Numbers do lie with Trojans’ gambling defense
DALLAS — Something doesn’t jibe.
Four of Southern California’s defensive players earned first- team AllPac- 12 honors.
The Trojans also rank 77th of 129 Football Bowl Subdivision teams nationally in total defense, allowing almost 404.8 yards per game. Their pass defense ranked 96th ( 246.5).
How can a star- studded defense seemingly be so porous, or is it a case in which statistics are misleading? The Trojans say it’s the latter as they prepare to play Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on Friday night.
USC defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast said the numbers are largely skewed because the defense’s strategy is largely based on getting the ball back to the Trojans’ explosive offense as soon as possible. To do that, Pendergast is willing to take some chances.
“A lot of times it’s kind of hit or miss,” he said. “That’s just our philosophy, our style. I want to put a product on the field that the guys want to play in.
“I’m not a big proponent of standing there holding bags all day and just defending one gap. When you have that kind of style, you’re going to have some times when runs get out. But I have not been disappointed, except for maybe the Notre Dame game.”
That 49- 14 loss was a debacle, and the Trojans surrendered 462 yards in their other loss, to Washington State. But Pendergast also has been content to pull back on the reins to nurse a lead, which partly explains why it ended up allowing a total of 828 yards in wins over Colorado and Stanford.
Pendergast is in his second stint as USC defensive coordinator. He ran the defense in 2013 before spending two years with the San Francisco 49ers. He returned in 2016.
“When we all heard he was coming back, some of the older guys were like, ‘ You guys are going to love playing for him,’ ” said linebacker Cameron Smith, who along with fellow linebacker Uchenna Nwosu, defensive end Rasheem Green and safety Marvel Tell were first- team AllPac- 12 selections. “Because of how aggressive he wants to be and where he wants this defense to be, I think that’s where we all want this defense to be as well.”
Pendergast said the defense was intent on improving in three areas this season — sacks, third downs and red zone. The Trojans are tied for second in the country with 43 sacks, are 49th in third- down conversions ( allowing 36.9 percent) and are fourth in red- zone efficiency ( allowing scores 70.0 percent of the time).
“Let’s be disruptive, let’s try to play on the offensive side of the line of scrimmage and be really good on third down,” Pendergast said of the defense’s mentality.
Green leads the Trojans with nine sacks, but 11 other players have been credited with sacks.
“I think we have a lot of guys who step up when we need to,” defensive end Christian Rector said.
That more than compensates, the Trojans believe, with the statistical deficiencies on their defensive resume.
“The stats may not look good,” Pendergast said, “but we feel good about where we are as a team, because winning is the most important thing.”