The USC football team came into the 2023 season with high expectations. The Trojans narrowly missed out on a College Football Playoff berth and Pac-12 title last season, and they had their sights set on those goals this year. Unfortunately for USC, they fell well short. The Trojans ended up finishing the regular season 7-5, and their postseason game is the Holiday Bowl against Louisville. That is not what they had in mind coming into the season.

USC football struggled so much this season because of their defense. It was the same thing last year. Caleb Williams and the offense were terrific, but the defense just couldn't get the job done. After getting a lot of defensive talent after 2022 and knowing that their issue was defense, it was concerning to see. The Athletic recently got some anonymous comments from Pac-12 coaches and other people close to the program on the Trojans, and they felt the same way.

“The thing I found most troublesome is they kind of got everybody they wanted, defensively, out of the portal last year, and most of those guys (didn’t make an impact), with the exception of Bear Alexander,” A longtime donor and alum said.

During conference play, the USC football defense simply didn't perform. It wasn't a pretty sight, and one Pac-12 coach didn't hold back when discussing the unit.

“It was like a bunch of mercenaries, just trying to get their own stats,” The Pac-12 head coach said. “They were all over the place. You’d toss it outside, and you’d see their guys going all over the place, so undisciplined. It was unbelievable. You had no idea what they were trying to get done.”

One issue that plagued USC in 2022 was missed tackles. It became extremely evident in the Pac-12 title game against Utah. The Trojans needed to fix that in 2023, but they didn't.

“They have some talented guys on defense, but they miss a ton of tackles,” Another coach said. “You see some of these guys and wonder, ‘What’s up with this guy? What’s up with that guy?’”

Late in the regular season, USC ended up firing defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. The Trojans desperately needed a win against undefeated Washington to salvage their season, and in a game where the offense did their part and put up 42 points, they lost by 1o. Grinch was done after that.

“I’d gone up against Grinch before,” A Pac-12 offensive coordinator said. “It was aggressive, but it was sound. This wasn’t that. This was one of the worst defenses we’ve faced.”

A good defense needs a standout player or two that is going to give a boost to the unit. USC football didn't have that.

“Where is the shutdown corner?” One assistant asked. “Where’s the defensive lineman no one can block? Where’s the game-changing linebacker? You don’t really see those difference-makers out there for them that they’ve had in the past.”

The USC football team has a crucial offseason ahead of them. They have already replaced Grinch as D'Anton Lynn has come over from UCLA. The Trojans need to fix their defense if they are going to compete in the Big Ten next year.