Desman Stephens had performed solely a handful of snaps thus far, principally in mop-up obligation, however because the freshman linebacker peered over the road of scrimmage at Penn State’s offense Saturday, he might see the third-down play unfolding in his head. The Trojans had three over the ball. Two receivers had been stacked to his left, and the nickel nook was blitzing. So Stephens knew, as quickly because it was snapped, he wanted to backpedal in a rush to cowl the center of the sector.
That half was no downside for Stephens, whose expertise as a do-everything defensive again at Clarkston Excessive in Michigan would serve him effectively on this state of affairs. He was nonetheless studying the finer factors of taking part in linebacker, although, nonetheless digesting USC’s protection beneath D’Anton Lynn. Each play nonetheless felt prefer it was flying by at warp velocity.
However with linebackers dropping like flies off the depth chart, there was little selection however to belief that the true freshman might step in. And as depth throughout USC’s protection continues to dwindle, it gained’t be the final time that Lynn has to place his religion in a freshman.
Stephens, on this case, delivered on that belief in an enormous means, backpedaling into good place to select off the Penn State move. It was simply the form of play, Lynn mentioned, that may pay dividends later for a protection that wants its protection to develop in a rush.
“You can just tell,” Lynn mentioned, “it gave him a lot of confidence.”
Lynn will take all the fast confidence he can get for a USC protection that now should climate the lack of two of its most constant gamers: linebacker Eric Gentry and defensive finish Anthony Lucas, each of whom had been dominated out for the remainder of the season this week. How precisely Lynn plans to navigate these losses stays to be seen, however it’s going to undoubtedly contain an inflow of younger gamers, reminiscent of Stephens, thrust into a lot greater roles alongside the defensive entrance.
Lynn and coach Lincoln Riley bought that as a optimistic this week, as USC travels to Maryland with hope that an infusion of youth on protection might assist cease the Trojans’ two-game skid.
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“We don’t really have a choice right now, right?” Riley mentioned. “And these guys have been developing behind the scenes. They’re ready to contribute.”
Stephens has already cemented his place in USC’s three-linebacker rotation, taking part in behind starters Mason Cobb and Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, whereas junior Devan Thompkins emerged final week as a starter alongside USC’s line of defense, main the group in pressures after Lucas left the sport.
Kameryn Fountain might be subsequent to step into that rotation up entrance. The 6-foot-6, 265-pound freshman defensive finish continues to be “very, very” uncooked, however after turning heads in camp together with his spectacular bodily prowess, Lynn mentioned. Fountain has grown considerably in his understanding of his place and USC’s scheme, sufficient that “he is going to get some time” in opposition to Maryland this week.
“He’s gotten better trying to slow the game down for himself,” redshirt senior defensive finish Jamil Muhammad mentioned of Fountain. “It hasn’t all the way slowed down for him yet because he’s just now getting into the swing of things with things that happened health-wise.”
Including younger gamers up entrance might do USC’s move rush good, given the place it stands on the halfway level. The Trojans have tallied simply six sacks by way of six video games — fewer than all however seven groups nationally — and simply misplaced their chief in pressures, Lucas, for the season. Muhammad, USC’s chief in sacks final season, has but to notch one in 2024.
There is probably not reply to these issues proper now. However Riley is assured, with Lynn on the job, that USC’s protection can be higher for it in the long term.
“There’s going to be so many positives that come out of this for these guys and our program,” Riley mentioned. “I do think D’Anton’s personality to teach and ability to be adaptable to 11 guys that we put on the field and their skill sets and also where they’ve got some deficiencies, I think that’s going to be a real advantage here.”
Muhammad has seen that progress for himself with USC’s new defensive employees.
“They’re all about throwing people into the fire, in a positive way,” Muhammad mentioned. They need you to study. They need you to get higher. So I feel you’ll have your alternatives as a younger man at a program like this. You simply need to be sure you seize them, seize the chance.”
Stephens made essentially the most of his second final week, returning his interception 42 yards earlier than he was taken down from behind. It was essential validation, for the freshman linebacker, of the place his first season at USC was headed. Even when the Trojans had no selection however to belief him.
“It was always big on my board to go to a place where I felt I could develop,” Stephens mentioned.
“When you grind, you get rewarded.”
