The final score in South Bend last week read 34-24, a 10-point loss in a storied rivalry. But for anyone watching USC’s defense, the game revealed problems far wider than the score suggested. The loss to Notre Dame wasn’t just a setback; it was a comprehensive exposure of a defense that was physically dominated and schematically out-coached, particularly against the run.
The biggest takeaway was the Trojan’s complete inability to stop Notre Dame’s ground attack. The Fighting Irish didn’t just run on USC; they steamrolled them.
Notre Dame’s elite running back duo of juniors Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price combined for 315 yards and two touchdowns, relentlessly pushing past the Trojan’s defensive line.
“At the end of the day they’re [Notre Dame] a high-execution offense, their backs are very very patient and if you make a mistake, they’re gonna run,” defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn said. “We just have to do our job cuz when we don’t they find it and there were a couple times where we didn’t do our job.”
Lynn emphasized that it was frustrating to watch and that practice, and even more practice, is the key to fixing those issues moving forward.
Last bye week, Lynn said that getting back to the fundamentals, specifically with tackling, would help his team minimize mistakes. Heading into this next one, it’s the same song.
“Still tackling, lock destruction, getting off blocks, communication, those are the areas that no matter what defense we call, no matter what game you’re in you have to be able to do those things at a high level,” Lynn said.
This outlook might be just what the team needs. However, the notion that this group must return to the basics deep into the season speaks volumes.
The loss in South Bend revealed that for all the talent USC possesses, its defense lacks the fundamental discipline, gap integrity and physical toughness required to stop a powerful rushing attack. Last weekend was a stark reminder that until those core issues are fixed, the Trojans’ championship aspirations will remain vulnerable.
Lynn emphasized how the defense isn’t living in the past. Practice has been competitive and that scout team work has helped in terms of corrections from earlier in the year and different ways they believe opponents could attack them.
He also made it clear that “we’re not coaching individuals, we’re coaching positions,” highlighting that accountability is a crucial way for the defense to see where they went wrong and mend it before next weekend.
Junior safety Christian Pierce said that execution has to be better and that’s what he’ll focus on heading into this weekend.
Senior cornerback Decarlos Nicholson said, “understanding how to do the job at a consistent high-level is the main thing.”
He feels motivated because a lot of the mistakes made were things in the Trojans’ control.
The team knows what’s broken and by their own admission, they control the fix—but will acknowledging their flaws prove enough to actually correct them when it matters most?
USC plays its next game at Nebraska on Nov. 1 at 4:30 p.m.