USC did not have good teachers on its defensive coaching staff in 2023. Alex Grinch, Donte Williams, Roy Manning, Brian Odom — basically everyone other than Shaun Nua — did not come particularly close to maximizing the talent of various players and position groups on the Trojans’ roster. Nua was good. He developed Bear Alexander into a strong, high-quality defensive lineman whose play and overall influence were consistent through the season. It was hard to find another USC player who reached the standard Bear Alexander set. Accordingly, Lincoln Riley retained Nua and also retained Taylor Mays as an analyst, but he cut loose the other members of his defensive staff. It’s a move everyone saw as necessary.
What’s the new theme for the new defensive staff? You’ll find the answer soon enough when you look at some of the comments below from USC’s coaches: