USC’s path to the College Football Playoff starts with a simple question: can the defensive line turn promise into something sturdier?
The Trojans had stretches last season when that group flashed as a pass-rushing force, but the run defense never settled in. USC finished 49th nationally in total defense at 350 yards allowed per game and 58th against the run at 143 rushing yards per contest. If this team is going to make a real championship push in 2026, that front has to become more than a subplot.
There’s reason to think the pieces are coming together fast. USC’s defensive line has been rebuilt with a mix of returning players, portal additions and freshmen, and the early signs from fall camp are encouraging. Michigan State transfer Alex VanSumeren said the group has already found a rhythm.
"We've been gelling since day one. So we are all on the same page," said USC transfer defensive tackle Alex VanSumeren. "We are very calculated and, we got a great group of guys, that mesh very well with each other."
That new-look room had plenty of turnover. Defensive tackle Devan Thompkins left for Alabama after putting up 55 tackles and 4.5 sacks over the past two seasons, and defensive lineman Carlon Jones also exited through the transfer portal. USC answered by bringing in VanSumeren and Penn State edge rusher Zuriah Fisher, while also continuing to develop returnees Jide Abasiri, Jahkeem Stewart and Jamaal Jarrett.
For a defensive line, talent only goes so far. Trust matters just as much, and VanSumeren said the personality of the group stands out too.
"It's been phenomenal playing with this group. The maturity of the group, the guys, just the amount of talent.
But guys are also selfless, too. I couldn't be asked to be with a better group of players," said VanSumren.
USC is also asking this front to grow under Gary Patterson, one of the sport’s most accomplished defensive coordinators. At TCU, Patterson built some of the nation’s best defenses, helped the Horned Frogs reach 11 seasons of at least 10 wins, and finished first nationally in total defense five times.
Even with camp still in its early stages, the players say his presence is already being felt. Jide Abasiri pointed to Patterson’s edge.
"I feel like GP is a very intense coach, and I feel like that's something our team can thrive off of, especially with the younger guys," said defensive tackle Jide Abasiri on Wednesday. "Seeing the intensity and seeing how the older guys respond to it will help them in the future for sure."
That matters for a roster that added 34 freshmen this offseason. The veterans are expected to carry the load, but Patterson’s style is already setting a tone for one of the youngest groups on the team.
USC’s defensive line also gets tested in a way most units don’t. The Trojans return all five starters on an offensive line that Phil Steele ranks No. 5 nationally heading into 2026. That veteran group includes left tackle Elijah Paige and starters Alani Noa, Tobias Raymond, Justin Tauanuu and Kilian O'Connor.
Abasiri said the matchup has stood out from the start of camp.
"The whole offensive line just stands out.” said Abasiri of the offensive line and what has stood out about them so far through camp. “The way they just work as as a unit its kind of like poetry.
You know, they they're each you know technically sound. They do their job and they execute a high level."
That daily grind against one of the country’s best offensive lines gives USC’s defensive front a chance to sharpen itself every practice. It’s the kind of setup that can expose weaknesses early and harden a unit over time.
VanSumeren said the attitude in the room matches the challenge.
"You can kind of feel the camaraderie," said VanSumeren of the defensive line. "That's the thing about this group of guys is we'll go compete with anyone, anywhere, anytime."
With a revamped front, a proven coordinator and a strong practice opponent across the line of scrimmage, USC believes the foundation is there. Now the Trojans have to prove that the defensive line can deliver the consistency this season will demand.
In Other News...
USC Is Making A Serious Push For An Elite 2028 Pass Rusher
Major Stokes is only getting started in the 2028 recruiting cycle, but the four-star defensive end already has national programs paying close attention. USC is on the list of schools he plans to visit on game days, along with Ohio State, as he sorts through an early process that still has plenty of time to play out. For the Trojans, the appeal is clear: defensive end coach Shaun Nua has emerged as a significant part of why Stokes is looking seriously at the program.
Michigan is also very much in the mix, thanks to Stokes relationship with defensive line coach Lewis Powell, and the recruiting picture figures to stay fluid as he works through his junior year before making any commitment. For USC, that means the next stretch matters just as much as the visits themselves, because landing an elite pass rusher this early often comes down to keeping the right relationships warm while the rest of the field keeps pressing. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame And USC Still Carry A Rivalry Fans Refuse To Lose
When ESPN put together its list of power-conference college football archenemies, USCs entry was loaded with familiar names: Oregon, Northwestern, UCLA, Notre Dame and even the NCAA. That says plenty about the programs place in the sport, but it also captures how many different kinds of feuds the Trojans have carried through the years, from regional pride to national stakes to the fallout from off-field battles.
Among them, the Notre Dame series still has a weight all its own, the kind of rivalry that refuses to lose its edge no matter how college football changes around it. USCs history with UCLA remains a defining West Coast measuring stick, especially through the Pete Carroll era, while Oregon has become a more current on-field annoyance. And then there is the NCAA, a rival in a very different sense, one that left its own mark on the program and still lingers in the background of how USC is remembered. [Read more 🡒]
USC Suddenly Has A Troubling O Line Problem To Solve
USCs offensive line entered the offseason with some momentum after a solid 2025 under Zach Hanson, but the outlook took a sharp hit with the loss of expected starting center Kilian OConnor. The setback leaves a notable void in the middle of the line, where USC had been counting on OConnor to be a stabilizing presence as the unit tries to keep building on last seasons progress.
The timing makes the situation even more uncomfortable because the Trojans are heading toward a schedule that will demand answers quickly against strong defensive fronts. USC will have to sort through replacement options and settle the interior line before the pressure starts to rise, and the first real test of how ready that group is comes later in the month against Oregon. [Read more 🡒]