Where does USC go from here with its struggling secondary?

USC’s pass defense ranks eighth-worst nationally, allowing an average of 10 explosive plays per game despite facing no top-40 passing offenses.

Communication breakdowns and blown coverages have plagued the secondary since Alex Grinch’s 2023 firing, with injuries to two starters complicating things.

With Michigan and Notre Dame approaching, the Trojans might turn to a pair of true freshmen to address critical depth issues.

After an inconsistent start to the season for USC’ s secondary, the defensive coordinator stood in front of a cadre of cameras and didn’t mince words. There were too many coverage busts leading to too many big pass plays, he said. He planned to spend the bye week studying film with microscopic focus in hopes of understanding exactly what had gone wrong.

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