USC’s linebacker room had to carry more than its share against Washington, and it did exactly that.
With middle linebacker Desmond Stephens II serving a one-game suspension, the Trojans asked for more from the group, and they got it in a 25-21 win over the Huskies. By the end of the night, three linebackers - Ta’Mere Robinson, Deven Bryant and Elijah Newby - had earned game balls after a defense that matched its season high with five sacks and piled up 48 total tackles.
Robinson, in particular, made the kind of first start you remember. The senior transfer from Penn State was starting in place of Stephens, and after dealing with injuries throughout his career, he finally got his shot and wasted no time making it count. He said the week was all about being locked in on every detail.
“I felt like, all week, I just attacked everything,” Robinson said. “Whether that was getting the call from a safety, getting a call on my own, setting in the front, going to coaches, asking questions if I was unsure of something.”
That preparation showed early. Robinson finished with four tackles in the first quarter alone and added a sack on Washington quarterback Demond Williams that set the Huskies back 5 yards to USC’s 45-yard line. Newby, meanwhile, came through with one of the biggest plays of the game late in the third quarter, stripping Williams and setting up a 48-yard return touchdown by defensive tackle Jahkeem Stewart that gave USC the lead.
Robinson and Newby each had six tackles, tying for second-most on the team.
Head coach Lincoln Riley said the game may have revealed more depth in the linebacker group than the staff realized 10 days ago. He pointed to the benefit of getting more reps for some players, keeping guys fresh and using different package combinations.
“Whether it’s somebody else getting more reps,” Riley said, “or it’s just the ability to just simply rotate guys to keep them fresh or using guys different from a package standpoint - we certainly look at it as a positive and feel like we know a little bit more, developed some more depth in that room than maybe we felt 10 days ago.”
Riley also made clear that Stephens remains a key part of the defense, but said the takeaway from the Washington game was straightforward.
“Des is a good player and important part of this football team,” Riley said, “so we view this a lot like we’re coming back off of any normal game, like nothing else happened. We’ve seen how each group has played, and I think what we learned this week is we’ve got a handful of guys in there that can go out there and play really, really well.”
The performance could make the competition for linebacker snaps even tighter going forward.
The conversation around USC’s offensive line this week is a little different, but just as centered on communication. The Trojans have kept quarterback Jayden Maiava upright for much of the season, allowing just one sack per game on average, and center Tobias Raymond said it starts with how the group talks through protections and identifies plays.
That communication is about to get tested in a big way when USC heads to Penn State this weekend for the “White Out” game.
To prepare, the Trojans turned up the noise at practice on Tuesday and Wednesday, blasting crowd sounds and songs like “Circle of Life” and “Mo Bamba” through the facility to get everyone ready, especially the linemen.
“When Jayden gives us a call, it’s all about echoing and like talking back and forth,” Raymond said. “One thing really good about communication and being loud - I feel like it gives confidence to the guys around you … it builds confidence in terms of like man, we’re yelling, we’re getting the juices flowing, and we’re on the same page.”
In Other News...
USC Faces A Brutal Penn State Test Beyond Just The Crowd
USC heads into its trip to Penn State with the usual warning attached to any visit to State College: the White Out is going to be loud, relentless and built to rattle visiting teams from the first snap. Lincoln Riley and several players have already acknowledged the atmosphere, and for the Trojans it is the kind of stage that tests communication, poise and the ability to stay locked in when everything around them is trying to speed them up.
Luke Wafles recognition as Big Ten Freshman of the Week after his performance against Washington gives USC at least one encouraging note as it prepares for an even tougher setting. The defensive end has provided a fresh burst of production for a defense that will need every bit of it, because this matchup is about more than handling the noise. It is also about whether USC can bring enough edge and discipline to function in one of the conferences most difficult road environments. [Read more 🡒]
Washington Just Exposed One Big Concern For USC
USC left the field with a 25-21 win over Washington and a 5-1 record, but the game also reinforced something the Trojans can no longer ignore. The defense came up with winning plays at the right moments, including a touchdown from sophomore Jahkeem Stewart and a late sack by junior Kameryn Crawford, while sophomore wide receiver Zacharyus Williams delivered a season-best outing to help steady the offense.
Still, even with Jayden Maiava throwing for 245 yards, USC did not fully separate itself from a Washington team that kept the pressure on deep into the fourth quarter. The Trojans are 2-1 in conference play and sitting in a strong spot, but this was the kind of game that hinted their margin for error may be thinner than the record suggests. [Read more 🡒]
Troy Fans Just Got A Glimpse Of This Offenses Ceiling
A conference opener can tell you a lot about a team, and Troys 55-34 win over Southern Miss offered a pretty clear look at just how dangerous this offense can be when it gets rolling. Goose Crowder was at the center of it, piling up 145 rushing yards and two touchdowns while adding 225 passing yards and two more scores, as the Trojans controlled the game with 662 total yards and a relentless ground attack that produced 437 rushing yards.
For a program that had not topped 400 rushing yards since 2002, that part alone made the afternoon stand out. Southern Miss moved the ball too, finishing with 512 yards, but three red zone turnovers kept the Golden Eagles from making it a tighter fight and left them with a fourth straight loss, while Troy walked away with a league win that felt like more than just a fast start. [Read more 🡒]