USC’s week off turned into something a little different this time around.
After the Trojans followed their upset of Ohio State with a bye week, the reset didn’t go the way they wanted. That break came before their 24-7 loss to Wisconsin, and now No.
18 USC is trying to make sure the same script doesn’t repeat itself before Saturday’s Nov. 14 matchup with No. 9 Indiana.
This time, the bye week was reworked into what the players called a “Standard Week.” Senior safety Christian Pierce said he and other team leaders met with Lincoln Riley to reshape the approach, and the goal was simple: get back to the basics, clean things up and raise the level of competition and physicality in practice.
Veteran defensive lineman Alex VanSumeren said that change showed up immediately.
“Very physical week - the practice this week and a standard week,” VanSumeren said. “We've been going at it and that's just going to elevate our game.
We're ready to go against an opponent now. So, very physical week.”
That physical edge matters for a USC defensive line that doesn’t always jump off the page in the box score. VanSumeren, Jide Abasiri, Jahkeem Stewart and Floyd Boucard have combined for 7.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and five quarterback hurries, numbers that can look modest at first glance. VanSumeren says the tape tells a different story.
“Getting knocked back on offensive linemen. That's all over the tape.
Getting knocked back, running our feet on contact. You know, we got a really good coach in Skyler Jones.
He does a really good job teaching us the technique and fundamentals,” VanSumeren said about the interior defensive line. “He has the experience of coaching in the league and coaching guys with great talent.
He does a really good job, especially with the younger guys.”
VanSumeren’s own production has been quiet, too. He has 18 total tackles, including eight solo and 10 assisted, along with two tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks and a quarterback hit. But he made it clear he’s not measuring his value by the stat sheet.
“I mean, it all depends. It all depends on the type of defense you're in and everything else…I was in a defense last year very, very defensive tackle [focused].
I was fortunate to have a ton of production. Other defenses, you want to hold up blockers and let the linebackers eat.
I'll do whatever. I don't care,” VanSumeren said about his low boxscore stats.
For comparison, in 2025 at Michigan State, VanSumeren posted 52 total tackles, 18 solo, 34 assisted, with two tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two quarterback hits and a pass deflection.
His message hasn’t changed much since then.
“I'm going to do what the coaches tell me to do. I'm here to do whatever.
I'm here to play football. That's the mindset of all the defensive linemen.
That's the mindset of [Jake Johnson], the mindset of Jide, the mindset of Tom Tom and Jah, all those guys,” VanSumeren added. “So, whatever it takes to win.
That's why I'm here. That's why everyone's here.
Whatever the coaches told me to do, I'm going to do.”
He also said the group still has room to grow, especially when it comes to gap integrity.
“Could always be better. We're not a final product yet,” VanSumeren said about how the unit can improve on gap integrity.
“Things we got to work on as a defense and as a D-line, but if we were all perfect, we wouldn't play the game. We're trying to make sure it's up to the standard every day.
I feel like we've done a good job and we got to keep improving on it.”
VanSumeren has seen Indiana before, too. He played against the Hoosiers last season on Oct. 18, 2025, when he was at Michigan State, and the soon-to-be champs rolled to a 38-13 win.
“Well coached. They got good players.
A couple O-linemen are back, I have played them,” the former Spartan said about Indiana. “This will be the third year in a row.
Good O-line, physical. It's going to be a great matchup.
Nothing we're not ready for.”
Indiana’s front has helped power a run game that features returning starters Carter Smith, Drew Evens and Bray Lynch. The Hoosiers are averaging 5.1 yards per carry, ranking No. 17 nationally, along with 33.6 rushes per game and 172.5 rushing yards per game, which ranks No.
- With the matchup set to be decided in the trenches, VanSumeren’s run-stopping role could be front and center.
He also pointed to the growth of USC’s younger linemen.
“I would say probably like their knowledge of the playbook and everything. Especially being freshmen, expecting to see a lot of growth from them and we have.
They're two guys - Jake Johnson as well - that want to put their best foot forward every single day. They're competing their tails off.
They're going to be playing a bunch of downs for the Trojans in the future.”
In Other News...
USC Mens Volleyball Just Added A New Core For What Comes Next
USC mens volleyball is already looking ahead, and the program has added three newcomers to its 2028 freshman class in Logan Hutnick, Will Spalding and Jack Spowal. Head coach Jeff Nygaard welcomed the group with clear enthusiasm, pointing to the athletic profile and experience each player brings as the Trojans continue building around the next wave of talent.
It is a timely addition for a program that has been trying to keep its momentum moving after its recent 2026 season and amid Nygaards own coaching milestones. The early signings give USC a chance to shape its future roster now, and they also underscore how much of the programs next chapter will depend on how quickly this new core develops once it arrives on campus. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Faces A Huge Availability Question Against USC
USC heads into its matchup with Indiana in unusually good shape, at least by Big Ten standards this season. The Trojans are carrying no new significant injuries, and several key names have either appeared on or come off the report, including safety Trestin Castro and defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart, giving the roster a cleaner look than it has had in conference play.
Indiana, meanwhile, is dealing with a much trickier availability picture. The Hoosiers will be without starters Joe Brunner and Turbo Richard, even as quarterback Josh Hoover has been cleared off the injury report after dealing with an arm issue. For USC, that kind of contrast matters, because the Trojans are suddenly facing an opponent whose lineup still has a few unresolved questions even after one important return. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Can Still Shape Oregons Playoff Fate This Weekend
Oregon has steadied itself with recent wins and now sits at 6-3, but the Ducks are still living in the kind of November math that can make or break a season. Their path to the Big Ten Championship Game and the College Football Playoff is not just about taking care of business from here on out. It also depends on a chain of results elsewhere in the conference and beyond, which is why every weekend now carries extra weight.
Illinois is one of the teams that could still swing that picture. The Ducks need help from several other matchups to keep their postseason hopes moving in the right direction, and the ripple effects of those games could be just as important as anything Oregon does on the field. For a team trying to climb into the league race, the scoreboard watching is far from over. [Read more 🡒]