The phone call in November only lasted about 30 minutes. But Lincoln Riley He knew as soon as he hung up that he had found his new defensive coordinator.
Adjustment with D’Anton Lynn, as Riley describes it now, was perfect from the start. The two coaches were so aligned on football philosophy that they “kind of finished each other’s sentences,” Riley said. And when it came to quickly turning around a troubled defense, Lynn had first-hand experience, having designed a total transformation In the other side of the city.
On paper, it seemed like a perfect match. But in practice, there are still questions to be answered about USC and his new defensive direction.
That process begins Friday, when USC opens preseason camp feeling optimistic about where its defense is headed. Considering where he finished last season — 121st in points allowed, 119th in yards per game — Lynn clearly has his work cut out for him.
See more information: Lincoln Riley Ignores Criticism, Insists USC Is Still a Powerhouse in Big Ten Media Days
But Riley was certain from that first phone call that Lynn could make an immediate impact in that regard. When asked last week what a successful season would look like for Lynn and the defense, Riley said he expects “a big jump.”
“I want it to look and feel and I want us to play very differently,” Riley said. “Do you keep in mind that this is what we have, this is the level that we feel we can play at and are we playing at a level that is that or close to that and are we doing that consistently?”
This is just the beginning of the issues facing USC as it opens its fall camp. Here are a few more that will be answered in the coming weeks.
Will USC be big and strong enough for the Big Ten?
The question was posed several times last week by writers from other teams at Big Ten media days, with varying levels of patronizing tone. But the question, at its core, was this: Is USC really strong enough to make the Big Ten?
It certainly wasn’t last year, when his defense missed nearly 11 tackles per week and ranked 119th in rushing yards allowed per game. That won’t fly in their new conference, where teams like Michigan or Penn State will be content to use their rash attacks to beat the Trojans into a pulp.
There’s a reason USC focused on growth this summer after two years of trying to be leaner and faster to fit former coordinator Alex Grinch’s “Speed D” Concepts. At USC, the results have been especially noticeable on the defensive line.
“It was turning 285-pound bodies into guys who are now 310,” Riley said. “We are talking about big leaps.”
Whether those jumps will be enough on defense is another question. Other than defensive tackle Bear Alexander, USC doesn’t have an obvious game-wrecker on its defensive front. Nor does he have much in terms of proven talent to pass quickly.
This does not mean that neither can emerge. A change in the scheme could go a long way in this regard. But it’s more than likely that USC will spend the entire season wondering whether its defensive front can withstand the Big Ten’s offense.
How will Riley adjust his offense to suit his new quarterback?
During nine seasons as head coach, Riley went from one Pro Bowl quarterback (Baker Mayfield) to another (Kyler Murray) to another (Jalen Hurts). After that, he had Spencer Rattler, now a third-round rookie from the Saints, and Caleb Williamshis third Heisman winner and the Bears’ No. 1 overall pick.
Where Miller Moss fits into this succession plan is yet to be determined. But his profile contrasts sharply with the Riley-coached quarterbacks who came before him, which, one might think, could mean that USC’s passing attack could look markedly different with Moss at the helm.
Unlike Williams, who was at his best when making something out of nothing, Moss was at his best when operating on time, within a system. He is able to process his reads quickly, make split-second decisions and throw the ball with precision. You’ll probably hear the word “cerebral” used to describe him often this season.
See more information: Miller Moss struggles to stand out against revamped defense in USC spring game
Moss knows as well as anyone that he is not Williams. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. For all his talent, Williams freelanced too often last season in an effort to make big plays behind a leaky offensive line. Moss won’t be able to get away with it. Nor will he try.
Within the right structure, Moss should theoretically thrive. There’s a reason he threw six touchdowns in the Holiday Bowl. But after just one complete game in four years, we may not even know what that will look like for Moss after months of Riley plotting ways for him to succeed.
Will a young receiver emerge as the focal point of the passing game?
Six of the Trojans’ top 10 receivers from a year ago have since departed, either via the draft or the portal. But even after that exodus, there may not be a position on the USC roster filled with as-yet-unrealized potential.
Zachariah Branch may have been the most electrifying player in college football as a freshman, and that was before he began focusing on the finer points of the position during the offseason. With unparalleled speed and elusiveness, he could emerge as the centerpiece of USC’s offensive attack in short order.
“I’m really excited to see how creative our offense gets to get him the ball,” Moss said.
He’s not the only young receiver who will play a critical role this fall. 6-foot-5 sophomore Ja’Kobi Lane excelled down the stretch last season and finished with two touchdowns in the Holiday Bowl. Duce Robinson is another mismatch nightmare with deep threat ability at 6-foot-10. Makai Lemon may be the forgotten member of that quartet, but Moss recently speculated that the former top-100 prospect could very well lead the team in targets.
There is plenty of depth beyond those four, including experienced players like Kyron Hudson or Kyle Ford, who transferred from UCLA to USC, both of whom should play regular roles. But the progress of the Trojans’ talented young receivers could ultimately determine where the ceiling is for USC’s offense this season.
Will USC’s confidence in its offensive line development be rewarded?
After a frustrating season for its offensive line, USC entered the spring with a chance to add big-time offensive players in the transfer portal.
But when the portal closed, Riley and his team hadn’t added a single attacker. Riley, for what it’s worth, says it was by choice.
“I think it’s just a sign for us that we feel like a lot of the players we’ve recruited over the last few years are ready to play,” Riley said. “At some point in the program, you’re going to have to decide: Do you have enough confidence in the guys you were recruiting and developing? Or are you going to continue portal, portal, portal?”
Now that’s the point for USC’s offensive line, which will enter a much more physical conference with just one proven advantage on offense, Jonah Monheim, albeit in a completely different position than last season. Sophomore Elijah Paige will fill in at left tackle, while Mason Murphy is expected to be the full-time right tackle in place of Monheim, who moves to center. On the interior, Emmanuel Pregnon has been quite inconsistent at guard, while the other guard position is completely up for grabs between Alani Noa, Amos Talalele and redshirt senior Gino Quinones.
There’s a lot of uncertainty at the beginning, even before you consider the limited depth behind them.
This story originally appeared on Los Angeles Times.
