Tag: USC Big Ten Media Days

Trojans Wire reacts to Big Ten poll in which USC received zero respect

Big Ten pundits don’t think USC is one of the big boys — not this year, at least.

USC football was not in the top four of a preseason Big Ten poll released earlier this week. The Trojans are not viewed by Big Ten or national media as an elite team or a conference championship contender. There is enduring skepticism about the Trojans’ ability to field an elite defense. There is a continued national narrative that Lincoln Riley still doesn’t take defense seriously, despite the fact that he hired a brand-new defensive coaching staff with strong credentials. He didn’t just hire a new defensive coordinator, either. In addition to D’Anton Lynn, Riley hired a new defensive line coach, Eric Henderson. He hired a new linebacker coach, Matt Entz. He hired a new secondary coach, Doug Belk. He retained Taylor Mays, who did such a brilliant job coaching the secondary on an interim basis in the Holiday Bowl. Yet, Big Ten analysts and pundits who vote in polls do not think USC belongs with the big boys right now.

At the 6:12 mark in our recent call-in show at The Voice of College Football, a caller asked for our reaction to USC being ranked sixth in the 2024 Big Ten Media Poll.

https://www.youtube.com/live/WIczn-l-zmw?si=EhiNADpWisKw1R2-&t=372

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Kamari Ramsey and Miller Moss explain the strengths of D’Anton Lynn’s defense

USC players are seeing how D’Anton Lynn is making them better and helping them grow.

D’Anton Lynn is USC’s new defensive coordinator, replacing Alex Grinch in 2024. Two players with unique perspectives on his defense chimed in on why it’s so effective. One played for Lynn on his previous team, UCLA, and the other is USC’s starting quarterback who spent the entire spring playing against his base 4-2-5 defense.

Kamari Ramsey is one of four UCLA Bruins to join the Trojans in 2024 (Lynn, Kyle Ford, and John Humphrey). He played safety last year for Lynn. Ramsey explained that Lynn has relied on him to be a coach on the field and help the Trojans digest the new defensive scheme installation more quickly. In an interview with Big Ten Network’s Ashley Adamson during Big Ten media days, he explained Lynn’s defensive philosophy:

“Very aggressive. He doesn’t let the offense dictate what we do. He dictates what the offense wants to do. I just like how aggressive he is. Not playing soft. Being aggressive, blitzing. He always has the right game plan.”

Miller Moss replaces Heisman Trophy\-winning quarterback Caleb Williams at USC in 2024. He credits Lynn’s defense with making him a more disciplined quarterback by making offenses pay for making mistakes. Here’s what he said when he joined the Cover 3 podcast:

“You kinda understand his NFL pedigree and background in going up against him, and that you have to continue to make the next right decision against whatever he presents you — because if you don’t, and you try to take risks and you try to gamble, he will make you pay for that.”

Moss was quick to emphasize that he is confident in the way this defense played together in the spring, but he won’t know how good the Trojans are until they begin play in September. If Lynn can come close to replicating in the fall what he was able to do last season, holding teams to only 4.5 yards per play (No. 8 nationally), USC would instantly become a serious College Football Playoff contender.

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