USC’s Wednesday practice offered a clear snapshot of where the Trojans are heading into Saturday night’s matchup with Washington: still trying to clean up the same defensive issues that showed up in the 41-27 loss to Oregon, and now doing it with a growing injury list.
After practice, Jahkeem Stewart, Prophet Brown and Jontez Williams all met with the media, giving a little more texture to what USC is trying to fix before the Huskies come to the Coliseum.
Stewart said the Trojans’ trouble turning pressures into sacks and tackles for loss starts with the defensive line still learning how to function as a unit. He described it as a process and said the group needs more time to come together.
Stewart also spoke openly about how hard it was to have football taken away from him while he recovered from a second foot injury in his Trojan career. On Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr., Stewart didn’t hold back, calling him a "great quarterback" and noting that his running ability will be a major problem to solve Saturday night.
Brown pointed to communication as a major issue, which lines up with what has come up from safety Christian Pierce in recent weeks as opponents continue to exploit the Trojan pass defense. Brown said several players were out of character on the Oregon tape, and he included himself in that group.
Williams focused on tackling, saying USC has done plenty of work on that area even after the team missed 17 tackles last Saturday. He explained that the Trojans do a lot of tackling in practice, though much of it comes with dummies during individual drills rather than live player-on-player work. Because Williams has played at another program, his perspective carried some extra weight.
The other notable development came on USC’s first injury report of the week. Tight end Mark Bowman was a surprise addition and joined Stewart, safety Alex Graham, wide receiver Trent Mosley and offensive lineman Hayden Treter as questionable. The Trojans also listed one key defensive name among that group as they prepare for what has become a must-win game against the Huskies.
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