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USC Linebacker Sees Significant Defensive Improvements From Last Year

The defense is poised for a bigger and more imporved year in 2023

Ricardo Sandoval

USC Linebacker Sees Significant Defensive Improvements From Last Year
USC Linebacker Sees Significant Defensive Improvements From Last Year /
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The USC Trojans are underway in their quest to get to their first College Football Playoff, and most of it will fall on the defensive side of the ball.

We all know the offense is the least of the team's worries with QB Caleb Williams at the helm and offensive genius head coach Lincoln Riley. USC has all the weapons they could ask for, and it should be with all the talent that is returning and the new talent coming in. 

The defense is the real question mark, but junior linebacker Raesjon Davis believes the defense will be better and noted he has already seen changes on that side of the ball. Davis was asked what the defense was doing better this season compared to a year ago, and this is what he had to say on that matter. 

"A lot more sacks and TFLs. I would say our defensive line has grown tremendously; they've gotten really better. Being with coach Lua, they've gotten a lot of work with him. I think our D-line has been the biggest upgrade we've had this whole summer. For the DBs, they've been really technical; they have been working out with all the GAs, getting extra work in. I feel like our defense as a whole has gotten a lot better." 

Davis also mentioned that his position group has gotten a ton of reps together and is gelling as one. This is great to hear, considering how the defense was in 2022 and their final two displays on the biggest of stages. 

The 2022 defense was not a pretty sight; however, the Trojans have vastly improved in that department on paper and will show they have on the gridiron soon. 

Trojans ranked in the bottom in many defensive categories for a team who spent most of their season in the Top 10 rankings. They were 101 in opponent yards per game, allowing 423.9, 81st in opponent points per game, allowing 29.2, and 119th in opponent yards per play with 6.3. 

Southern California has gotten better, so it can't get any worse, right? We'll find out less than a month from now.  

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Ricardo Sandoval
RICARDO SANDOVAL

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