USC Football: Young Nickelback Already Emerging As One Of Trojans' Best Players

Jaylin Smith has been a bright spot on the Trojan secondary.

Your USC Trojans football program had its hands full yesterday, when the team's oft-maligned defense (among the statistical worst in college football) helped it fall 52-42 to the mighty Washington Huskies, led by Heisman favorite Michael Penix Jr. 

Penix passed for 256 yards and four touchdowns in the winning effort.

The Trojans have struggled against both the pass and the run. Things were pretty miserable against Washington, which has one of the most explosive offenses in CFB thanks to an elite receiver duo in Rome Odunze and Ja'lynn Polk, USC.

One bright spot for the Trojan defense has been nickel corner Jaylin Smith, who has started all nine games for the Trojans. Smith has 57 total tackles this season as well as a forced fumble. Last week against Cal, his pass break-up in overtime saved USC from what would have been a back-breaking third loss in a row.

Smith had struggled at times during the game, and head coach Lincoln Riley was impressed with how he turned his play around.

"He had a little period in the game, he had about a four- or five-play stretch on the touchdown, maybe the first touchdown of the second quarter where he didn't play well," Riley said. "Missed a couple of assignments, he had like three or four plays in a row that were just now him.

"A lot of young guys, you go through a tough stretch like that where you miss some assignments and you don't play well. A lot of guys don't handle it well after that. It was great to see him bounce back and makde some big plays for us in the second half. Obviously, none bigger than the two-point stop there at the end." 

(via

R.J. Abeytia, USCFootball.com

)

The 19-year-old will need to play the best game of his career Saturday night, as the Trojan secondary needs somebody to step up with safeties Zion Branch (out for the season) and Max Williams (questionable) potentially unavailable.

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