LOS ANGELES — USC cornerback DeCarlos Nicholson might be “Dad” to his 3-year-old son, but he’s “Unc” to his teammates on the Trojans’ defense.
“From not even just football, but all the way around in all conversations, these guys are funny,” Nicholson said of the defense. “I definitely look at some of them like little nephews. Some of them are Unc’s right with me.”
USC’s defense has taken steps forward and backward throughout this season. The youth throughout multiple position groups, especially, has changed how veteran players like Nicholson as well as defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn view leadership.
Lynn has adapted his coaching techniques to accommodate the younger or less-experienced players who have been thrust into roles this season, including underclassman linebackers Desman Stephens and Jadyn Walker as well as cornerback Marcelles Williams.
“It’s a little different when you’re teaching an 18-year-old,” Lynn told reporters after practice on Wednesday, “and when you’re teaching a guy that’s been at two or three schools that’s already played a bunch of college ball.”
He simplified his teachings in order to drill fronts and coverages and encouraged players to communicate more, regardless of what they say.
“He emphasizes that even if you’re not saying the right thing,” sophomore defensive end Cameron Crawford said, “as long as you’re talking and you’re trying to talk and communicate to everybody else, you’re doing your job.”
Kennedy Urlacher told reporters he’s benefited from the approach to fundamentals. The sophomore safety started in place of Bishop Fitzgerald against Oregon last weekend and finished with nine tackles and an interception in the 42-27 loss.
It was his fifth game of the season, but he’s gotten better as a teammate off the field, too.
“It’s not all about personal success,” he told reporters. “It’s about team success. Seeing other guys making plays and doing good things should make you excited. And it does make me excited.”
USC (8-3 overall, 6-2 Big Ten) has one regular-season game left on its schedule against UCLA this Saturday and after that, players will have one-on-one meetings with their position coach, coordinator and head coach Lincoln Riley to go over the season and what’s to come for them.
Nicholson, who has started in 10 of 11 games this season, will be out of eligibility. The defense will be with one less “Unc,” but he feels he’s used his time well in preparing next season’s returning players.
“I gotta keep ’em on track,” he said. “And then also just kind of sharing a lot of experiences with them because you got people that’s in different parts of their careers all throughout the locker room.
“One might need encouragement. One might need an example of how I got through a hard time before. They might need just coaching up, telling them how to do something, how to balance all the things. I’ve enjoyed that role, and it’s definitely been fun.”
AWARDS WATCH
Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Luke Huard is nominated for the Broyles Award, which recognizes the best FBS assistant coach.
Huard was selected from roughly 1,500 assistant coaches from 131 FBS programs and is one of 63 nominees after helping the Trojans’ offense become one of the best in the nation, statistically.
USC leads the Big Ten Conference in passing offense at 301 yards per game and total offense at 479.2 yards per game. Quarterback Jayden Maiava has completed 226 of 344 passes for 3,174 yards and 21 touchdowns with seven interceptions.