The USC Trojans’ Unsung Heroes? Meet the Stars of the New Secondary

After struggling for most of the 2023 season, the USC Trojans’ defensive secondary has rebounded in a big way. On multiple occasions during the Trojans’ 27-20 win over LSU in Week 1, members of the defensive secondary made play after play. With a revamped coaching staff and an influx of new talent, all eyes were on the unit’s improved play Sunday night.

The game’s leading tackler was Kamari Ramsey with nine tackles, including five solo. Ramsey was all over the field and helped contain LSU’s explosive plays. The Trojans have struggled with tackling the third level of defense the past two years, to the point that reporters asked USC head coach Lincoln Riley if players were taught to strip the ball instead of taking players to the ground after the 2022 Pac-12 Championship Game loss to Utah. Fellow defensive backs Jaylin Smith and Akili Arnold recorded six and five tackles, respectively. Smith in particular made crucial plays late in the second half to stifle the Tigers’ comeback attempt. The Trojans’ defensive staff has preached physicality all offseason, and Sunday night was proof of that.

Earlier in fall camp, USC defensive coach Doug Belk said he wanted a lot of his players to get in the game.

“At least, hopefully, eight to 10 (defensive backs) a week, and I’m not talking special teams, I’m talking real defensive snaps,” Belk said.

The Trojans were able to put 10 defensive backs on the field against LSU and that doesn’t include the special teams snaps that Zion Branch played. With Ramsey and Arnold taking up nearly every spot in the defensive secondary, it was mostly a rotation at cornerback. That makes sense given the amount of talent at the position. However, DeCarlos Nicholson and John Humphrey, two transfers who came to USC with high expectations, didn’t see the field as much as expected. It will be interesting to see how the Trojans rotate their defensive backs against a much inferior opponent in Utah State.

Another big complaint Trojans fans have had about the defense over the past few seasons has been the lack of adjustments made. In the first half, the Trojans’ defensive secondary was outplayed by the Tigers’ top receiving threat, Kyren Lacy. Lacy finished the first half with seven receptions for 94 yards and a touchdown.

It took the Trojans 20 minutes to find the necessary adjustments during the half, and Lacy finished the game with the same numbers as in the first half. The Trojans’ secondary held Lacy to zero receptions in the second half, with LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier targeting Lacy just twice in what was a physically taxing half for the unit.

The secondary forced the Tigers to run the ball for most of the second half, with Nussmeier attempting just 14 passes compared to 24 attempts in the first half.

The Trojans also held Nussmeier to just 113 yards passing in the second half, while the Tigers managed to score their only touchdown of the second half midway through the third quarter.