The USC Trojans are heading into the 2026 season with plenty of pressure on the table, and the hope around the defense starts with two new arrivals: defensive coordinator Gary Patterson and Michigan State transfer defensive tackle Alex VanSumeren.
VanSumeren comes to Los Angeles after three seasons with the Spartans, where he piled up 79 total tackles and three sacks. He has not played a snap for USC yet, but his presence has already been felt inside the building. Teammates say his energy has helped set a different tone in the defensive line room.
One of those teammates praised the edge VanSumeren brings every day.
“I would just say his intensity. He’s very focused no matter who we’re going against; scouts, every rep matters, and it needs to be perfect so we can execute.”
That kind of approach fits the message VanSumeren says he wants the room to live by. For him, the standard is simple and constant.
“How you do one thing is how you do everything. No matter what we’re doing, we’re going to continue to compete, and we’re going to hold each other to it. And if we’re not at the standard, you know you’re gonna call them up to meet the standard.”
He also stressed that USC’s work since January has laid the groundwork for what comes next. VanSumeren pointed to the coaching staff and the grind behind the scenes as the real foundation for the season opener.
“Our preparation. That’s the biggest thing.
When the bullets are flying, you fall back on your training. You don’t rise to the occasion.
Our preparation from January to now with Coach Sky Jones and Coach Noah leading us, we’ve been putting in a lot of work, and you reap what you sow."
That mindset goes beyond effort for VanSumeren. He says understanding the entire defense, not just his own assignment, is what helps him play faster and think bigger on the field.
“I would just know the whole defense, not just what I have. When you know the full defense, you can really like expand your knowledge, and it can just help you play even faster.”
His motivation, he added, comes from where he was raised and from the way he approaches the game itself.
“The way I was raised, and it's my hometown where I come from, full of hardworking people, and I love this game of football. I want to be the best at it. I love this game, and every time I get to go out and compete, I put it all on the line for my teammates.”
VanSumeren also made it clear that leadership was part of the job the moment he arrived. He said he had to earn trust first, then step into that role naturally.
“I was a leader in the past at my previous institution, so I knew coming here wouldn’t change. I still need to lead these guys, and it's been great.
Especially, you have to be careful about how you do it being a new guy. So, first of all, they've got to know how you work and how you go about your business.
So that’s what I did when I first got here, and I had to earn their trust. I did that, and I’m thankful to be in the position I’m in, and I’m going to lead these guys every day.”
The veteran transfer also described the kind of message he wants to carry into Saturday’s opener against San Jose State. For him, game day should not feel like anything foreign.
“The first time you run out there, you’re going to have a lot of emotions and stuff, but the ball is still ball. It’s 53 and a third.
It’s 120 yards a field. It doesn’t change.
It doesn’t matter who’s watching. It’s the same exact thing as practice.
That’s what I’m going to tell these guys, and they just got to treat it like they do every single day; it’s nothing new.”
VanSumeren also spoke highly of Jahkeem, calling him a “warrior” and saying, “He’s great; he’s very mature. He’s going to be back as soon as possible. He’s a warrior.”
And when it comes to another veteran in the mix, VanSumeren sees a player who can handle a lot.
“He’s a veteran. He’s played multiple positions.
I remember he was playing tackle last year when I played him and guard. He knows how to play up and down the line.
It’s nothing that he’s not prepared for. He’s going to do a phenomenal job, and you guys are going to see that.”
In Other News...
USC Fans Are Getting A Very Different Coliseum Experience In 2026
USC spent the offseason listening closely to its crowd, gathering fan feedback after the 2025 season with an eye toward making Saturdays at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum feel fresher in 2026. The result is a noticeable push to upgrade the entire game day atmosphere, from a new pregame fireworks show to a more active in-stadium host and a family ticket package designed to make coming to games a little easier and a little more appealing.
There will also be a more ambitious food-and-fun element around the venue, including new concession items and a rotating "Dog of the Game" promotion, plus additional game day experiences whose proceeds will support the Trojan Athletic Fund. USC is also planning select home-game tributes to championship-winning Trojan teams and student-athletes, a reminder that the Coliseum experience is being built not just around entertainment, but around the program's history and the people who helped shape it. [Read more 🡒]
USC Has A Defensive Newcomer Who Already Looks Ready To Matter
USC wrapped up a practice session with the opener against San Jose State looming, and the focus on the defensive side has started to sharpen. Alex VanSumeren, Jide Abasiri, Chasen Johnson and Jontez Williams all offered their thoughts on where the unit stands, with the general tone pointing toward a group that feels more settled and more invested in the work it has put in during camp.
Williams, a fifth-year senior and former Iowa State transfer, is one of the more interesting pieces in that mix because of how much ground he has already covered in his college career. He talked about his growth as a player and his first game in USC colors now drawing close, which gives the Trojans another newcomer to watch as the season begins and the defense starts to show what kind of role he might be ready to play. [Read more 🡒]
USCs New Defensive Duo Faces Immediate Pressure To Deliver
Gary Patterson and Paul Gonzales have picked up where they left off at TCU, only this time the reunion is unfolding at USC as the Trojans get ready for their season opener against San Jose State. Patterson is running the defense, Gonzales is helping shape the safeties and pass game, and the early sense around the program is that the familiarity between the two coaches is already paying off in how smoothly the unit is being put together.
Jontez Williams and Chasen Johnson have both pointed to that chemistry and leadership as reasons for confidence heading into the opener, and the pressure is immediate because USC does not have much time to wait for the defense to show it can hold up. The schedule offers a bigger measuring stick soon enough, too, with the Oct. 10 road trip to Penn State set for a 4:30 p.m. PT kickoff on NBC and Peacock, a game that will say a lot about how far this new-look defensive setup has come. [Read more 🡒]