Dion Bailey on USC's Dominant Win Over Nevada, ILB Competition & More! II The Victory Podcast

[Music] welcome to another episode of the victory podcast driven by Audi I'm your host keilor joined by my co-host and former USC Defender Dion Bailey in person live in studio Dion I'm so excited to have you in person 3D no delay yeah definitely no technical difficulties this week so it's exciting to be here be able to have a professional setting it really get to really really get the podcast feel so excited to talk some ball this week uh and uh excited to be doing it on campus is it weird being back I was talking to you beforehand you haven't seen the like updated Heritage Hall which is now a decade old I have not I've seen videos of it so it's exciting to be back in and see all the upgrades and the all the new bells and whistles that you guys have here in the Athletics uh facilities now so it's exciting to see the athletic department being able to really uh not say take care of the athletes now because we were taken care of when I was here as well but really you know just get the shower to athletes and uh you know nice little shiny things like every other athletic department is doing across the country so it's exciting to see it's so amazing to not have a delay either oh yeah I think we're talking right now together and I know everyone's like get over it but like we've had like multiple multiple podcasts just you know having technical difficulties you and and the audio problems that we've tried to navigate through so very excited to have you and I know I'll probably say this all throughout this episode but like I said very excited to have you is it weird like feeling like you're not on a screen you're like 3D it is a little bit you know make sure it's thinking about what I do with my arms if I'm moving too much or things like that but it's exciting to be actually in a real studio in a professional setting so now it feels like I'm really podcasting now so you are I mean you always worry we were but this is uh this is pretty cool well the fun thing too is that you actually got to see the game in person and not just watch it on tape you were there live first off I just want to get your overall thoughts about being there in the Coliseum you were there last year for certain games but you were back here for this 2023 roster what if you like to see this team in person uh it was I like to see the team in person relative just seeing them on TV because the Angles and everything of the camera can add some pounds make guys look bigger than what they really are so I like to see them and size them up against their opponents and the team look good they look like they got I wouldn't say better athletes but better looking athletes they look like you know just filled out more a lot bigger a lot look a lot stronger and you turn on the tape they look like they moving faster playing more decisive so they definitely turned over the roster again and uh looks like they took it a step further this year that's what I took away from seeing the 2023 team compared to the 2022 team well like I've said for the million times very excited that you got to see the team in person and glad to have you in person for the show uh before we jump into it just a couple reminders if you're enjoying this show please be sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcast if you're watching on YouTube please be sure to subscribe as well if you ever want to get your voice heard if you have a question for Dion or Cody be sure to follow us on our socials Victory pod USC Twitter and Instagram program that's where we either put out a question tweet or a question box and we asked four questions for Dion on Saturday Sundays depending on when I get that out and then Tuesdays for Cody so if you ever want a specific question to be answered by the two gentlemen who are my co-hosts be sure to follow us there one last thing before we get into your thoughts Dion just want to give a thanks to Audi performance is more exhilarating on a real Road introducing the Audi Q5 visit your SoCal Audi dealers proud sponsors of the USC Trojans and you can also take your health to the next level with symbiotica they're premium easy to take supplements fuel your body with key vitamins and minerals to help you reach Peak Performance on and off the field elevate your health today by going to symbiotica.com and use code find on for 15 off-site wide alrighty Dion like I mentioned 66 to 14 USC took care of business coincidentally the same score as the rice game from last season so it's interesting doing Recaps like for these games because it's like yeah it's what we expected USC handled business but I was just curious your overall thoughts from Saturday's game yeah that's exactly what you wanted to want to to be the situation when you take away from a game like this or going into a game you're playing against somebody you know you're a superior to talent wise and uh really I mean physically it's just not talent but just physical physique as well for the most part so you expect to go out there and dominate your opponent so to speak so to see them go out there and handle business and uh really yeah 66-14 but that first touchdown they gave up I mean you could really say it was 66-7 because I mean I put the money in that position nine times out of ten and he'll make a play on that ball so they just that one one situation he didn't make a play that got a big play and it was able to get in there the first drive and then they really shut them out all the way to the end of the game so it was a great showing by the team what we wanted to see because coming in last year you never really knew what you was going to see no matter what opponent was on the field with us so it was good to see us uh really just play our game and not play down to our opponent now I don't know if this is correct but I would assume that Nevada is a lesser opponent than San Jose State so do you use it I would agree okay so how do you gauge game one to game two can you do that because it's like yeah of course they look better when you're going from a lesser opponent so how do you gauge what you saw on Saturday in that sense you're really looking to see the fundamentals taken care of tackling just alignment assignment guys just doing the right thing and making the plays that they're in position to make so that's what we didn't do against San Jose day even though we really uh defensively specifically I'm speaking of we they played a good game they really they tackled well they were where they were they were in the position to make the place but they just didn't make the plays consistently enough to where they they gave up you know five or six plays and those plays allowed San Jose State to put points on the board the amount that they did it wasn't like they were just methodically moving the ball up and down the field which seems to be the case last year and that's where turnovers really turned the tie for our defense last year we really couldn't stop anyone in between the 20s so 20 to 20 they go up and down the field but then once they get in the Red Zone somehow we will end up making them play and that's how we were able to win some some drives on the defensive end to give our offense the opportunity they keep they score 40 50 and that's how we would come up on The Winning Side so it was good to see that not be the case and it was really just a couple explosive plays just things you can clean up coming from week one to week two that seemed like they did clean up besides that first drive they had the explosive play but besides that it wasn't really any bust out there and didn't really see guys not be where they're supposed to be and not make the plays they had the opportunity to make so that's what I was excited to see coming from week one week two even though the opponent may have been to a certain degree like lesser of an opponent okay interesting now I just want to go into the defense because of course we always get defensive questions the most on Sundays now when it comes to that Damani Jackson play it was interesting because I believe it was like the second play of the game right and it was just a go ball is that something that they saw on film where they wanted to testimony or is that just they got lucky with that play call I feel like uh our secondary excluding our safeties are they're young and they don't have as I mean Wright has a lot of experience but he was a rotational guy like you should uh him and uh really anyone opposite a black man they rotated so they uh they're not proven so to speak so early on a lot of the opposing officers are going to try them so I don't think that's really like oh watching the tape from game one and saying oh we're gonna pick on number one it's just you know he's young he hasn't played so we're going to make them prove it like it doesn't matter if he was a five star coming out he got to prove he's a five-star in college so I think that was really his welcome to college moment to where for me it was super encouraging because him being a superstar really probably his whole life and then coming in you know getting hurt then starting off last week I mean it probably didn't go the way he wanted it to go and then start this game off he get beat with the player he's right there in position but he doesn't make the play and he doesn't fold he doesn't get down on himself and you see him really pick up his play throughout the game finishing plays like excellent finishes throughout the game where you don't see young DBS he didn't he doesn't panic when the ball is in the air so I was really encouraged by him you know not things not going his way early in the game but him recovering really well he had uh two or three nice pass deflections real late finishes it looked like the receiver is going to catch it he get laid hands in there and knock it out real uh just just calm and confident when the ball is in the air not panicking so that's a good sign for for a DB because he's going to be in this conference in a position where the ball is going to be in the air coming his way a lot coming up in the season so you need him to be comfortable in that position it looks like he's getting comfortable for someone who's never played in a defense before I I feel like it's hard because you know the average fan is like he messed up get him out of there can you explain like it's that's kind of you you live and die like that as a corner right you do and it's uh as a corner you're in a lot of UN like not normal positioning like the whole position is like playing receiver but backwards so like the just the movements and the positions that you're being to to make big plays or just make plays at the position period you just need repetition you need to be in that position B have the opportunity to make that play So then you get more comfortable being in that position and it just feels more natural like you're not thinking it's just a reaction so it it's nice to be a great athlete but to play DB being an athlete it just enhances your ability to play DB but you still need to know how to play DB though you can't just throw an athlete out there and think he's gonna be able to just jump around and make plays and all that at receiver yeah because they're going forward but DB going backwards so the movements and everything is technique it's repetition and it's just being in that position getting the experience getting comfortable and that's what our secondary specifically Domani is going through right now and and we knew coming in that you know there might be some Growing Pains specifically with Damani who's basically this is rookie season this is just what comes with the territory right I mean like I feel like people don't know how to judge when you know you have DBS out there when they're young how do you judge a good performance by a DB uh for me is how they react to bad things things not going their way because things are not going to always go your way especially in this conference where they're throwing the ball of 30 40 up to 50 times a game like offense is going to win some reps like it's all about how you respond so to see how they're they're not taking one play over to the next they're really taking it play by play and they're trying to really hone in their technique and what I've been encouraged about from Domani and including right they've been in position like every rep that they've been a part of where it wasn't a bust they be in position to make the play now whether they make that play or not that's something they just have to have more reps in being in that position where they get more comfortable and more confident that they can make that play that's uh where I see their game take going to the next level but uh as a young DB to answer your question how you would it all depends on knowing the scheme like for the money we run a lot of man on third down so you're seeing him on an island whereas the younger corners on other teams defense quarters might try to hide them you know like put them in a lot of zone or roller covers to their side so you don't really see them on that island where they can be exposed where we're trying to build the money up to be uh like the number one corner is what it seems like a lot of men putting them on the island just hey you're on the island you're gonna you're gonna Sinker and you're gonna drowns one of the other sink or swim yeah so to speak so he's really just going through that that learning phase they're building them out he's building that foundation and uh from week one to week two I'm encouraged by his development and how he's progressing in into what's a fair for for both right and and Damani what's a fair uh timeline to put them on as far as growth and expecting you know to be locked down if you will I don't think it's a timeline it's just really uh just depending on the opponent in the moment so just like when it's time for you to be at that level we need you at just hopefully when that moment arrives you're ready to for that moment so it's not like oh you need to be locked down by organ week or Washington Week like sure you never know maybe next week yeah next week maybe the week we need him to just take on the challenge maybe we don't see foresee going into the Stanford week where he's gonna have to take 10 targets coming his way he's gonna have to win eight or nine of them you know what I mean so we'll see it's not really something I don't think you can put a timetable on but it's time is definitely the clock's fed up yeah for sure like uh these two weeks were definitely like building block weeks and weeks to really build your confidence and just get experience being in position certain positions being in certain situations and things like that so you can be confident enough to come through once you you're playing against elevated Talent across from you so I I it's not a specific date or game I think that they need to you know be at their best but it's definitely a speeding up and as we see other teams around the country it may be coming faster than what we expect so it's uh but it's exciting to see that the trajectory of their his progress specifically and including right that they're on right now they're they improve from week one to week two and that's all you can ask for yeah it seemed like last week you were a little bit hesitant about USC's defensive backs how do you feel as a whole about them and in game two now that you've seen more uh I like I like the way they they got better uh just not allowing uh any misalignments and bust like so last week I feel like they were exposed they just had some busting uh San Jose State was able to capitalize on that so the explosive plays they had it wasn't somebody getting beat it was only it was one time right got beat but it was excellent throwing catch like it wasn't like it was no uh no uh I don't know where I'm looking for it but no slight of the of the actual off the receiver making the play was a great play so yeah I wouldn't say that I was you know a talent thing or anything like that so they they got better and they didn't have any mental laps like so that was encouraging that's really what you're looking for going against the team you're Superior to or you think you're Superior too so that's uh really what I why I'm way more encouraged coming out of week two than I was week one now the wild part about Saturday that I wasn't expecting was USC's inside linebackers first off Mason Cobb and Eric Gentry were not dressed out um and that was something where you know you have the initial warm-ups where guys are in like sweats and stuff like that and I was like oh they're kind of casual during warm-ups and I was like oh wait they're not they're not doing things so uh Lincoln Riley gave an update after the game so they both were not ready to go on Saturday so that that they don't think it's something long-term um and and Lincoln said you know it wasn't the opponent um but said that they weren't ready to go so we'll see what happens heading into Stanford week but uh because of that we saw attack at Curtis get a second start uh but also Rajon Davis I believe get his first start as a Trojan so I was just curious what you saw from first that iteration of USC's Inland inside linebackers and then we can get into what happened later on in the game yeah definitely first of all I was surprised to see uh both uh uh Gentry and the Cobb nasu and up you know but because they they rotated so much last week and obviously a lot of us know about uh Davis uh just movement in the back you know just just biting at the waiting to get the opportunity so it was good that I feel like it just gave them opportunity to build their depth you know earlier on in the season where it's not truly I don't want to make slide of Nevada but like it's a good opportunity to get young guys out there it wasn't dire you know so it wasn't like we were going into the pacto championship and yeah your two other older veteran guys are down so it was a good uh you know it was a way to turn lemons into lemonade type situation and I think that uh specifically Davis that's exactly what he did he went out there and he proved that he deserves to get more snaps uh definitely throughout throughout the season I feel like he is a he has an understanding of what he's seeing so like the difference from him and like a younger linebacker is Curtis Curtis is out there he's just like a like fine ball get ball type thing like he's he has no pre-snap uh recognition and no post-not recognition either which is what I took away coming from game one to game two for him is he didn't progress in that aspect of it like he's still not recognizing what what the offense is trying to do to him so what he's struggling with right now is in a mesh concept specifically when it's a tight stack so when I say that is two receivers the number two receiver is on the ball the number one receiver which is the furthest outside receiver he's off the ball but they're about less than four yards from the end of the line of scrimmage and the running backs to their side so that puts three and two really close together which is in my day we would call it the Jordan scenario which two and three just means two and three is together so you're alerting the person that may have say the the guy that's over the uh stack maybe the flat defender or the hook Defender so you're not alerted him that his number two which is showing his number two right now may become number three and number two maybe number three may become number two so he's not recognizing the offense putting him in that position so he's not understanding like who's passing What In the Zone concept or who what man he's taking in a man concept where you that's where you see the running back coming free on a wheel or in a mesh concept they run in that the underneath mesh and someone popping up open because they really haven't got on the same boat uh the linebackers and the DBS as well like either they gonna pass it off or be on opposite levels let someone run the shoot and someone come over the top type deal so it's just things like that recognizing that so he can put himself in a better position to where he's not out of position and he can make a play like be in position to make a play at least so like for me you may not be able to watch film but what you want to see a player be able to do is take a play that someone ran from him against him in the first quarter and it worked and recognized that play in the third quarter when they run it you know and he's not there yet so I think that I'm hopeful that the coaches are emphasizing that to him because he has the physical ability like he can run to the ball he has the one two to to have the pursuit and get to the ball and get guys down but he just has to hone in on a mental side to give himself the best of uh opportunity or give himself the ability to put his best foot forward and show all the ability that he has yeah which in that sense we'll just get into now the targeting he was ejected for it and I asked you free show so I already know your answer but that was classic targeting classy classic and it's just a young player you know trying to make a play running around just moving a thousand miles an hour or you know just take your target down yeah a little bit you still get the same effects same same big hit same ooze and uh but you get to play the next play you know so it's just a learning learning opportunity for him and thankfully for him it was in the first half so it's not going to affect him next week so he could take it he was able to watch and I think it was good in my opinion for him to see someone with experience like Shane Lee be able to get out there because he's more athletic than Shane Lee which I understand the dynamic of what's going on in the linebacker room right now it's not a knock on Shane's ability to play at all it's just some people are more catholically gifted than others and it's not much you can do about that but he was able to put his mental uh his really just uh his mental a cutie yeah ability just yeah just like his his knowledge of the game yeah he really is able to display it this week he he made plays that is not that Curtis can't make him but he's he's not there he sees it he's recognizing things he recognizes what uh the offense is trying to do to him so he's able to put himself in the position to overcome maybe his athletic deficits so to speak sure to be able to still put himself a position to make a play you know whether he makes it or not he did on Saturday yeah I mean the first play he came in yeah yeah so he was I mean he was instant impacting throughout the game he just had a bunch of Splash plays he seemed like he was always around the ball so I was super excited for a lead uh on another topic but uh I think that that's uh really what I hope that they're they're pushing on him to start recognizing things like to understand yeah understand uh different formations understanding like it was one place specifically early on the uh fullbacks away from him and he's so worried that he has this B Gap right here but he doesn't understand that like if the full back like crosses a cross you have to turn that back like even if he goes outside of the uh of the DM like you have to stay outside so they get off flanked and it's just it's just a small example of just understanding what you're seeing like you're not just understanding what I have to do in the defense but understand what the how the offense is attacking the defense we're in you know so that that's really where he'll get to go from being just a good athletic player to be like a great football player and the reason Direction was because in that sense he missed probably valuable he did game reps in that too which is unfortunate because I'm sure from your experience Dion that's where he can start to really gain that knowledge definitely and in a position where he's in a position where you can build his confidence he's going to win a lot of the Reps that he's taking so yeah you you will want him to to get those reps back those are pressures learning rips but you gotta learn from and especially in college football where they eject you for the the targeting that rather get him get that lesson now then come to find out he's the best guy on the defense and then he gets thrown out in a serious shame because he's never been put in that position never really had to learn from it so it's a on from my perspective it was a win-win for the team they didn't really need him out there and he got put in the position which is an uncomfortable one uncomfortable one and one that no defendant wants to be in so hopefully he learns from this and we don't see any further ejections from him that play was such a classic tacket play in my mind solely because that's how he first like made the internet direction to me at practice because if you re-watch the play he's near the line of scrimmage that was moved back like five yards the place 10 yards ahead of where he is and there's two USC Defenders already making the play and he comes out of nowhere like he's not even in the camera angle and he just flies in and makes that play which that's what makes tack it tack it but you kind of have to just like you know take it down a notch lower the shoulders you know something like that exactly he's c-ball get ball right now moving at a thousand miles an hour which I mean is what you don't want to have to teach yeah at least now you can you rather have to not necessarily Reign them in but like get them locked in or get them really honed in on a particular thing then really have to try and rev a guy up get him fired up to run around like so him coming with that aspect to his game is definitely a positive that's the one thing you never want to have to coach a guy on so now you just really gotta just just sharpen his tools and and help him develop uh really an understanding of how he could use his abilities and the best man to help the defense well given everything you just talked about you talked about rage on you talked about Shane Lee you talked about attack it and then we know what Eric and Mason can do for the most part what does USC do now now that they've seen so many of their inside linebackers play well in my opinion uh Rajon is the one that needs to be on the field because he brings the most diversity like I see what they're trying to do with Gentry but Rajon can actually do it like when I saw him rush on Saturday I didn't know he can rush to pass her like he was full on like putting a move on a guard rushing a pastor like it looked like a front four but Rajon is lined up in a two-point stand over the guard I'm like ah I never seen him do that before I didn't know he can even do that so that that really got me excited where they can have on the third down they could really have like a like a cheetah package where they bring in all Fast Rush guys and they can without rushing uh add in the fifth or sixth rusher get to the passer like they had it was it was um it was Solomon it was uh Davis and then bear and then it was Lucas on the other side which you can substitute Lucas or Muhammad I feel like they both can give you the same effect yeah and let those four guys get after it like on the third now so it was exciting that was the first time I saw that I'm not sure if they've done that before I don't know yeah I'm not sure if they've done that before I know Gentry he'll mug Over the Garden Center but he always drops out yeah he it was a full-on like rush like they took the d-tack while it was a dime package with uh they take the took out the nose tackle brought in the 6db and a left foreign and he rushed so I was just I was I'd never seen that before and it was exciting to see because now I'm seeing uh maybe because Grinch really he really didn't have the guys to do what he's trying to do so like now I feel like he's getting more confident trying to dig in his bag a little different a little deeper and uh he's gonna I feel like he's gonna have guys in in the great positions this year and give them an opportunity to do some things that we haven't seen them do which is going to be more valuable for them in the future well nonsense is there now a problem that you open the door with rage on Dave it's not a problem it's a it's a it's an embarrassment of riches if you will but it's a great position to be in a great position do you I I don't know I'm I'm Pro Rajon Davis but how do you I'm not sure because I I was with the rotation thing but that was going into week one I haven't I hadn't had a chance to see the the new clock rule get taken into effect so now I don't know if there's enough series out there to rotate how we've been doing it so yeah I don't know that's the pickle that they're going to be in because now it's literally like every possession really it really matters yeah you're not going to get a just a whole bunch I will get them next time type deal or yeah you get discount stamp count you get that snap count I don't think they can do that so I don't know it's a good position to be in there and uh a lot of them are young excluding cops so it's uh great that they have the depth and then they hopefully they're building the confidence within that depth to where they feel like any guy that's out there they're confident to call the same defense run the same scheme and those guys be able to effectively run it so it's a position I feel like our defense hasn't been in it especially last year and years prior so it's exciting that uh you know the recruiting and everything is starting to take hold five sacks on the night for USC what did you see overall just from the pressure that USC was able to create again a front for the guys they have rotating in I mean you can go from I mean at least any of them they all look great even the young guy Joey he he looks great uh they brought in the Freshman 34. I forget his name that had the sack fumble at the end oh uh Shelby Braylon Shelby yes yeah I'm not sure I seen him before but he looked good he didn't look like a freshman like he just looks like he's a guy behind a stable of hold on guys ahead of him which is a great position to be in that's how you're a good team like you have to have guys who look like guys but they're just waiting in the stable because you just have a plethora of guys yeah that's how good programs are the Alabama's the Georgians and it back in the Pete days is how you sustain greatness you just gotta have that Competitive Edge at every position I feel like that's what you're seeing from the d-line because that is to me this year which was to me the complete opposite of last year yeah they're the strength of the defense like the front is the strength I include the the stand up outside linebackers Indians with the d-line so they're the strength so I think that this is uh it's a good thing and they can rotate so it's it's a good thing that we're we're deep in that in that uh in that part of our defense so I think we're built this year to have a better defense because the front is better can you get away like if you were like a lesser of evils you'd rather have a more Fierce front right than than oh yeah oh yeah oh yeah because the the backhand really it feeds off the front like yeah you can have a great backhand but it just makes them have to work that much harder if they're not getting pressure from the front yeah having to cover longer and really just be be great be amazed and really make amazing plays because it's hard when uh if it's the offense isn't doing the timing thing and they got the Caleb Williams thing going on they running around and all that it's like you gotta lose lose like so for the it works well when the front's able to put pressure on the quarterback has to get it out fast so now you're not really you're you can believe in what you're seeing if you believe it's going to be a slant you know this quarterback only has two or three seconds so if I guess on the slant and I'm wrong he's either gonna get Sack or he's gonna throw me the ball you know it's not enough time for him to be running the receivers are running double moves or just deep routes they everybody going deep running different things so we covered for a long time so I think that they uh once the DBS get more comfortable and start making more plays that while they're in a position to make those plays you'll see it all start coming together because the front looks great they're putting pressure every snap they're collapsed in the pocket they may not be getting home as much as the pressure they're putting on but like they look good specifically bear I just want to say bear is man as advertise like all right I just the college football is so weird to me because like you just don't see I'm not used to seeing transfers be guys like back in the day when you transfer it was for a reason you know like yeah you couldn't play there so it was like that's a good one either went down well you you had to go down because we had to sit out of here yeah back in your day so like you I just I really never saw guys go from one school to another excluding Silas red who came from Penn State to here but they that really were guys instantly produced instantly produced like why are why did you transfer like how you weren't playing at your old school type of deal yeah and uh he's that guy I'm like hold on my bear doesn't look like he didn't go down in a step in competition so that's not a thing and he just I I'm shocked like that was a steal I think that was that turned the tie for the defense getting a win like that up front a guy that can look apart and actually delivered to so yeah that was huge are you more shocked by bear Alexander or Jamil Muhammad Muhammad because the bear came from Georgia sure so I'm gonna have a joke when I ask that but yes yeah yeah definitely but uh Muhammad I'm still in all that he ended up at Georgia State just specifically because recruiting is not necessarily about what you're doing in high school it's about what they project you as yeah and he looks like a guy like like coming off the bus he looks like a guy so I assume somebody would take a swing on them tight deal so it's just I'm amazed that even with him at quarterback people pay all kind of positions in high school all the time and people able to project them at the proper position yeah and I'm just surprised that a guy like that was missed after seeing him two weeks in like hold on okay he's a guy like I don't understand how he's got on his path that he was on but thankfully he ended up here yeah guys it's a good thing as far as just like some of the other guys Anthony Lucas 99 uh Jack Sylvan what did you see from them as well um I saw them still applying pressure playing with great effort and uh just looking like the all the front just seems like they're tied on a string right now they're all they're rushing together it's not like you're seeing one guy just out there doing his own thing it seems like they they all have a plan and they're all like executing on the and they're all celebrating each other it doesn't seem like anybody is you know has a selfish mindset about about their their Rush opportunities so that's always a positive and uh specifically for Lucas he's young so yeah he's having I want I guess you could call it success even though he doesn't have like sex or a bunch of different sacks and whatnot but he's playing well he's making plays when giving the opportunities rushing well and uh it's a huge confidence Builder because he has like ability that you can't teach so yeah once you get that confidence on his side I feel like his the sky's the limit for him so to have a young guy in the mix with a lot of older guys him bear that's the best part about our our front like We're Young too like I forget the Bear's young he's young he was a freshman last year right insane yeah I think so yeah I believe he was a freshman last year like this is really and he ain't really playing to the playoffs last year yeah so like this is really his first go around at it like his real he's a guy he's getting real snaps meaningful snaps consistently and I mean his draft stock has to be through the roof like he's just a game changer like he legit is like he like when I see him on tape he reminds me of Leo like God that just sticks out like oh yeah like oh 90 looks different like he's pushing guys around he's throwing guys around like it looks like you in high school what a five star looks like a high school that's what it looks like when he's out there right now and it's not like a couple plays like he's bringing it every snap which is what you don't see from a lot of big guys you know I don't have the stamina to do it yeah but he's he's collapsed in the pocket every Snappy's out there so it's super exciting to see that from him and the wild part too is that he didn't come till late in the summer for USC and then was dealing with some injury issues so even in Camp he was limited to a certain degree this is like this is bear on the Fly playing right now yeah which is wild I'm pretty sure the coaches really truly didn't even know what they had because you know he didn't really get that much exposure at Georgia he saw him get a couple Splash plays in the national championship when he was given the opportunity so you know they really just okay he was a five star we recruited him back when he was at Oklahoma he went to Georgia so fingers crossed that he pans out and he's panning out so yeah hey that's part of recruiting you know just taking a taking a swing and hopefully that you hit the ball and you definitely knocked it out the park with bears so hopefully he can continue his uh Elite level of play so far in the season on the rest of the year we have a lot of defensive questions so one final defensive point from me uh I feel like Lincoln Riley summed it up best last night he said football's more fun when big people score uh I didn't definitely did not have Stanley Toff who as uh on my bingo card for USC's first offensive touchdown but it was just so exciting to see him get his moment as a red shirt senior yeah definitely you always like to see a big fella get to touch the paint man it's exciting for the SEC defense on the night where they really suffocated an offense and I feel like they played their best game as a unit under Grinch uh even though it's a lot of different guys but just a grinchling lead unit it looked it looked good last night and uh for them to get that that first turnover I mean they almost had it last year last week when Solomon had the sacrament but the San Jose State was able to recover for them to to he almost had another one this week too yeah actually so uh for them to actually you know get on that turnover be able and then to be able to turn into points hopefully you know it just gets that that turnover bug going hopefully because we know that it's there they're there whatever they preaching whatever they practicing it works because it's last year there's no way that was a fluke it was way too many it was too consistent yeah it wasn't just like one or two games they had six seven but it was just like so the philosophy and the the practices to execute that philosophy is there so hopefully it just picks up and then once a defense that's aligning better uh executing their assignments better and uh just I mean so to speak have better players they uh they get that turnover bug going too I mean they can turn into an elite defense and then if you get an elite defense to compliment the city offense led by Caleb Williams then I mean it could be it could be special so so hopefully that's that's the way we're going I'm glad you brought that up because I saw some chatter on Twitter that was like oh well we haven't seen the same turnovers from USC's defense so far this season must have been a fluke last year what's your take on that um I just feel like we needed them last year so like guys were really honing in on all right we don't make a play we're never going to stop an opposing offense so and we were just waiting on them like those were the differences in games like if we didn't get the turnovers then we we didn't the game would come down to to Nell by their Caleb have to do something so we're not in that position right now like the off the opposing office is punting so like what I feel like we've seen as many punts in the first two games we probably saw all last year like I don't know not literally but like like they like actually the offense is playing like we're getting the pun return team is getting out there so yeah the turnovers aren't as dire to our defense succeeding so I feel like that it has been the change and guys just we just haven't took advantage of opportunities we've had yeah Del Monte's drop some sure um we didn't get on Solomon's two sack fumbles you know the boss just hasn't bounced our way given the opportunity but we have been disruptive we have had caused opportunities to cause create turnovers we just haven't fallen on them and come up with them so yeah if you look at it from a half a glass half full perspective like they're still getting the ball out they're still being opportunistic we just haven't the ball just hasn't bounced our way yet so hopefully we can keep getting these opportunities keep being opportunistic and getting the ball out and eventually we fall on some of those saxophones we catch some of those interceptions so hopefully that picks up now over to USC's offense I mean I feel like we could just be like the offense is great again let's go to questions but over 600 yards of total offense for USC uh five touchdowns by Caleb Williams he was 18 of 24 for 319 yards Miller Moss got into the game again getting great uh game reps under his belt he also had a touchdown himself with seven of ten for 134 yards um 14 Trojans caught a pass on Saturday uh Marshawn Lloyd looked like the Marshawn Lloyd we saw last spring uh overall just great things from USC's offense yeah definitely they look like they uh just picked up where they left off last week and I was excited to see Lloyd because I like I said last week I didn't watch South Carolina so I don't really know what he's gonna bring to the table but man he runs hard he's patient he's always falling forward like he's he's like a pro back like he just always his momentum is always carrying him towards the towards the uh the marker first down marker so that's something you always want to see yeah you really on his feet it seems like he's running out of control but he's always in control so like some of the moves are missing like oh he's just falling around out there but he got like just excellent feet he's like a dancing bear even though he's not huge but like that's how he kind of runs and he's faster than than you expect so he's able to turn the corner and hit the corner and hit the edge on some of those runs so and he catches ball out of backfield obviously if you didn't know yeah so he he's showing me that he's much more of a more complete back than I expected uh so it was it was good to see him uh show up and uh really get to put his talents on display to to prove that uh because we already know Austin yeah he you know he's a complete back he can come through when we need him so it's good to see you know that we have another guy that at Elite level can come through when we need it was interesting too because he spoke earlier in the week about how he just knew in the first half of last week's game he was just pressing he was like I wasn't I wasn't patient I wasn't just playing like myself and he actually said that Cliff Kingsbury was the one who came out to him at half and was like take a deep breath like we we know we know what you can do in it this is not it basically and so he said and I asked him after the game like what adjustments did he make and he was like honestly I just listened to coaching and and tried to be myself this time definitely because uh you know when you're in a position it's a lot of what do you do for me now and uh the window is so small on being a football player everybody focuses on that like I need to do as much as possible right now like every opportunity gotta maximize it maximize it but it's really just understanding like what what mindset and what uh environment you execute the best in so like not letting outside just the the atmosphere or the pressure of trying to be successful make it to the NFL put yourself in the best position like you can't think about too much when you think Monty kiffin or my defense coordinator in my first couple years here he's always say when you see a lot you see a little when you see a little you see everything okay so you gotta make the main thing the main thing you know stay in it now you know so when you when you're in that mindset you're never pressing because it's never the moment's never too big you never think about too much so you're just taking everything one step at a time and I feel like that's really how he was running he wasn't trying to score every run you know just every run I want to make it a positive run you know I want to take advantage of whatever the defense is giving me so I'm not pressing I'm not trying to beat the old alignment to the block I'm not trying to get there right now I'm trying to you know really execute the play that's called and that's why you turn the tape on he looks so patient and whatnot he's really just you know trying to allow the offense to work for him and then let his ability take over then that's what the best backs do in my opinion what have you seen from Quentin Joyner he had a 47-yard touchdown on Saturday his first as a Trojan so congrats to him but the coaches have been high on him since spring what have you seen from him in his game yeah he's more got that more of a jitterbug effect to him he's a lot quicker a lot faster straight and fast Guy house call he uh just young and he's behind you know obviously two veterans yeah solid stud running back so he's in a good position he can learn guys that have a lot ton of experience especially Jones and well and Lloyd coming from different uh environments different playbooks and just schematics and just being able to talk ball and bounce uh ideas and just different uh positions he could be in off those guys he's in a great learning uh position and we all know he has the ability that you've seen it I'm sure the coach has seen it plenty of times in practice so it's about just understanding who I have and Blitz pick up things like that so once you're out there the the OC and uh well which is so to speak Coach Riley yeah yeah he's confident to call the same place run the same scheme he's not the Playbook doesn't get minimized when you get out there that's really what you want you want to be a guy as a young guy your goal should be by the end of the year that the coach feels confident enough to call any play like even if they haven't called it since four weeks before that you know because that's that's how it is especially at the next level like you may run to play in Camp and you don't run until week nine but you don't hear about it either it's not like you're practicing every single week just week nine they call it in the moment and you can't pull it from the back of your mind then that's a bus right there that's a wild guarantee that that opposing quarterback could be Tom Brady they're gonna see it they're going to find it so like that's really you have to be that locked in to the fundamentals of the defense too even if you may not really know specifically what you have you know okay we're calling the fires owner we're calling this cover four it's cover six so you understand what's going on around you so you have an idea at least of where you're supposed to be what you're supposed to be doing you know so that's just the mental Battle of it but that's a wild sorry hold on now I gotta take this off is that something you've experienced for like in Camp you run this play and then week nine that happens like oh yeah definitely uh they're called my experience is a little different because it's never like I came in I was the guy like I was in college and it went through the season as the guy so like I had an experience I got I got let go by Seattle when cam decided to come back week three then I got claimed by the Jets we played in London that week so oh my God I flew out from Seattle on Monday to New York and then Tuesday night we went from New York to no Wednesday morning we went from New York to London so trying to just learn all the plays and everything so like something they taught me that week they called two weeks later when I got thrown out there against the Patriots playing against Tom Brady and um and and that name of that play was the exact same call for cover four for Seattle so like I had to play that game like they literally had the same name for different play costs and I was like a week or two removed you know so it's like oh my gosh like I said that's that's just part of being in the NFL like that that happens where you go from one team then you play in the next week and they can have multiple plays with the same name but it could be two completely different things so you're like oh I gotta flush out what I just learned for the past two years and like try to remember they don't that play don't mean that no more oh my God yeah so that's difficult how did he go about studying that quickly like you were had to cram I'm sure uh I was definitely cramming but I also wasn't expecting to play either because I came from Seattle I mean Earl and cam they never came out yeah then when I went to New York everybody was telling me uh my guy Calvin probably used to always get hurt so the backup will always go in and I never believed him I'm like what like I came like Kim I really never came out what you're talking about back up what not we play special teams is the backup in the DB room here but he went down and then uh I was out there in London I played like the whole second half like I was on the team for like three days oh my gosh yeah I'm out there busting stuff like crazy because they calling things and I'm running what we did in Seattle it was definitely it's definitely a learning experience for sure oh my goodness yeah to be it but then like you hear a lot of different terminology and as a a pro player it becomes an advantage because you just heard a lot of things so you get familiar with say get moved around and it's not like I'm I got to learn the terminology all over again I just got to connect the dots like I've heard it before it means this now it's like speaking a language it is it's easy and then going to it like a similar language that's exactly what it is that's exactly what it is that's wild yeah so I'm sure like uh Jones and Lloyd they went through that I'm sure yeah like really especially for offense offense is on a whole nother level because oh yeah off calling offense just off the grip is ridiculous it's like speaking gibberish and I understand how well in my day when they used to huddle and caught all play and everything back in your day back in my day they don't do that in college no more they still do it in a pro so to speak but it'd be a whole sentence X right y jet like how do you even remember 100 200 of those Cody Cody did an example and like you know that gift for like the numbers are coming out of your head that was me when he was giving me example it's wild it is wild I I give man Kudos whenever I talk to a quarterback that's actually can run offense call the plays and all that I'm like I don't know what y'all studying looks like but I don't want no part of that I don't want no part of having to remember a whole sentence like 200 times like 200 sentences like what yeah no wild but I'm pretty you were able to connect it back to Austin Jones I I wasn't even there but well done uh I feel like Taj Washington to slowly become a very clutch receiver for USC he had 75 yards on the night with two touchdowns and coming into the season I feel like one of the talking points was like Jordan Addison left USC doesn't have a number one receiver but so far they've been spreading the ball around so much that does it really matter at this point that they don't have a number one target I don't think it does and uh they're so uh talented so gifted in that position room specifically that I don't think is it's necessary to really concentrate on one guy on feeding one guy in particular the ball I mean maybe Zachariah I mean maybe yeah I mean he is if I had to choose one guy out the room that was different it would be him but sure it's a room full of guys that are different from a lot of guys so to speak so I think that that's the biggest difference and this is year two in the scheme so you're not really searching for a star or someone to really lean off like last year was a lot of unknowns Caleb and uh Jordan really more so Jordan than Caleb was like the one sure thing of the offense he was The Proven one he already won the blood in the cough so yeah I feel like they kind of leaned on him to be that guy but they don't they're not in the need for that this year I feel like they're really just uh spreading it around letting using everybody for what their their best attribute is what they do best and uh just capitalizing on that they're not trying to ask guys to do things that they may not excel in so everybody's kind of you know being used for what they do well and that's why you're seeing so many guys get rotated and so many guys touching the ball and things like that they're really just I feel like Coach Riley he's putting on you know like his his experience hat now he's he's preparing the team for further down the road he's not just trying to win these games right now that's what it really feels like right now yeah and we talked about it last week like just in the sense of how they rotated so many guys and that was kind of their takeaway when we talked to them this week they were like we're not really I'm reading the tea leaves here but like it seemed like they were not playing to impress in these two wins correct they're playing to get valuable game Reps for everyone so that they can make a Deep Run later in the season correct because they they know injuries are going to happen and just unforeseen things like like Kurt's getting ejected things like that so when uh what I would call a sudden change situation you gotta have a guy go out there that maybe is not taking significant reps every week you have to be confident that he can do the job at an elite level that the guy that was ahead of him was able to do the job back and uh he's you know he was a part of OU and was winning there had a lot of success so he understands what it takes to make that Deep Run and it's really depth like who do you have at the end yeah you know who and I feel like they're they're building right now they're taking the right approach especially with the the schedule we were dealt with because it's not like he you know built his schedule had a saying it so it's not like we came out and we had you know whoever week one where it was right now we have to be our best you know pull out our best tricks we got to win this game type deal so they're able to build able to rotate get a lot of guys out there see a lot of guys on tape get a feel for who is who who do we want to take the you know the the hold of whatever position so to speak so that's uh that's what you're seeing they're building right now they're they're building a team for a deep run to your point earlier about the wide receivers I thought Brendan rice had a good quote about it he said this group of wide receivers is special anyone can eat at any given moment What's even crazier is that any of these guys could be the number one receiver at any other school and we're all together so it seems like such a good uh based on his obviously his tweet but it seems like a good environment that they have where it's not like guys vying for to be the guys they all can eat together yeah definitely it's a good dynamic they have going on in that room where they understand it's not a a me thing but a wee thing like if we're all Elite like obviously I'm not obviously but excuse me um it can actually like cover up some weaknesses of other guys sure you know so like if you're not being exposed to do more things you can really show what you're good at so what you're putting on tape is only what you what you excel at so you're looking great every rep that you're out there so it's really a thing that can help all of them really really just hunker down or whatever they excel at and be great at that and not try to be good at a lot of things and be great at whatever they're being asked to do and uh that's gonna help them all in the end and uh everyone knows that they're all talented it's not like people don't know the room is supremely talented so they don't have to worry about people at the next level like wondering oh can he do this or they already know like it's already like a unspoken word about the receiver room here yeah you're in the receiving room right now that you can play but even if you're not taking the field at all dating you at least could be a number two somewhere else like that's just uh which I feel like that's been like the thing at you yeah yeah no no definitely like uh for I mean since my time here since Keith and Woody started it going after we had that little drought after Steve Smith and uh Dwayne Jared it's been consistent like that we got one or two guys who are really dudes that go on they get drafted they play in the NFL and things like that so yeah it's a good room to be a part of when you're not like out there every snap getting every opportunity to show what you can do which you don't need they're also blessed to have Caleb like if you're going to get 10 snaps but one of them snaps is one of Caleb's plays that play is played 100 million times the Brendan rice touchdown you know you're he's gonna be on TV for the next I mean that play is going to surpass next week and the week after that's gonna be a highlight they're going to play throughout the whole year so your name just that recognition is always there so all it takes is you going out there in front of enema Scout running a good 40. all that oh I remember he was on this yeah he made this play time the name and everything like it's familiar so it's they're really just in a good position to be it's great to be a receiver at SC right now yeah USC's offense in the last two games is that and this is also part of the Caleb Williams effect but you can never count this offense out of a play oh no it's insane I mean the Taj play from the first game then the Dorian singer play um I believe it was the first quarter and then like we just mentioned the Britain rice touchdown you just can't give up like it's just I feel like it's so demoralizing for defenses it is it is and uh I don't know what they're doing they say they practice this thing where it's called the Caleb pocket thing or whatever he has to stay in the pocket and the receivers run around and whatnot but it seems like the the offense The Spill skill guys they have a good feel of when Caleb is running around they're not just standing around I feel like last year it was a lot of instances where he was doing his magic but it wasn't tied on a string with the receiver so at the end he ended up having to throw it away or he would end up getting tripped up trying to just run past to get a couple yards and whatnot I feel like the receivers they're moving along with him they're all tied on a string which is how you're seeing the the singer catch like yeah he ain't just stop and just was wondering like oh is he gonna try to run for it is he gonna just throw it away like no he took it up all right let's see if Caleb could throw it because we've seen him doing a million times in practice I'm sure that's what they're saying same thing with Brandon rice like you see him they're doing like not traditional things like scramble drill things yeah I mean he's on the opposite yeah side of it yeah this is all repetition and just being with Caleb in practice and understanding how he operates like yeah he's not elude and got evade guys and trying to turn into Michael Vick and run like no he's just trying to buy time to find a guy so they all they're all tied on the string and I mean I still to this day don't understand how he is so hard to tackle but Caleb he when he's in the pocket it's like he's six five two fifty because like no one could get him down even if they get a clean shot on him he he just somehow he gets away you know it's a knack he has and everybody understands it like no matter what it looks like back there just keep doing your job because he's gonna figure out a way and I better be ready once he he gets away and he can get his eyes up you know I'm where I'm just he's expecting me to be a type deal well Malcolm Epps who was a tight end last year for USC had this funny quote that I remember he was like Caleb doesn't lift like one of those quarterbacks he was like Caleb gets in there and lifts like yeah so I think he I believe okay he has a strong base okay that makes sense then yeah so apparently the weight room is where he he makes his money in that fast okay okay makes more sense then yeah got a nice anchor to him because man I'm like I because obviously you go to the next level is quarterbacks are huge like in NFL they're huge but in college you can pay against pip squeaks and Kayla doesn't look huge out there but no one can ever he's 10 guys got to jump on him to get him down for a sack so I was just wondering like how are you so strong how's he doing this but makes sense to be in there squatting the world yeah yeah squats and stubbornness I think are the two that work for him in that regard um but any other thoughts about USC's offense before we jump into some questions uh no just hopefully they can keep on the trajectory that they've been on since last year and uh you know knock on wood health is on their side and uh I feel like we'll keep seeing the same show we've been seeing yeah alrighty well before we jump into questions just want to give a thanks to Audi what if there was a portal to the Future enter the fully electric Audi Q4 e-tron with an advanced touch screen infotainment system the future awaits also thanks to Ralphs at Ralphs everyone wins when it comes to saving because when you order online through the Ralph's app you get the same great prices deals and rewards on pickup or delivery that you do in store so no matter how you shop you always say big at Rouse Ralph's fresh for everyone fight on all righty Dion giving a straight face through those adreach you're lucky I didn't ask you to do one because Cody was like I can do an ad read uh this past week uh it took him a couple tries no no I've got it I'm staring you from that one already first question is from Eddie on Insta he said the teams played great what was the difference in the rush Lanes this week I feel like that was a big difference from going from uh like Cobb and Curtis out there to having Davis and Lee out there there are more guys that use their hands when they're taking blocks so they're not like trying to beat blocks with speed or trying to like shoot gaps to win which creates Rush Lanes if you don't win if you don't get the ball carried down so I feel like that was the biggest difference from week one to week two our linebackers are just fitting the runs better and just not uh creating Rush lanes while they're trying to attack their Gap that they own like so not eliminating themselves from the play is what I call it so if I have the B Gap and I just run through the B Gap but the running back's not running the ball to the B Gap all I'm doing is eliminating myself from the play like yeah I took my Gap but the ball's not going there you know what I mean so I feel like we had less of that going this week where guys were were keeping themselves available to make a play on the ball like yeah I take the guard on I got my hands on them I may have my helmet in my my Gap but if the running back bounced it outside then I can get off the block and make a play on the ball type deal so I feel like that that was a huge uh difference from week one to week two Jo on Twitter said do you think Rajon Davis will get more snaps on defense going forward definitely I feel like the coaches this is just something that they won't be able to put off put off much longer is just let him loose really I feel like he's the best uh play recognition guy we have out there he understands what what's going on what the offense is trying to do to him and he recognizes seeing it one time then they run it again like okay yeah I see what's coming I'm able to put myself in position to make the play I and just obviously seeing it live it I didn't really get to analyze it like that of course in person but then going home and re-watching it he really jumps off the tape he is always around the ball he's never out of position which means he understands what the offense is trying to do or he understands even if he doesn't understand completely what they're trying to do he understands the defense enough to understand what the weaknesses are of the defense and what like are tough situations he can be in and how to cheat it to put himself in a better position to come come out on top of that situation to be able to make a play even in a tough situation in whatever defense and he uh he's fast he's strong and he can rush I didn't know he can rush to pass I'm not talking about Blitz he can rush like line up on the d-line and Rush Russia guard Russia tackle like that's something I feel like you see Gentry who's six six you want him to be able to do that yeah but his frame is just not there yet he still has to develop to be what I think they're trying to use him as like Jamie Collins what he was for the Patriots just a specimen six six but Jamie's like 250 you know so he can Rush the pastor he could drop back he's athletic enough to cover just different things that special unicorn piece that they want Gentry to be I feel like uh Davis can give us that now even though it's not in the frame that that's ideal ideally for what they want him to do but when I saw them come out in that Rush package with with a dime package is what it is they're taking out the nose tackle and bringing in another DB and that one of the linebackers is just stepping in to rush for that that nose tackle which was Davis and they were I mean they were collapsed in the pocket I mean it's not like Nevada had their backup guys in I mean he was in there beating their guard like whooping them I'm like like this is like the guard knows I have him you know he's on foot on the line and he's winning so like that's special to be able to do that like and be able to play off the ball so like I feel like he's just proving that he's just too valuable of a piece given the opportunity that he deserves more opportunities to prove not prove but just to make plays because I feel like he's proven enough that he should be out there so hopefully he's able to to grasp more snaps it's crazy because in the timeline where Cobb and gentry are healthy do we even have this discussion about Rajon Davis and what he can do for this defense I I don't think so because those snaps he got are their snaps you know so it was it was a great opportunity for him to just aim for the coaches to really see it because it's it's different to see it against at the end of a game like real big against somebody like out there against the opposing team starters like you know zero to zero what does it look like for a guy he look like he belong yeah and that's what you want to see and he's young so it's like that uh this is like a foundation building block you know like someone that can help us now but also we can lean on for the future you know to help groom the team to to like last the success to be lasting not just like I'm Lighting in the bottle type thing so I feel like he's a uh uh what's the word I'm looking for but he's a super important player for the defense's future like not just the present but the future as well because cops want to be gone next year like Lee's going to be going next year so yeah it's a good point you know I mean he if he's and he can play so he needs to know that the con the coach and just the you know fans just everyone in Trojan nation is behind him and believes that he can be out there because he's going we're gonna need him to be out there and uh just you never want a player's confidence to get shaken so yeah now that he's been out there he knows that he belongs now that I feel like that's when things get hairy when you're in the snap count competitions and things like that because it's different when you telling the guy oh we're gonna play this guy you know give him the snaps and you don't really know what you'll do out there because you haven't given an opportunity yet but then once you get out there and you hold on like put it on tape put it on tape and then you're not getting those snaps damn that's when you know things can get hairy but I don't see Coach Riley as that type of guy if he's got that he was the best player out there they're going to play so I expect to see his snaps go up for sure question USC's offense has been doing so well he said what if any concern should we have with offense given just how perfect they have played if Caleb Gets Hurt that's good but I say that to say I like Miller Moss yeah he I feel like he's another guy thankfully he's Trojan Carlin go through and through but he's definitely a guy I feel like that has the ability to be out there on Saturdays he can go to San Jose State easy go to a Oregon State even like a Utah I feel like he could play at this level yeah he has the ability he can sling it he's athletic so I I like that that we're up early in these games and he's able to get out there get out there and get some meaningful snaps because you just never know like maybe and we in the Packers Championship maybe if we had Miller moss and he was confident you know what I mean that's a good point he's able to bring that Dynamic that Caleb couldn't bring because he was hurt you know and it's a different so just or you know we can have a Jalen into a situation you know what I mean if Miller Moss is confident it's too we could be in a big game you get thrown out there and you believe you can do it that's the hugest part like yeah it's one thing for the coaches to believe but do you believe because you're the one that's doing it sure like they're just encouraging you to do it you know so that's uh that's the only thing I would say like oh well if something was to happen to Caleb hopefully Miller Moss believes like he could still lead the team like because we're talented enough I feel like we could sustain that yeah depending on when it would happen but like if this team I feel like this team if we take this team and put them in a pack of championship last year we win it yeah I guarantee it I mean especially with the defense I guarantee it like literally guy for guy you can keep Jordan Addison you every guy that was that was on that team last year that's not on team this year you take offense defense and put them in against that same Utah team last year like we have a better team this year is what I'm getting to yes like we're more suited for the bumps in a row on the championship Chase so like that's all we just hope that none of them bumps are too big sure that's a good way to put it and and you can just feel that from USC's coaches the way that they're talking about how they've been like kind of strategizing the last two games and like the rotation they just feel like they have more talent and competitive deaths yeah definitely and obviously if I can see it I'm not seeing it every day I know they see it and they're way more excited about it than I am because they obviously they're going through the through the whole uh building process of it so I'm sure they're excited to see their the fruits of their labels starting to show and and uh they definitely uh they look like they they went out there and they pulled a magic trick pulled a rabbit out the Hat again and just turned his roster over and took it even a step further this year thing I forgot to ask you when we were in the offensive portion was USC's offensive line play what did you think about how they played the last two games I think they've done well see people they get it skewed because Caleb he moves around and things like that but it's not like he's dropping back and guys are on him immediately like Caleb will sit back there five seconds and because he wants to find a guy down the field then he gets to moving around and it seems like you know maybe the old line isn't giving them enough time to really sit back there and just think about what he wants to do right any other quarterback they drop back there five six seconds they then they just run you know but Caleb is trying to get away from that so it's putting more pressure on the o-line they're having a block longer so I don't think that they are take a step back or anything compared to the online from last year I feel like they're in a better position this year because they they've been rotating so many guys like they have like since we have the the injury at guard yeah he was rotating with the Wyoming transfer uh I forget his name Emmanuel pregnant yeah so he just stepped right in and you know it's still like that cohesiveness is still there yeah it's not like they're doing like just complete swaps five man five out you know it's only a couple guys that's really rotating and then they may move guys to different positions because you just always want to be prepared the more you can do the more you know you can keep the same five guys out there that may not be in the same position but that cohesiveness you know talking and with communication no matter where you're lined up as long as that's there you feel like you can kind of get things done so I feel like they uh they're doing well to me it's all new group of guys you know so it's a I feel like they have surpassed what I expected them to be at right now Caleb is that the opportunity to look like Caleb you know and that's enough in itself you know it ain't like he's not running yeah like he's doing it all with his arm like yeah he had a big run last week but I mean I could have ran that you could have ran that like it wasn't like someone was pregnant though he just took a step to the side huge hoe he took off it was like oh someone was chasing him he had to run so I feel like they've answered the bill and it was a tall task because our old line was great last year yeah he had a really good old line and they really they came out of nowhere because obviously it was the first year and nobody knew what to expect and then they were Elite so the bar was set high and I feel like they're answering the bill like they're not it's not a step down or a drop off or anything in my opinion so far Yeah you mentioned it but Dean did go down in the first half Lincoln Riley didn't really have much of an update after the game he said fingers crossed which usually in coach speak means that there it doesn't look good and and Juno did come out in the second half with kind of a sleeve kind of ACL type brace on his knee which is not something you want to see so of course fingers are crossed and wishing the best for Gina hopefully it's it's just a scare and not nothing more but we will keep you posted we got a question from Samuel who said on obvious passing Downs I noticed they take out a defensive tackle and bring in Zion branch and move a linebacker to the vacated spot along along the line of scrimmage is that a new thing or something Grinch has done in the past Dion can you explain the thinking behind this and is it something you liked I loved it which of me and Keely was talking about this off camera they they brought out this dime package was kind of like this cheetah look up front this is what you were mentioning earlier yeah this is what I was talking about earlier they take the nose tackle out and they they uh bring in a 6 DB but they move up a linebacker to rush in spot of that nose tackle so now you take one of the big guys out and you got all speed rush guys out there in the front four but you're not bringing any extra pressure behind it so you're you're Manning up behind it and the thinking behind this to get more speed more cover guys out there because obviously if I got a big 300 pound nose attack I'm not really expecting him to win and get a sack so that's really just make it taking a guy out of the pressure really so now you take that guy out who I'm not expecting to win and put a guy in who I think can win now I don't have to bring that extra fifth guy and I can have everyone else the other what if it's seven guys in coverage you know whether they man it up all six off is six DBS across the board then one free which is Kalyn or uh that's really the thinking behind it just to get more speed out there and more coverage ability to where they don't have to bring an extra guy they don't have to get exotic and they can really just let that that that cheetah group Rush really and I really it got me excited because that's what the good thing good teams can do because you can be a really good defense and uh really a lead defense where you don't have to Blitz to get pressure like when your front four guys or you got whatever four you can get out there can get pressure on the quarterback yeah because like Caleb only time we see her offering struggles they Rush three and drop eight you know what I mean but imagine if every player he was facing it was at minimum seven guys back there like they never blitzed them you'd be sitting back there thinking all the time because it would seem like he's seeing so many Defenders like it's especially if they're not playing man and playing his own like where do you go with the ball so many people back there is not even about getting open and whatnot it's just it's so many defenders in your in your line site so that's the thinking behind it to really be able to now that they have the guys to do it we couldn't do that last year like absolutely no way like we put them out there I mean maybe Solomon can compliment two League because Solomon picked it up towards the end of the year which he's coming out on fire this year side note but uh so that's another tribute to the coaches going out recruiting getting guys to to give more exotic looks to where you don't have to he doesn't have to get as uh far in his thought process of drawing things up x's in those type deals just getting guys in particular positions and then letting their ability take over from there like it ain't nothing it's nothing crazy to take a nose tackle out and then put a linebacker it looks the exact same to the offenses everybody is lined up the same you got four down you got what it'll be like six across the back but they'll all be lined up on a man so if you just put that nose tackle back in there it will look exactly the same just Davis would have been covering somebody yeah so that's really you just take in taking that nose tackle out giving your linebacker a chance to win and bringing in another DB so it's all about matchups and uh trying to win that rep right there and that's the thinking behind it but to your point Grinch can be more effective this year yes yes more effective because he he can do less he's doing less and really they can really rep and get good at few things you know I mean he doesn't really know how what schematics do I have to draw what scheme they're not trying to win with scheme yeah you know and I feel like that's where defensive coordinators can get in trouble getting too too exotic you got the Defenders they thinking too much you got them just moving a lot you're trying to win with scheme when the name of the game is for the Joes to to be the Joes and you know what I mean so it's all about the guys that you got out there yeah you don't see Alabama or the Georgia's and I just use them as an example I'm I don't care about Alabama or Georgia but nothing special to me but just in this day and age sure you know they don't go out there and do nothing exotic on defense they just put for they got guys they let them rush they guys they guys beat other guys that they didn't want to recruit you know I mean it ain't like they they're not Russian guys that Georgia was trying to win yeah recruit you know what I mean like they're getting all the guys they want and they're going out there and beating guys that they didn't want and that's the name of the game in college football so you're seeing the difference you're seeing from year one to year two is recruiting it's the guys it's not that old Grinch just got so much better it's like last year they have to work with what they had so they tried to overcome physical deficits like ability deficits by schematics yeah you know a lot of stemming with the d-line a lot of pre-stop movement trying to get the offense sneaking trying to give their guys get get them on the edge give them the opportunity pre-snap to win whereas just lining guys up and letting them just like bear go out there and just rush a guy push a guy back three four yards like he just didn't have that ability last year so letting your talent yeah really that that's that's what it is and that's what and that and then you can Circle back to Domani why people are seeing so much of the money on the island we just didn't run man like that last year it was a lot more Zone because coaches probably did only felt confident in six and black men covering like that so they wanted to you know kind of cover up everything else so like now we have they love the front and you can tell because they're running man behind it like it's not like we're just blitting a lot like they just lining up the front letting them go like if y'all can't cover for two three seconds then we're gonna have to get somebody else out there this is what pretty much it seems like what they're thinking right now yeah but that means that they have confidence and at least demoni ceiling level and what he can do right now oh yeah yeah and how could you not I mean he was a five star for a reason I watched him at modern day yeah he can do it like the hurdle for him was just getting hurt he was a fast guy he hurt his knee so it's a confidence thing you know getting back believing he can do what everybody else can can think he do can think things he could do but I promise you if Domani makes two plays if he picks off the ball he drops in San Jose State and he uh uh makes the play on the Deep pass Bradley breaks it up he just puts his hand up because he goes like this like he's the receiver like he when he turns he just goes like this yeah he's not throwing you the ball you know what I'm saying like so it's just minor adjustment he makes those two plays people are thinking demonic's playing lights out what other plays can you pull up against him besides the one bus but you only know it's a bus because if you know football it's not like he got beat on a play so he uh people were I feel like they ran a little straight little judgmental on him maybe it's because he was a five star and he was dissing he was that and they're expecting him to just just be that without you know the building block up to that like nobody just comes in and Deion Sanders I mean yeah he was Dion so like but generally you go through some some bumpy roads and then you're that finished product so right now he's just he's learning he's building but he uh the sky is definitely a limit for a guy like that and I feel like the coaches see that so that's why they're they're putting him out there on the island like that because even though they're confident in the front they're confident in his ability even though he hasn't even been able to show them to give them the reason to be confident I guess but just when you know as a coach you know so they know that he's special and I believe the more opportunities he gets he'll be able to prove that to the fans I feel like that settles the five questions we got about Damonte Jackson this week um I will ask one from John though who said uh would Damani make a better free safety he seems a little stiff in the hips to play press um that's a good question that's a good question but I uh I think he's still just getting in the flow of it like it's such a mental thing being out there on that island I can't imagine like it's such a mental thing and you know the world is watching like you can't hide it like if I mess up everyone's gonna see like even if I don't mess up and it look like I mess up everyone's gonna think I messed up so you know like it's not a fun life it's not a fun life if you're not if you're not about being on that island it's really it takes a different personality a different skill set to be out there and be confident every snap like I don't know what this guy is doing but I'm confident I'm so confident in my ability that I can react to what you already know you've been doing better than what you can do like just knowing what you gonna do so like you know you're running out I feel like I can react quicker to that out than you just running out you know what I mean like that just the mindset of that is just crazy like you got to be a different type of person to be out there but he has that the ability to even have that mindset but then go out there and back it up like so once he just puts it all together because he really is gifted physically like and just ability wise he can move it seems like he's stiff because he's big he's not like when I say big solid like he's not like a slinky guy you know what I mean so you can't he doesn't look as fluid as he really is because if you watch the tape he's in position every time like he's always right there it's not like no one's just ran past him or he just I don't know got double moved or whatever got routed and he just wasn't in the picture like he's always there like whether he makes a player don't make the play has been the the issue for Domani and like he's making more plays he as the games go on so it's correctable it's correctable it's correctable and once he corrects it he's gonna be one of the best corners in the country so you heard it here definitely Dion said it the ability has can't coach it we got a question from R Milo who said what's your overall projection on freshman like Braylon Shelby Sam green Elijah Hughes looks like the making of a potentially special d-line unit plus fellow freshmen like David pevey and Dijon Lafayette uh waiting for their turn lots of talents talent for Coach Nua to work slash mold with I project them to uh to do a lot of special things in the future especially um Elijah he's been in there in the thick of the rotation and he's looked great he doesn't look like a freshman looks like he's belongs and what I saw from Shelby coming out late I mean he looked like like he's a dude too like he looks generally when freshmen aren't out there it's because of the physical like they still need to build the body it may his way is not as focused on their football ability but more so just their physical makeup and uh they look like they brought in guys that were ready now or I don't know if they they may not have been ready when they came in in the summer but right now on the field they look ready so all that means is that they're building a a sustainable program like it's not a lightning bottle type program like they're they're building this for the Long Haul they're going to have guys after guys after guys just waves of players coming through whether it's guys they recruit and they build up the guys that believe in what Coach Riley and the staff are preaching and they stick around even if it's not their time when they feel like they're ready or they hit home runs in the transfer portal which I mean year or two I believe it's something they can sustainably do year in and year out like I've seen it two years in a row which is crazy which is crazy but I I they figured out this free agency thing and they uh so I feel like they're they're in the new age of college football they're building a sustainable program and young d-lineman uh like Shelby and Elijah are going to be the uh really the foundation of that because it's going to be guys who flash early but stick around you know so and that's all about the culture like you don't see a lot of guys transferring out of culturally proven programs like Bears is a slight example because yeah I mean he was I can see it like he should have been out there like he should have is some guys I you gotta excuse the traditional you know weight return type thing you put them out there okay yeah you get out there you know we got fine snaps for you it don't matter because uh can't hold guys back but the culture uh just the the building of a championship culture I feel like that's what they're doing here and that's why you're seeing guys come in in the fourth quarter and you're like wait that guy looks like he should be playing or like how come he isn't playing well just like hey we got five six guys look just like him in front of him you know so so it's a good thing to see when you when you got guys like true freshmen and people asking questions about true freshmen right yeah and we're winning you know it's not like we're losing like hey how come we're not playing this guy put that guy out there he could do more like yeah so it's a good it's a good situation the program is in right now and uh the way the freshmen are looking and producing looks like they're they're building for for a sustainable future I Alex wanted to know your thoughts on the other Dion your thoughts on Colorado against TCU oh man I'm uh that's the only other team I'm rooting for apparently because I hope they do great every week besides when they play SC but it's just a testament to just for me personally like going against just a traditional way of thinking just traditional like me I made to jump into the corporate world and obviously I'm not not obviously but I'm not the typical corporate like employee sure you know so like and I don't approach it that way either like I don't try and fit into that mode and that's pretty much what Dion's doing and it's just uh uh exclamation behind the thought that you is not a like one way to do something like it's as long as you can do the job it's multiple ways to get the job done and uh in some ways it's maybe Nick Saban is effective for some people but the Deion Sanders way can work too like it's not we gotta have one or the other you know so I'm excited to see him make that jump especially him being a former player like I'm so for former players getting into coaching because we've been through those experiences it's different when you're a coach and you're trying you're telling a player like how they should live like what they need to do but they never were like that in your position you know like Dion there's no one that can be in any position that Dion hasn't been in as a player yeah you know so like imagine having that as your your head man like I can go to him with anything like whether it's about family especially for a lot of guys that come from the same background as him whether about family or aspirations to make it to the next level or potentially become a ghost jacket type guy so like anywhere in between it's super it's super cool like just to see how the traditional just way of doing things could be broken and it's good to see that they're having success again I want them to have success every game but USC I hope we stick it to him out there in Boulder this year but it's good especially for what's the coolest part about it is he's doing it with his son Sons yeah and that's so cool like yeah if it was just him I don't know if I would feel the same as strongly about it but like the way he's moved like his whole thing has been about his family he's taking this no matter and you as a player a coach's son like that stigma is just you know just because your daddy you know you're only playing because your daddy but like yeah I was so Juiced to see how shador played because it's like he finally then got out that stigma like all while he was at Jackson State all throughout the little truth High School although I was probably when it's all your daddy that's why you're the quarterback why are you playing your daddy's the coach and this and that and then he went out there first opportunity and I can only imagine the feeling for Dion like he was probably like you know like because it's just like I've known this whole time that he had it in them but like nobody believe me now the world can see like I mean he said as much after the game yeah that's why I guarantee that's why he's so emotional because it's his son yeah like that's so cool like that's it's so cool that he doing it with his family he ain't just jump ship or like leave nobody behind like he took everybody with him that wanted to come from Jackson State it was like we all taking a step up like I'm not just trying to you know I've seen a lot of it in a power fight especially a guy go through the whole season and bounce before the ball games even over you know what I mean a lot of weird stuff that I don't feel like I feel like he's a genuine dude and people are just seeing it like he's out there he's like a like a player just be in a coach's hat like he that's he's just still like a player and it's just it's so it's so cool and I hope him and his family they have a lot of success and uh shador is able to you know make follow his dad's footsteps because you know Prime really has opened the door and giving him the uh opportunity and put them under a micro a light bright light so like his family and just oh man it's so cool man I can't wait for the documentary to come out about them like he's gonna have a killer documentary on here like give him five ten years however long he wants to coach her enough to like build a coaching resume behind this player resume and uh man just super cool to see super cool and a lot of people trying to discredit it because of the all the turnover and everything in college football is like oh that's last year's TCU team that's this year well you can say same thing about our team you know I mean like our defense really like a lot of teams in college football nowadays one team from year to year is knocking each rosters yeah yeah it's like the NFL now for real like that roster it could be completely different the year of the year like you literally might only have like Star players that return yeah everything else is different so it was a big win for them I'm excited to see how they progress and like was it just you know like one win or are they gonna be able to build are they I'm ex the Pac-12 it's crazy this is the last year to pack to it I feel like we so unfortunate oh my they blew it yeah the powers that be I mean they and it took a while for the conference to build back yeah to where we the depth is there yeah you know we was real top heavy for a couple years yeah but the depth is is looking like it's is so many guys like it's guys that people aren't even talking about that are gonna like get their name called on draft day like the quarterback at Arizona or like is it there's so many guys like it's so the quality is is is there in the conference now and there a lot of the guys are young like Caleb and Bo and was like three quarterbacks that are like the only stars that are gonna be leaving the conference everybody else is Young coming back right it's unfortunate it's so unfortunate because of the West Coast you know like we you know we have our Pac-12 after dark and all that like we have and that's just gonna be gone like it's gone like there's no more West Coast Football really it's sad it's sad it is sad it is sad like my son will never know like the Pac-12 like he will never know it I grew up in the pike tent which was not I know it was like the package and all that but that was my thing man no me too yeah so it's uh it's gonna be different but hey at least we can go out with a bang this year like it seems like it's going to be a lot of great games this year a lot of teams look like there they're coming ready to play rosters look good so if this is the year where I mean it's gonna be the hardest year to run in Gauntlet for sure yeah I mean while we're recording this Oregon State beat San Jose State 42-17 so the Pac-12 is undefeated yeah and which again it's man like and none of us had to play each other so like we beat other conferences like every and yeah is is sad it's sad that it's we've really probably got the deepest year deepest like team-wise and just really tackling wise either like we're gonna have a lot of guys names called nature it's exciting across the board like usually like you said it's top heavy usually it's like the US season whatever it's across the mercy TV yeah I want to watch every Pac-12 team play and when have we ever said never never I haven't I don't remember last time I watched Colorado play I remember I watched the last time I watched like Washington State play besides when they play SC sure or like an Oregon State beside me KFC but like they come I want to see I want to see they got a lot of new guys a lot of transfers coming in and whatnot and they're getting good guys from other schools and what I've seen from the transfer portal it ain't it's really proven that it's not always the guy it's not always the player sometimes it is the system or the the coach leading that player like because you've seen guys transferring blow up blossom in their new uh with their new team in the new system so it's exciting it's a great I don't know if there's ever been a year especially at the quarter acquisition that looks like this year for the pack yeah we may have like excluded Drake may like the first if every quarterback in this conference entered the draft next year we would potentially have like the first six pick six quarterbacks taken if you exclude the North Carolina quarterback wow yeah like Bo the Washington quarterback Pentax obviously Caleb what year is pennix he's he him and Bo this like their last year they can't come back okay yeah they're like super seniors okay yeah Caleb's the only one that could come back in we're all asking for a miracle we're all asking for a miracle but uh it's exciting I've never seen any not even just the pack any conference so where like is this because it's all about your quarterback play that makes a Collegiate Team Elite or the chance to be elite yeah so that's why I say I think we're the cream and crop this year because we it's so many good quarterbacks they have so many teams that have the opportunity to be good because they have a good guy after him leading the way so it's gonna be exciting and uh we better buckle up for the ride because it's going to be a lot more interesting this year than it was last year definitely for sure already the final question comes from actually Cody's mom Christy Kessler who said now for the important stuff when is Trojan baby Bailey number three gonna be here love your sweet little family yes I know hey Miss Kessler oh baby number three is due in October so uh the third and final baby yeah third and final our baby girl will be here in October so our family will be complete in a couple weeks and uh it's exciting time definitely in the baby household very exciting your second son was also due in October right and he was doing no he was doing October but he came in November okay whoa okay yeah I'm trying to remember our podcasting schedule yeah yeah it was pretty close like he was born in October November 5th so okay real close okay I just remember you still trying to podcast and I was like Dion be the father it's totally fine dedication yes so much dedication it is appreciated and I just want to say uh it was so funny uh Cody we were all together at the Coliseum on Saturday kind of reunited and I was taking a picture for your family and Cody uh your one of your sons wasn't looking the right direction Cody without even being asked came behind me and was like making all these weird faces so your son would look at the camera and I was like we are such a tag team podcasting Trio I just had to say gotta be all righty any final thoughts DM before we wrap this one up like I said so excited that we were in the podcast uh studio for this one it was so nice nice to see you in 3D not have a delay I actually have a back and forth conversation but any final thoughts definitely super cool to to get the real Studio experience real podcast experience you know bringing that to you guys a technical issue free this week hey fingers crossed you are so right we have not uh you know edited and all that yet so let me not jinx us but yes thank you final thoughts this week is uh hey we came out uh for the most part unsca we did have one injury and uh it was a dominating Victory everybody looked good got a lot of rotation a lot of guys got reps so it's uh I would say it was a positive week and uh next week we head into you know what has become like I don't know if it's like a rivalry but it's become like a thing technically USC's oldest rival technically yes really I did not know that but uh I know ever since Harbaugh got into Stanford it's become like a thing playing them now so yeah we're buckling enough uh what could potentially be you know a big week this week and uh so it's exciting uh for the guys to potentially be playing in a a big game to for the first big game really for the season and uh hopefully you know you guys show up and show out for uh the Pac-12 opener the final Pac-12 opener for the year man is that insane it's just wild to say like it I guess this is the last time it'll be a thing playing Stanford for a while so I guess every Pack 12 game is a big game this year yeah I mean Lincoln Riley said as much in his press conference uh on Saturday he basically had like a PSA he was like this is the last Stanford matchup for the foreseeable future like come to the Coliseum pack it out like this we're in the this is it yeah which is it's insane to think about so right hopefully we we you know we we take take that seriously and really just show up and enjoy this the sight of seeing the children's take on all our practical opponents for the last time this year and we get that first opportunity this week I know I'll be back at home in Nashville I'll be tuned in though maybe a little emotional and I always had a tie to stand for I feel like my best Collegiate games came against Stanford and uh so which in my day 10 years ago they were an elite team and it was always a huge game we played Stanford so it was it was a huge for me to show up on a big stage against a great opponent so hopefully that's the stage that the boys are on this weekend and they show up and show out and we get this last pack total Journey kicked off on the right foot enjoyed her eye yep all righty Dion safe travels back home I wish you could stay out here for the whole season but I guess you gotta go alrighty that's gonna wrap it up we'll be back with a preview episode on Wednesday so stay tuned for that but that's Dion I'm Keeley we'll see you all next time

Channel: USCAthletics

Views: 3,854

Keywords: usc, trojans, usctrojans.com

Id: azshi3CcJ-o

Length: 94min 58sec (5698 seconds)

Published: Mon Sep 04 2023