The early returns on USC’s 2026 defense have been hard to ignore, and Kennedy Urlacher has been right in the middle of it.
The No. 14 Trojans are 2-0, and while Jayden Maiava has been sharp and the offense has delivered plenty of balance, the clearest shift from last season has come on the other side of the ball.
With Lincoln Riley adding Hall of Fame coach Gary Patterson to help run the defense, USC has looked far more complete through two games. The Trojans are already tied for No. 1 in the Big Ten and ranked in the top 10 nationally with a 66.7 percent third-down conversion rate, but the bigger story is how much sturdier the defense has looked.
Urlacher has been one of the players driving that change.
The junior safety turned in the best statistical game of his college career Friday night in USC’s 39-0 shutout of Fresno State. He finished with three total tackles, 2.0 sacks, 2.0 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a safety.
Those numbers only tell part of the story. His impact was felt everywhere.
“He's a high-energy, high-effort player. He's got a lot of contact courage.
He's a really physical guy. You know, this is his third college defense, right?
In as many years. I think it's been great for him that he's starting to settle in more and more into a system and understand it,” said Riley after the Week 2 game.
That line about Urlacher’s third college defense is no small detail. He has now played under Al Golden at Notre Dame in 2024, D’Anton Lynn at USC in 2025 and Gary Patterson in 2026. That kind of turnover can slow a player down, but in Urlacher’s case it seems to have sharpened his ability to adapt.
Against Fresno State, he looked fully comfortable. He was around the ball all night, and his biggest play came in the second quarter when USC was backed up near its own goal line.
On third-and-23, defensive tackle Jide Abasiri helped collapse the pocket and forced Fresno State quarterback Jayden Mandal to scramble right. Urlacher tracked him down and sent him out through the back of the end zone for a safety, stretching USC’s lead to 16-0.
It was USC’s first safety since 2019, when Drake Jackson had one against Utah.
Urlacher wasn’t done. Later in the first half, he knifed into the backfield again for his second sack of the night and forced a fumble on the play.
The performance fit a broader pattern. Urlacher’s career has been building toward this kind of breakout, and the first two games of 2026 suggest he may be taking his biggest step yet.
He started at Notre Dame in 2024 and appeared in all 14 games during the Fighting Irish’s run to the national championship game, though most of that work came on special teams. After entering the transfer portal in April 2025, he committed to USC and quickly carved out a role in Lynn’s defense.
As a sophomore in 2025, he played in all 13 games and started three times against Oregon, UCLA and in the Alamo Bowl. He finished that season with 26 tackles, 22 solo tackles, one sack, one pass breakup and his first collegiate interception.
Now the production is showing up even faster. Through USC’s first two games, Urlacher already has five solo tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and a safety.
For USC, that’s a welcome development. The Trojans’ defense looks revitalized, and Urlacher has become one of the clearest signs that the new version of this unit is real.
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USC's Defensive Line Is Rising And Jide Abasiri Is A Big Reason
Jide Abasiris rise has become one of the quieter but more important developments for USCs defense this season. The junior defensive lineman has shown steady progression, earned a leadership role and was named a team captain, a sign of how much trust the Trojans have placed in him. Lincoln Riley has praised Abasiris versatility and strength, and the impact he can have on opposing offenses, which matters for a unit that is still trying to establish itself as a consistent force.
For USC, Abasiris emergence is about more than early-game production. It speaks to a defensive front that is getting better with players who keep building on what theyve shown, and to a veteran presence who is still pushing for more. Abasiri has already given the Trojans meaningful snaps and value up front, and the next question is how much more he can add as the season moves along. [Read more 🡒]
USC May Need To Rethink One Freshman Backs Role
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For a backfield that values depth, Redeaux looks like the kind of player who could earn a larger role if the staff keeps looking for more juice in the run game. He is still early in his college career, and USC appears to view him as part of the long-term rotation, but the way he has handled his chances raises a familiar question for a young offense: how long can a useful weapon stay in a limited lane before the Trojans find a way to use him more? [Read more 🡒]
USC Has A Chance To Build Serious Momentum With Key Recruit
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Davis has USC sitting as the frontrunner in his recruitment, and the visit comes as the staff continues to build early momentum in the 2028 class. Quarterback Trey Wright is already committed, and the Trojans are pushing for more offensive talent around him, with Davis also planning additional stops, including a trip for the Ohio State game. [Read more 🡒]