USC Football: Nick Saban Gives His Prediction for Trojans 2024 Season

It isn’t unfair to say that last season, USC Football’s defense was bad and cost them several tallies in the win column. They allowed 34 points per game and 432 yards per game. Those stats landed them 116th and 118th respectively in all of college football.

This prompted a complete overhaul from the top down. They hired D’Anton Lynn for the secondary. Lynn is credited with the UCLA Bruins defensive turnaround last year. For the defensive line, they got Los Angeles Rams defensive line coach, Eric Henderson, who coached Aaron Donald. They also brought in Matt Entz as assistant head coach. Entz was most recently the head coach for the two-time FCS National Champions, North Dakota Bison. Last season, his defense was ranked in the top 10 in yards allowed and points allowed in the FCS.

USC Football: Defense Attracting Attention From High Places

These hires have attracted a lot of attention from all manner of analysts, but on Saturday it got its biggest endorsement so far. Nick Saban also joined College Game Day from Dublin, Ireland to give his thoughts on the improved defense and Lincoln Riley.

“I really think USC, who people are kind of disrespecting,” Saban said. “Lincoln Riley’s always going to have a good offense. I don’t care who the quarterback is; he’ll make ’em work. And now that they have this new defensive coordinator, D’Anton Lynn, who really turned UCLA around a year ago if they can play better defense, they’re going to challenge some of these teams in the Big Ten.”

The world will get the first glance at the newly-minted starting quarterback, Miller Moss, and the rebuilt defense on Sunday, September 1st in Las Vegas against the LSU Tigers.

More must-reads:

• Lincoln Riley Excited By Prospect Of Pete Carroll Joining USC Football
• BREAKING: Lincoln Riley Names His Starting Quarterback