As the regular season approaches, let’s begin with a general note of caution: Since Week 1 is against Rice — a team which won’t offer a particularly stiff test — USC is essentially in a situation where the readiness of its defense won’t be truly revealed or challenged until Week 2 against Stanford on Sept. 10.
Unlike the teams which are playing tough games in Week 1 (Oregon against Georgia, Utah at Florida), USC doesn’t face huge pressure to be airtight right out of the starting gate. That one extra week could really help. Even with a ragged performance against Rice, the coaching staff will have a lot to work with in terms of teaching players how to perform well and make fundamental adjustments before Pac-12 games begin. We can all breathe deeply, relax, and remember that one calming point.
However: As we enter September, there is a real concern on the USC defense. The defensive line, partly because of last year’s disaster and partly because of health limitations, has players who are behind the curve. General questions about 2022 improvement combined with missed practices have left Lincoln Riley and Alex Grinch concerned about the defensive front. That point can’t be denied as Week 1 arrives.
The good news: Calen Bullock and Ceyair Wright have taken significant steps forward in the secondary.
If you’re Stanford, you’re probably more inclined to run than pass at the start of the game coming up in Week 2.
We talked about the rising secondary and the lingering D-line concerns with Mark Rogers at The Voice of College Football.
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