LOS ANGELES — The biggest change in USC’s defense from the first game to the second can’t be easily quantified, but it’s had an undeniable effect.
“There was a lot more trust in Game 2 for us,” head coach Lincoln Riley said on Trojans Live, the USC-run podcast.
“We had some guys go in (the first game), not do their job and not trust it and we saw the ramifications of what happens … and so I think it built even more confidence and awareness of, hey, we just need to settle in and trust the system … and just go play.”
The change in trust explains how the 14th-ranked Trojans (2-0) went from a lackluster finish in the season opener against San José State to a shutout of Fresno State the following week.
The culture of a defense matters as much as anything else, even when a coach as accomplished as defensive coordinator Gary Patterson is on the sidelines.
“We’re still hungry,” defensive end Jide Abasiri said. “We’ve got so much more to prove. We want to do it against the bigger teams. That’s gonna be the main goal throughout the season is just being consistent for the later games.”
Patterson seems to be doing all he can to cultivate that attitude on defense, based on what players have said.
He gives intense, one-on-one coaching and is using his signature “video test” that shows players a still from a play on offense or defense, and asks players to verbally respond with what they have to do on that particular play.
“Coach Patterson says you play as fast as you can say it,” safety Kennedy Urlacher said. “So if you can say your assignment fast, you should be able to play that fast.”
Urlacher and Alex Graham are both playing the nickel position, which continues to be one of the most important parts of Patterson’s defense. The two are tied for second on the team in terms of tackles, and they’re two of four players to record a sack this season.
The nickel lines up at multiple spots on the field, whether in the slot, in the box or on the line. The Trojans are also deploying a zone defense 60.4% of the time, according to Hudl IQ analytics, and use Cover 4 in nearly half of their zone coverage.
It all necessitates a competent safety who has trust in themselves, the players around them and the game plan.
“At the beginning, I’d say it was a challenge, but challenges are good,” Urlacher said of playing nickel. “It was something to overcome, so just kept practicing and working hard at it.”
USC hosts Louisiana (1-0) on Saturday at 8 p.m. in its final nonconference game.
STEWART INJURY UPDATE
Defensive tackle Jahkeem Stewart is nearing a return to play, Riley told reporters, after missing the first two games due to a foot injury. He was seen with a walking boot on his right foot at the Fresno State game on Saturday.
“It’ll be close for this week, but certainly a shot that we may play him some,” Riley said. “In a perfect world, you’d love to be getting them a couple of reps before we go into Big Ten play. But it’s got to make sense from a health perspective as well as the schedule, and we’ll do our best to balance both.”
Stewart was second on the team last season with 7½ tackles for a loss of 27 yards and made an additional 18 tackles. He played most of the season with a stress fracture and had surgery the day after the regular-season finale against UCLA.