This past week marked Big Ten media days. USC head coach Lincoln Riley kicked off the 2025 season by speaking to the media in Las Vegas.
Duding his press conference, Riley touched on a number of topics. One area that he talked about a bit was the Trojans’ depth in defense in comparison to last season.
“The depth, certainly, it’s going to matter,” Riley said. “When you play a schedule like we play, it’s paramount that it’s great because if not, it’s going to show up and get you at some point. I think the depth, the talent level and the size of the defensive line. I mean, there’s honestly, really no comparison to this time 12 months ago. There’s young talent. There’s experience.
“I think we’ve done our part on the roster, and now we’ve got to develop them and go put it on the field this fall.”
Last season, USC’s defense took a significant step forward in year one under defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn. With Lynn back for another season, the Trojans’ unit will look to take another step forward and emerge as one of the top defenses in the country.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Lincoln Riley believes USC’s defensive depth has improved significantly from last season
Reporting by Adam Bradford, Trojans Wire / Trojans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
