I wanted to put something together on USC's defensive line situation and recruiting here:
Two reasons here: I wanted to give my honest take on the defensive line situation and also open it up for some reasonable discussion here given that the defensive line has caused plenty of discussion, vitriol, and a lot of other things so far this season. This post is not an attempt to make excuses for the performance for this season, but rather to provide some context as to why things are the way that they are at this point.
You can feel free to agree or disagree with what I'm going to say, but I'm going to do my best to lay out the facts.
Deke Adams was hired at South Carolina on January 21, 2013, 16 days in advance of National Signing Day for that recruiting cycle.
At the time of his hiring, USC's defensive line roster looked like the following heading into the 2013 season:
Junior DE Jadeveon Clowney
Senior DE Chaz Sutton
Redshirt Sophomore DE Gerald Dixon
Redshirt Sophomore DE Mason Harris
Walk-on Sophomore DE Michael Washington
Redshirt sophomore DT Gerald Dixon Jr.
Redshirt sophomore DT Phillip Dukes
Redshirt sophomore DT Deon Green
Redshirt junior DT J.T. Surratt
Junior DT Kelcy Quarles
Now, some notes on each of those guys…
Clowney was of course a lock to go pro after his junior season. He was one of the most game-planned-against players probably in college football history on defense and often had two or three guys watching him and helping against him. He still had an All-American season and was named first-team All-SEC by the league's coaches despite that, and despite having some nagging injuries throughout the year that caused him to miss two games and be banged up in others.
Sutton was in his final season at USC, and he suffered a sprained foot before the first game of the season that sidelined him for about two weeks leading up to that first contest against UNC. As GamecockCentral.com reported at that time, it was an injury that was expected to be something Sutton would have to play through potentially the entire season. It did indeed bother him for most of the year. Leading up to the 2013 season, he had played in 37 games total during his career but had started just two in his career before his final year in Columbia.
Cedrick Cooper was recruited to USC as a linebacker and was moved to defensive end before USC's bowl game last season. That, and then this spring/summer/preseason represented his first action at defensive end in his career. Added significant weight this offseason to push him into the 240 pound range.
Dixon did not play in 2011, his first season in the program (took a redshirt), and played in just three games in 2012 (received a medical redshirt) Thus, he was entering his third year in the program with just three games and minimal playing time under his belt.
Harris redshirted in 2011 and played only on special teams during the 2012 season in six games. He was around 220 pounds last season, his first substantial game action at the defensive end position. He added significant weight to push him closer to 235-240 pounds during the summer heading into 2014.
Dixon Jr. redshirted his first year at USC and had a total of 12 games played with two starts entering 2013. He played in 12 games with one start in 2014. Dukes redshirted his first year at USC and had a total of five games played in entering 2013.
English played in two games in 2012 and then took a medical redshirt, so he did not have any significant experience entering 2013. He played in every game last season, with one start, but didn't play a large number of snaps in many of them. 2014 is his first season as a full-time starter. He gained significant weight this summer to push him closer to 250 pounds. Arrived at USC in the 210-215 pound mark as a freshman in the 2012 class.
Quarles started six games as a true freshman out of prep in 2011 and earned some post-season All-Freshman awards. As a sophomore in 2012, he tallied 3.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss. Quarles was a unanimous All-SEC selection and made several All-American lists following his junior campaign in 2013. He was third in the SEC and led the team with 9.5 sacks and he also had 13.5 tackles for loss, good for fourth in the SEC. It was his best season as a Gamecock as a true junior (albeit one that prepped for a semester).
Green was injured during the 2011 and 2012 seasons, so he had never played before the 2013 season. He saw action in two games and was truly healthy fully for the first time starting in the spring of 2014.
Surratt redshirted in 2010, played in three games during the 2011 season, and played in ten games with one start in 2012. He started all 13 games and had 33 tackles for USC last season.
With those 16 days left until signing day upon Adams' hiring, the 2013 recruiting class along the defensive line was basically in place already upon Adams' hiring. That class, one that was to enroll in the summer before the 2013 season, was as follows:
DE Devante Covington - did not qualify, JUCO
DE Devin Washington - 6-3 and 220 pounds upon enrollment, missed the entire season with a serious concussion as well.
DT Kelsey Griffin - former four-star, committed to USC after UGA didn't take his commitment for some reason, G.A. Mangus did an excellent job with him.
DE Gerald Turner - listed by Rivals.com as a linebacker, started out at defensive end upon enrollment. Now plays fullback.
So out of the 2013 class, Covington could not be counted on out because he did not make it to campus (and he was 225-230 at the most exiting high school). Washington was listed at 221 and suffered a serious concussion before the season even started, so he was out. Griffin was a true freshman DT and Turner was sort of a DE/LB tweener that ended up being moved to fullback after last season. Also, David Johnson was a linebacker coming out of high school that Lorenzo Ward viewed as someone that could end up on the defensive line (where he is now). He redshirted his first season and was still a linebacker in 2013.
To summarize, USC had Clowney (banged up, had an underwhelming statistical year but still made plays/had a huge impact on the defense), Sutton (two starts even as a fifth year senior, banged up most of the season, Quarles (had his best season in 2013)
What could USC have done last year? Not a great deal. Perhaps Cooper and Johnson could have been moved to gain them a bit of experience heading into this season although Cooper was still about 215 pounds last season and Johnson needed to buy in more. Neither of those guys were defensive ends, so how much could they have helped last season?
That takes us to the important point: recruiting. If you didn't notice, USC was not exactly putting together 2007-caliber classes the past several years. Of course, nobody in the 2007 class would be playing this season, but I do want to go back and look at some of the past classes before recruiting started taking a dip along the d-line. That 2007 group had Cliff Matthews, Ladi Ajiboye, Travian Robertson, Clifton Geathers, Jonathan Williams, and Melvin Ingram. That's an excellent group. Heck, it's a great group even with USC missing on Carlos Dunlap who at one time was silently committed and missing out on Corey Irvin and Jarius Wynn, both of whom enrolled at UGA after it looked like both would be Gamecocks.
2008 produced Devin Taylor (very good player that developed) and Chaz Sutton (had to prep, rejoined class in 2009). Aside from those, it was Ronald Byrd (had to prep, then transferred), Kenny Davis (moved to OL, didn't finish his career), and Jarriel King (moved to OL immediately and had a good career). A couple notable misses in this class: Da'Quan Bowers (no shot really from the get-go) and Robert Quinn (hello, John Blake).
2009 was Byrd (see above), Sutton (ditto), Aldrick Fordham (solid player, no doubt), then Duane Chisolm (never made it to campus), and Leon Mackey (ditto). Notable misses here: Sam Montgomery (one of the most unique individuals I've ever covered), Malliciah Goodman, and if you want to count Chris Bonds although I really wouldn't given that USC backed off of him.
2010 was Corey Simmons (moved to tight end, then transferred), Byron Jerideau (solid player), Kelcy Quarles (prep, so part of the 2011 class), and J.T. Surratt. Some notables misses in this class were: Sharrif Floyd (Mangus nearly pulled that one off), Kyle Woestmann, Adrian Hubbard, and if you want to count Corey Miller.
2011 held Clowney (all-timer), Dixon, Dixon Jr., Dukes, Green, Quarles, Cedrick Cooper (again, LB) and Harris (third-down specialist out of HS/started career as linebacker). Some notable misses: Joe Gore (now an OL at Clemson, but USC was really high on him as a DE), `Ben Councell, Leon Mackey (resurfaced and couldn't get into school), Maurice Couch (later ruled ineligible at Tennessee), Rod Byers (just moved to the OL at Clemson), Lorenzo Mauldin (didn't work out academically with USC, he moved on to Louisville).
The 2012 class produced just three defensive line signees. They were English, Jhaustin Thomas, and Carlos Hood. Thomas and Hood didn't qualify. Some other DL in this class: Gimel President, Jonathan Bullard, Martin Aiken, and Tyriq McCord. By the way, G.A. Mangus had to be taken off the road as a result of the NCAA stuff and that likely hurt with McCord (who by the end of the process was wanting to stay close to home), but he didn't get much help from others on recruiting McCord.
I laid out the 2013 class earlier; some notable misses there were Michael Hill, Alfy Hill (did not make it academically), Keith Bryant, and Kendal Vickers (USC did not believe he would make it so he headed to Tennessee).
Brad Lawing was hired in February 2006, after National Signing Day of that year. He was part of the 2007 through the 2013 classes at USC (or at least, the 2013 cycle minus 16 days). Ellis Johnson became USC's defensive coordinator a couple weeks before signing day in 2008 and remained there until leaving to take the head coaching job at Southern Miss in December 2011.
Steve Spurrier, I've heard many times, tells his assistants to take care of recruiting the position that they coach and make sure there are players. That's the expectation.
By the way, a thought here: I think Brad Lawing is a very good coach, and everybody I've spoken with inside or outside of the program thinks so too. He also needs players, just like any other coach. It's also a fact that USC's defensive line recruiting (with the exception of a few players) after about 2007 was not at that same level. I just don't know any other way to put it.
Deke Adams may be a lot of things, but I'm fairly certain he's not a magician. I'm not sure how he was supposed to put together an SEC-caliber two deep along the defensive line (particularly at end, a glaring weakness) in just one recruiting class. What could have been done differently? Not much could have been done on Adams' end in 2013, given that he had a couple weeks until signing day. He certainly couldn't change the recruiting of the past few years before that, the recruiting counted on to stock the defensive line for the SEC.
For one, it certainly would have helped if a couple of guys from 2014 could have made it (Caldwell/Thomas/a freshman) or if one could have been found that help this season. Heck, even if USC signed a couple five-stars in the 2014 cycle it's not like a fantastic a two-deep would have just appeared. USC knew Sawyer and Wideman wouldn't qualify, but those are guys that are good enough to sign and stash and get back as soon as possible. Blake McClain was a flip, but he was hurt as soon as he arrived on campus and a true freshman. USC knew Ritchie may not qualify, but he wasn't helping in year one either. Darrius Caldwell could have helped some this season, but Illinois botched that situation when he was there (he actually ended up at West Georgia). Jhaustin Thomas could have helped (and his situation was set in motion before Adams arrived), but he didn't make it in the classroom either. At one time, USC looked to have the jump on prep school DE Marquis Haynes (could have enrolled in January), but his mentor preferred Ole Miss and the Rebels stole him away. I don't think I need to rehash the Poona Ford situation, but USC signed Abu Lamin (had offers from everyone) out of JUCO and a good-looking freshman in Taylor Stallworth at DT. Yes, USC could have probably done better in 2013 at defensive end, but would it have solved everything for the future?
On the field this season, Adams basically has English (his first year starting, just put on the weight this summer), Dixon (a solid, good football player but everyone knows he's not a pass rusher), and three converted linebackers in Cooper, Harris, and Johnson. All three of those guys are banged up; Cooper and Johnson have missed a couple weeks and are likely out against Furman and Harris could be out too. That means that Adams has English, Dixon, walk-on Michael Washington, and two freshmen in Blake McClain and Devin Washington that just recently returned to practice and have never taken a snap.
The natural question: what about the defensive tackles? Isn't USC like three-deep there? That seems to be the opinion at times, but not particularly. It's not like USC is just ripe with seniors that have started 30 games at the tackle position, although USC has some guys with ability. Surratt is a fifth-year senior, and he's had some good games this year. Dixon Jr. played in 12 games last season and the year before, but had only started three games in his career entering this year. Dukes has played in 18 games with one start entering this season and he's had some moments this year. Green had never played until last season, and even then only played two games. This is the first full year he's been healthy. Kelsey Griffin is a sophomore that barely played last season. Taylor Stallworth is a true freshman. Abu Lamin is a highly regarded JUCO player, but is in his first year of college football. USC's almost complete lack of one-on-one edge rushing ability makes it much easier for teams to key on USC's defensive tackles inside, even giving them the ability to double team them at times. That makes it a bit harder to get off blocks.
Could everyone have coached better on defense so far this year? No doubt about it, and I'm willing to bet everyone in the USC football office would say the same. Every team/coach/player has bad games, and even USC's defensive line when it was rolling along the last several years had some subpar performances. There have certainly been too many of them this season, but just because South Carolina had Clowney on the roster the past three seasons doesn't mean there is a three-deep of Clowneys on the roster now. I'm not throwing coaching out the window, but even the best coaches in the country need players. Could USC expect this group along the defensive front to be markedly better this season? Significantly better? USC does not have the talent or the experience this season, and in my opinion that's just a stone-cold fact. If USC gets Marquavius Lewis, Dante Sawyer, Shameik Blackshear, Arden Key, Dexter Wideman, and Quandeski Whitlow in here (or even like five of the six) and isn't any better along the defensive front next season or the season after that, then there may be more to talk about here. The key after that will be to continue to recruit well at the position year in and year out to establish consistency.
Again, this post (and wow, I apologize for the length here) isn't meant as an excuse-maker. Could USC have played better to some degree this season, sure. Could a bit more have been done in the 2014 cycle, perhaps (although some things that happened in that cycle were out of USC's control). I do think the situation is absolutely less than ideal right now particularly at defensive end. You couple that with a very young secondary (and Grady Brown was faced upon his hiring with a situation that required him to significantly upgrade the talent in the secondary), then it's not a recipe for success. The 2015 class is the type of class at defensive end that could help rectify the situation, and is the type of class that USC needs to ultimately return to form.
Thoughts?
This post was edited on 10/16 12:27 PM by Chris Clark
Two reasons here: I wanted to give my honest take on the defensive line situation and also open it up for some reasonable discussion here given that the defensive line has caused plenty of discussion, vitriol, and a lot of other things so far this season. This post is not an attempt to make excuses for the performance for this season, but rather to provide some context as to why things are the way that they are at this point.
You can feel free to agree or disagree with what I'm going to say, but I'm going to do my best to lay out the facts.
Deke Adams was hired at South Carolina on January 21, 2013, 16 days in advance of National Signing Day for that recruiting cycle.
At the time of his hiring, USC's defensive line roster looked like the following heading into the 2013 season:
Junior DE Jadeveon Clowney
Senior DE Chaz Sutton
Redshirt Sophomore DE Gerald Dixon
Redshirt Sophomore DE Mason Harris
Walk-on Sophomore DE Michael Washington
Redshirt sophomore DT Gerald Dixon Jr.
Redshirt sophomore DT Phillip Dukes
Redshirt sophomore DT Deon Green
Redshirt junior DT J.T. Surratt
Junior DT Kelcy Quarles
Now, some notes on each of those guys…
Clowney was of course a lock to go pro after his junior season. He was one of the most game-planned-against players probably in college football history on defense and often had two or three guys watching him and helping against him. He still had an All-American season and was named first-team All-SEC by the league's coaches despite that, and despite having some nagging injuries throughout the year that caused him to miss two games and be banged up in others.
Sutton was in his final season at USC, and he suffered a sprained foot before the first game of the season that sidelined him for about two weeks leading up to that first contest against UNC. As GamecockCentral.com reported at that time, it was an injury that was expected to be something Sutton would have to play through potentially the entire season. It did indeed bother him for most of the year. Leading up to the 2013 season, he had played in 37 games total during his career but had started just two in his career before his final year in Columbia.
Cedrick Cooper was recruited to USC as a linebacker and was moved to defensive end before USC's bowl game last season. That, and then this spring/summer/preseason represented his first action at defensive end in his career. Added significant weight this offseason to push him into the 240 pound range.
Dixon did not play in 2011, his first season in the program (took a redshirt), and played in just three games in 2012 (received a medical redshirt) Thus, he was entering his third year in the program with just three games and minimal playing time under his belt.
Harris redshirted in 2011 and played only on special teams during the 2012 season in six games. He was around 220 pounds last season, his first substantial game action at the defensive end position. He added significant weight to push him closer to 235-240 pounds during the summer heading into 2014.
Dixon Jr. redshirted his first year at USC and had a total of 12 games played with two starts entering 2013. He played in 12 games with one start in 2014. Dukes redshirted his first year at USC and had a total of five games played in entering 2013.
English played in two games in 2012 and then took a medical redshirt, so he did not have any significant experience entering 2013. He played in every game last season, with one start, but didn't play a large number of snaps in many of them. 2014 is his first season as a full-time starter. He gained significant weight this summer to push him closer to 250 pounds. Arrived at USC in the 210-215 pound mark as a freshman in the 2012 class.
Quarles started six games as a true freshman out of prep in 2011 and earned some post-season All-Freshman awards. As a sophomore in 2012, he tallied 3.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss. Quarles was a unanimous All-SEC selection and made several All-American lists following his junior campaign in 2013. He was third in the SEC and led the team with 9.5 sacks and he also had 13.5 tackles for loss, good for fourth in the SEC. It was his best season as a Gamecock as a true junior (albeit one that prepped for a semester).
Green was injured during the 2011 and 2012 seasons, so he had never played before the 2013 season. He saw action in two games and was truly healthy fully for the first time starting in the spring of 2014.
Surratt redshirted in 2010, played in three games during the 2011 season, and played in ten games with one start in 2012. He started all 13 games and had 33 tackles for USC last season.
With those 16 days left until signing day upon Adams' hiring, the 2013 recruiting class along the defensive line was basically in place already upon Adams' hiring. That class, one that was to enroll in the summer before the 2013 season, was as follows:
DE Devante Covington - did not qualify, JUCO
DE Devin Washington - 6-3 and 220 pounds upon enrollment, missed the entire season with a serious concussion as well.
DT Kelsey Griffin - former four-star, committed to USC after UGA didn't take his commitment for some reason, G.A. Mangus did an excellent job with him.
DE Gerald Turner - listed by Rivals.com as a linebacker, started out at defensive end upon enrollment. Now plays fullback.
So out of the 2013 class, Covington could not be counted on out because he did not make it to campus (and he was 225-230 at the most exiting high school). Washington was listed at 221 and suffered a serious concussion before the season even started, so he was out. Griffin was a true freshman DT and Turner was sort of a DE/LB tweener that ended up being moved to fullback after last season. Also, David Johnson was a linebacker coming out of high school that Lorenzo Ward viewed as someone that could end up on the defensive line (where he is now). He redshirted his first season and was still a linebacker in 2013.
To summarize, USC had Clowney (banged up, had an underwhelming statistical year but still made plays/had a huge impact on the defense), Sutton (two starts even as a fifth year senior, banged up most of the season, Quarles (had his best season in 2013)
What could USC have done last year? Not a great deal. Perhaps Cooper and Johnson could have been moved to gain them a bit of experience heading into this season although Cooper was still about 215 pounds last season and Johnson needed to buy in more. Neither of those guys were defensive ends, so how much could they have helped last season?
That takes us to the important point: recruiting. If you didn't notice, USC was not exactly putting together 2007-caliber classes the past several years. Of course, nobody in the 2007 class would be playing this season, but I do want to go back and look at some of the past classes before recruiting started taking a dip along the d-line. That 2007 group had Cliff Matthews, Ladi Ajiboye, Travian Robertson, Clifton Geathers, Jonathan Williams, and Melvin Ingram. That's an excellent group. Heck, it's a great group even with USC missing on Carlos Dunlap who at one time was silently committed and missing out on Corey Irvin and Jarius Wynn, both of whom enrolled at UGA after it looked like both would be Gamecocks.
2008 produced Devin Taylor (very good player that developed) and Chaz Sutton (had to prep, rejoined class in 2009). Aside from those, it was Ronald Byrd (had to prep, then transferred), Kenny Davis (moved to OL, didn't finish his career), and Jarriel King (moved to OL immediately and had a good career). A couple notable misses in this class: Da'Quan Bowers (no shot really from the get-go) and Robert Quinn (hello, John Blake).
2009 was Byrd (see above), Sutton (ditto), Aldrick Fordham (solid player, no doubt), then Duane Chisolm (never made it to campus), and Leon Mackey (ditto). Notable misses here: Sam Montgomery (one of the most unique individuals I've ever covered), Malliciah Goodman, and if you want to count Chris Bonds although I really wouldn't given that USC backed off of him.
2010 was Corey Simmons (moved to tight end, then transferred), Byron Jerideau (solid player), Kelcy Quarles (prep, so part of the 2011 class), and J.T. Surratt. Some notables misses in this class were: Sharrif Floyd (Mangus nearly pulled that one off), Kyle Woestmann, Adrian Hubbard, and if you want to count Corey Miller.
2011 held Clowney (all-timer), Dixon, Dixon Jr., Dukes, Green, Quarles, Cedrick Cooper (again, LB) and Harris (third-down specialist out of HS/started career as linebacker). Some notable misses: Joe Gore (now an OL at Clemson, but USC was really high on him as a DE), `Ben Councell, Leon Mackey (resurfaced and couldn't get into school), Maurice Couch (later ruled ineligible at Tennessee), Rod Byers (just moved to the OL at Clemson), Lorenzo Mauldin (didn't work out academically with USC, he moved on to Louisville).
The 2012 class produced just three defensive line signees. They were English, Jhaustin Thomas, and Carlos Hood. Thomas and Hood didn't qualify. Some other DL in this class: Gimel President, Jonathan Bullard, Martin Aiken, and Tyriq McCord. By the way, G.A. Mangus had to be taken off the road as a result of the NCAA stuff and that likely hurt with McCord (who by the end of the process was wanting to stay close to home), but he didn't get much help from others on recruiting McCord.
I laid out the 2013 class earlier; some notable misses there were Michael Hill, Alfy Hill (did not make it academically), Keith Bryant, and Kendal Vickers (USC did not believe he would make it so he headed to Tennessee).
Brad Lawing was hired in February 2006, after National Signing Day of that year. He was part of the 2007 through the 2013 classes at USC (or at least, the 2013 cycle minus 16 days). Ellis Johnson became USC's defensive coordinator a couple weeks before signing day in 2008 and remained there until leaving to take the head coaching job at Southern Miss in December 2011.
Steve Spurrier, I've heard many times, tells his assistants to take care of recruiting the position that they coach and make sure there are players. That's the expectation.
By the way, a thought here: I think Brad Lawing is a very good coach, and everybody I've spoken with inside or outside of the program thinks so too. He also needs players, just like any other coach. It's also a fact that USC's defensive line recruiting (with the exception of a few players) after about 2007 was not at that same level. I just don't know any other way to put it.
Deke Adams may be a lot of things, but I'm fairly certain he's not a magician. I'm not sure how he was supposed to put together an SEC-caliber two deep along the defensive line (particularly at end, a glaring weakness) in just one recruiting class. What could have been done differently? Not much could have been done on Adams' end in 2013, given that he had a couple weeks until signing day. He certainly couldn't change the recruiting of the past few years before that, the recruiting counted on to stock the defensive line for the SEC.
For one, it certainly would have helped if a couple of guys from 2014 could have made it (Caldwell/Thomas/a freshman) or if one could have been found that help this season. Heck, even if USC signed a couple five-stars in the 2014 cycle it's not like a fantastic a two-deep would have just appeared. USC knew Sawyer and Wideman wouldn't qualify, but those are guys that are good enough to sign and stash and get back as soon as possible. Blake McClain was a flip, but he was hurt as soon as he arrived on campus and a true freshman. USC knew Ritchie may not qualify, but he wasn't helping in year one either. Darrius Caldwell could have helped some this season, but Illinois botched that situation when he was there (he actually ended up at West Georgia). Jhaustin Thomas could have helped (and his situation was set in motion before Adams arrived), but he didn't make it in the classroom either. At one time, USC looked to have the jump on prep school DE Marquis Haynes (could have enrolled in January), but his mentor preferred Ole Miss and the Rebels stole him away. I don't think I need to rehash the Poona Ford situation, but USC signed Abu Lamin (had offers from everyone) out of JUCO and a good-looking freshman in Taylor Stallworth at DT. Yes, USC could have probably done better in 2013 at defensive end, but would it have solved everything for the future?
On the field this season, Adams basically has English (his first year starting, just put on the weight this summer), Dixon (a solid, good football player but everyone knows he's not a pass rusher), and three converted linebackers in Cooper, Harris, and Johnson. All three of those guys are banged up; Cooper and Johnson have missed a couple weeks and are likely out against Furman and Harris could be out too. That means that Adams has English, Dixon, walk-on Michael Washington, and two freshmen in Blake McClain and Devin Washington that just recently returned to practice and have never taken a snap.
The natural question: what about the defensive tackles? Isn't USC like three-deep there? That seems to be the opinion at times, but not particularly. It's not like USC is just ripe with seniors that have started 30 games at the tackle position, although USC has some guys with ability. Surratt is a fifth-year senior, and he's had some good games this year. Dixon Jr. played in 12 games last season and the year before, but had only started three games in his career entering this year. Dukes has played in 18 games with one start entering this season and he's had some moments this year. Green had never played until last season, and even then only played two games. This is the first full year he's been healthy. Kelsey Griffin is a sophomore that barely played last season. Taylor Stallworth is a true freshman. Abu Lamin is a highly regarded JUCO player, but is in his first year of college football. USC's almost complete lack of one-on-one edge rushing ability makes it much easier for teams to key on USC's defensive tackles inside, even giving them the ability to double team them at times. That makes it a bit harder to get off blocks.
Could everyone have coached better on defense so far this year? No doubt about it, and I'm willing to bet everyone in the USC football office would say the same. Every team/coach/player has bad games, and even USC's defensive line when it was rolling along the last several years had some subpar performances. There have certainly been too many of them this season, but just because South Carolina had Clowney on the roster the past three seasons doesn't mean there is a three-deep of Clowneys on the roster now. I'm not throwing coaching out the window, but even the best coaches in the country need players. Could USC expect this group along the defensive front to be markedly better this season? Significantly better? USC does not have the talent or the experience this season, and in my opinion that's just a stone-cold fact. If USC gets Marquavius Lewis, Dante Sawyer, Shameik Blackshear, Arden Key, Dexter Wideman, and Quandeski Whitlow in here (or even like five of the six) and isn't any better along the defensive front next season or the season after that, then there may be more to talk about here. The key after that will be to continue to recruit well at the position year in and year out to establish consistency.
Again, this post (and wow, I apologize for the length here) isn't meant as an excuse-maker. Could USC have played better to some degree this season, sure. Could a bit more have been done in the 2014 cycle, perhaps (although some things that happened in that cycle were out of USC's control). I do think the situation is absolutely less than ideal right now particularly at defensive end. You couple that with a very young secondary (and Grady Brown was faced upon his hiring with a situation that required him to significantly upgrade the talent in the secondary), then it's not a recipe for success. The 2015 class is the type of class at defensive end that could help rectify the situation, and is the type of class that USC needs to ultimately return to form.
Thoughts?
This post was edited on 10/16 12:27 PM by Chris Clark
