Emerging Freshmen Are Out to Revitalize USC's Defense

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Some do not remember, but the defense of the USC Trojans used to strike fear in the hearts of opponents. Hall of Famers Ronnie Lott, Junior Seau and Troy Polamalu dominated opponents while donning the cardinal and gold.

Most are aware of the recent struggles of the Trojans' defense. Out of 133 FBS teams, Southern Cal's defense ranked No. 121 in 2023. That does not cut it at USC, where the fanbase, alumni and deep-pocket donors expect and demand excellence.

USC has 11 national championships—conquests attributable to many circumstances. Lousy defense is not one of them. USC won or shared national championships in the following years:

• 1928

• 1931

• 1932

• 1939

• 1962

• 1967

• 1972

• 1974

• 1978

• 2003

• 2004
  

Overhauling USC's Defense

Coach Lincoln Riley has taken radical action to fix USC's defense. He has brought in an entirely new defensive coaching staff and has focused recruiting efforts on elite defenders. Riley poached defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn from USC's cross-town rival, the UCLA Bruins. Lynn led UCLA's defense to a No. 14 national ranking last year. Riley also brought in Eric Henderson as the Trojans' defensive line coach. Henderson is a major asset, as he was the defensive line coach of the Super Bowl LVI-winning Los Angeles Rams team. Henderson has a terrific relationship with Aaron Donald, who has participated in recent USC recruiting events.

Riley also brought in highly respected coaches Matt Entz and Doug Belk. Entz led the North Dakota State Bison to two FCS national championships and will spearhead the Trojans' linebacker room. Belk is a rising star who will head up the Trojans' secondary after serving as defensive coordinator for the Houston Cougars.

Led by this new staff, the Trojans are well-positioned to rekindle their once-great defense.

Standout Freshmen Defenders

Two talented Trojan true freshmen defenders have been turning heads leading into the 2024 season: Cornerback Marcelles Williams and EDGE Kameryn Fountain are both expected to see significant playing time in 2024.

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According to 247Sports, Williams was the No. 5 CB in the 2024 recruiting cycle. The elite defensive back was a four-year starter at prep powerhouse St. John Bosco, Calif. He earned 2023 MaxPrep first-team All-American honors. 

Also according to 247Sports, it is time to "[b]uy stock in Marcelles Williams. Players up and down USC's roster can't stop raving about the 5-foot-10, 182-pound early enrollee freshman cornerback." USC's quarterback Miller Moss raved about Williams, exclaiming, "Marcelles Williams has been awesome. He’s a young kid, a high school senior still, but he can definitely play cornerback with the best guys on our team right now. It’s been really cool to see. He’s definitely got a bright future."

Joining Williams in the category of freshmen destined to make an impact on the Trojans' defense in 2024 is Kameryn Fountain, a four-star recruit from Atlanta, rated the seventh-best EDGE in the 2024 class. He stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 250 pounds. In practices leading up to the season, Fountain has emerged as a young leader who commands respect with his athleticism, hard work and strength.

Look for the Trojans defense to improve significantly in 2024.

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