Defense is the backbone of USC’s surprise turnaround

Standout offensive performances have undoubtedly been the main spectacle behind USC’s current seven-game winning streak. Whether it has been redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Darnold rolling out of the pocket and making defenders miss before tossing a dart to junior wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster in Arizona; sophomore running back Ronald Jones II busting off a 60-yard touchdown run last Saturday against UCLA; or redshirt freshman tight end Daniel Imatorbhebhe catching a score against Washington, USC currently has one of the hottest offensive units in the nation.

While the offense has supplied the flash — racking up over 500 total yards in six of its last seven games — the Trojan defense has been the reliable backbone behind USC’s turnaround this season.

In its most recent outing, the USC defense shut out UCLA in the second half of the Trojans’ 36-14 victory Saturday night.

After surrendering 47 rushing yards to UCLA in the first quarter, USC allowed only eight yards on the ground throughout the final three quarters Saturday.

“We’re just buying into the coaches’ defensive schemes for us right now,” said redshirt senior nose tackle Stevie Tu’ikolovatu. “We’ve really been playing disciplined and sticking with our defensive assignments lately.”

Much of UCLA’s offensive prosperity was choked out by the Trojans’ defense following the opening quarter of play. The Trojans held the Bruins to three total first downs after the first quarter; after scoring a touchdown with 13:29 remaining in the second quarter, UCLA would not convert another first down until 9:18 was left in the third quarter. USC ran a total of 98 plays Saturday — UCLA had only 52 plays run in total. In total, UCLA was 2-of-11 (18 percent) converting on third downs Saturday.

USC’s ability to get UCLA off of the field on third down defensively — paired with the Trojans’ strong offensive showing — led to the team dominating the Bruins in time of possession, 43:47 to 16:13.

“You see our team getting better every week, our defense is coming together,” said senior linebacker and team captain Michael Hutchings. “As you look at the past few weeks, it just confirms what we are doing as a team … staying level-headed, maturing each week and just going about things like that — that goes out to the young guys we have playing up front.”

USC’s biggest win of the season, which came in the form of a 26-13 victory over then-No. 4 Washington on Nov. 12, saw the Trojan defense play at its finest. A run-happy Washington offense was restrained to 17 yards on the ground against USC. Washington sophomore quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Jake Browning was forced into throwing two interceptions and had a quarterback rating of 30.4.

“It was one of those things where we capitalized as a defense — we were just trying to put pressure on [Browning], make sure he was off his rhythm and timing,” said junior cornerback Adoree’ Jackson, who reeled in two interceptions against Washington. “It was just a case of us stepping up as a defense together.”

USC’s defense has experienced a dramatic turnaround production-wise since the Trojans began their seven-game winning streak with a 41-20 victory over Arizona State on Oct. 1.

Over the course of the first four games of 2016 — in which USC started with a 1-3 record — the Trojans’ defense was giving up 29.25 points per game. Over the winning streak these past seven games, USC has, in contrast, allowed only 17.4 PPG to opposing offenses. In the six games leading up to UCLA Saturday, USC held its opponents to their season-low total in points scored in a game up to that point.

“You look up and you hold UCLA to 55 yards rushing compared to 260 yards rushing offensively, I thought that was the key to the game,” said USC coach Clay Helton regarding the defensive performance Saturday. “I thought the defense, who really all of a sudden has a hit to them in that first drive, they take a deep breath and they really showed great, great poise.”

Since playing the Sun Devils back on Oct. 1, USC has held opponents to an average of 95.8 rushing YPG the last seven games.

When this USC defense takes on Notre Dame at the Coliseum Saturday, it will be pitted against a Fighting Irish offense that has averaged 418.5 total yards per game (61st in FBS). The Trojans will need another strong defensive showing if USC hopes to finish its regular season in victorious fashion.