing in D’Anton Lynn as the new defensive coordinator.
“There's just a lot of it that's different,” Coach Riley said of USC’s defense . “What we're doing, how we're doing. I do think it's been impressive how our, again, our coaches have kind of meshed together and then how our players have been able to pick up our scheme, kind of take to that coaching.”
“Pretty much every single possible way you can change it, we’ve changed it. How we practice, certainly the size, the nutrition factor…Obviously the weight and the strength that we’ve put on these guys and we’ve brought in.
"Certainly how we’re playing, not just call-wise, but from a technique standpoint, is very different as well,” Riley continued.
Lynn has a strong track record, having transformed UCLA's defense from a low ranking to one of the top units in the nation.
This season, he will be coaching from the sidelines, a shift aimed at fostering better communication and adjustments during games.
The Trojans' defensive line is a focal point of their strategy, and Riley is eager to see how they perform against LSU's formidable offensive line, which features two projected high NFL Draft picks.
“I watch this and I don't feel like I'm watching a group that's only been doing this for a few months together,” Riley said.
“That's been a pretty consistent feeling really ever since we hit the field with this group of coaches and in this particular scheme is you feel a comfort level and a confidence about our guys within that scheme.”
“So it's got to go show up on Saturdays here pretty quick. But I think just more of the overall feeling of the group certainly feels different and obviously we'll go let the results speak for themselves."
The Trojans have focused on enhancing their size, nutrition, and overall technique, aiming for a more aggressive and effective defensive approach.
As they enter the Big Ten conference, the Trojans are determined to change perceptions and improve their defensive performance.
“You’ve got to realize that until you have a real chance to show what you’ve been working on and how much better you’ve gotten, what you did and what everybody saw is going to be on their minds until you change it,”
USC defensive lineman Jamil Muhammad said. “Obviously our focus isn’t on changing everybody else’s mind. Our focus is on getting better and fixing those things that we know we have to be better at.”
The upcoming matchup against LSU will be a critical opportunity for them to showcase their progress and set the tone for the rest of the season.
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