The point of emphasis for the USC Trojans this offseason was to find a way to shift reality on the defensive side of the ball. The Trojans had an explosive offense, but it is time for the defense to be just as lethal. Lincoln Riley is hoping he will achieve just that after adding Gary Patterson to his staff. A former Trojan alum has high expectations for Patterson's unit after attending practice.
In a recent tweet, Su’a Kristopher Cravens gave his analysis on things that stood out to him on the defensive side of the ball. Here is what he had to say:
"Coach GP has the boys flying around and playing physical, but smart. Adding position coaches that are hands-on at each level, you can tell the defense has made major strides mentally and technically
to finally rid themselves of those busted plays that killed them last year."
Gary Patterson is already getting great feedback for how his new-look defense is shaping up. If the Trojans can get that side of the ball to take it up a notch, games like the ones vs rival the Oregon Ducks and other Big Ten juggernauts should be a lot closer than they have been. The Trojans' talent is undeniable; now it is time for it to all come together. There isn't a doubt about the Trojans' offense, which is the headline of this squad, but the early return on USC's defense is that they finally are matching it.
Contact/Follow @TrojansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of USC Trojans news, notes and opinion.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Gary Patterson's USC defense shows promise in August, but it's early
