Can USC Trojans Linebacker Easton Macarenas-Arnold Reach 100 Total Tackles?

USC Trojans linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold has 81 tackles with two games left against the UCLA Bruins and Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Can Mascarenas-Arnold be the first Trojan since 2019 to finish with at least 100 tackles?

Nov 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) drops back to pass as Southern California Trojans linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold (4) moves in during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Arguably one of the best offseason acquisitions USC Trojans coach Lincoln Riley made, linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold has been a force in the new-look USC defense.

USC has not had a defender reach 100 tackles since John Houston Jr. racked up 104 tackles in 2019. Mascarenas-Arnold is the Trojans' leading tackler and has racked up 81 tackles across ten games this season.

Oct 12, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold (4) intercepts a pass intended for Penn State Nittany Lions tight end Khalil Dinkins (16) at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Mascarenas-Arnold, a transfer from Oregon State, accumulated 106 tackles last season in Corvallis. He became the centerpiece of the defense after fellow linebacker Eric Gentry suffered an injury during against the Wisconsin Badgers on Sept. 28. Since the game vs. the Badgers, Mascarenas-Arnold has had double-digit tackles in three games, taking over as the lead tackler for the Trojans.

Last season, it was USC linebacker Mason Cobb who led the Trojans in tackles with 85. This season, Cobb sits with 61 tackles and is USC's second-leading tackler behind Mascarenas-Arnold.

During USC's bye week, Mascarenas-Arnold talked about reaching 100 tackles and what it would mean if he cracked the century mark for consecutive seasons.

"I'm keeping track of it. I'm making sure I keep my job and the game in mind alway first, but when you're by yourself, you're always thinking like maybe if I can get there and get some cool little accolade," Mascarenas-Arnold said. "So yeah, I do look at it sometimes, not too often, just to make sure I'm still staying grounded. . . . It's always a goal to get as many tackles as I can, but to get 100 would be cool."

Oct 19, 2024; College Park, Maryland, USA; Southern California Trojans linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold (4) sacks Maryland Terrapins quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. (9) during the first half at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Mascarenas-Arnold had 8 tackles in the 28-20 win over Nebraska, which pushed his total to 81. He is now averaging 8.1 tackles per game.

The Trojans have big rivalrly games coming up in their final two weeks as the Trojans will travel to crosstown rivals UCLA before the season finale vs. Notre Dame. Mascarenas-Arnold will need to have a couple of big games to reach 100 tackles, however he has proven that he can put together back-to-back games with double-digit tackles like he did during the Trojans' three-game losing streak in early October.

If Mascarenas-Arnold breaks the 100 tackles mark, it's a sign of the positive impact that USC defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn is making in his first year with the program.

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