When Alex Grinch boarded a non-public aircraft sure for Los Angeles two years in the past, Brian Odom was the person left holding the reins to Oklahoma’s protection. Odom had by no means been a coordinator, by no means led a protection, by no means referred to as defensive performs. However because the Sooners prepped for the Alamo Bowl, Odom stayed in Norman in Grinch’s place, serving to make them a bowl win earlier than finally following his pal to USC.
The expertise main Oklahoma’s protection would show notably precious this week, when Odom as soon as once more was thrust into an interim function in aid of Grinch, who was fired as USC’s defensive coordinator Sunday.
This time Odom gained’t have weeks to engineer a defensive turnaround, with assist from fellow interim coordinator Shaun Nua. The nation’s high scoring offense awaits the Trojans in a matter of days, and USC’s slim Pac-12 title hopes hinge solely on its reeling protection slowing down Oregon in Eugene, the place the Geese have averaged virtually 56 factors per sport this season.
That’s a tall order, given how far USC’s protection had fallen earlier than bottoming out final Saturday in a 52-42 loss to Washington. Neither Odom nor Nua has the impression they’ll make sweeping modifications in such a brief time.
“You’re not going to reinvent the wheel in a matter of per week,” Odom mentioned. “The objective of this week clearly is to win the sport. But in addition to have the ability to put our guys within the scenario to play quick, for issues to be easy for them and go make a distinction once they’re on the sector.”
Nua and Odom had been figuring out how you can implement these modifications with out overwhelming USC’s gamers, all whereas nonetheless processing the sudden exit of their pal and colleague.
So far as the scheme goes, it’s honest to marvel how a lot progress they’ll make with simply two video games remaining.
“That’s the million-dollar query,” Nua mentioned.
“We’d go in with one name, if that’s what it takes for them to frickin’ fly round and play as bodily as potential, as quick as potential, as proper as potential.”
Gamers mentioned they’d already seen minor variations on protection.
“What can we digest? What do we have to change? What will we not want to vary, can we preserve the identical?” Odom mentioned. “You’ve clearly acquired to be respectful to the gamers by way of permitting these guys to play quick and do what they know. And also you don’t wish to veer too far off of that, as a result of if you happen to do this, then they might be very confused and everyone else can be dissatisfied, so we’re making an attempt to maintain as a lot similar as as we will, making an attempt to be extra environment friendly with it, play with loads of vitality and have loads of enjoyable.”
That alone can be a determined shift from final Saturday evening, when USC’s protection gave up 572 yards to Washington, its most below coach Lincoln Riley, and gamers had been left wanting depressing within the postgame information convention.
Linebacker Mason Cobb might have been essentially the most pissed off. However a number of days later, his focus had shifted. Cobb gathered USC’s protection earlier than observe Tuesday in an effort to rally the troops.
“I mentioned, what are you gonna do? Tuck your tail? Or stick your fist out and battle?” Cobb mentioned.
USC security Calen Bullock (7) takes down Arizona receiver Jacob Cowing (2) with assist from Trojans linebacker Mason Cobb (13), left, on the Coliseum on Oct. 7.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Occasions)
Sustaining that battle after such a disheartening stretch of six straight video games by which they gave up at the very least 34 factors can be its personal problem for the 2 new coordinators to sort out. However galvanizing USC’s protection very properly could also be their most essential job.
“We are able to all be down about it and upset,” Odom mentioned, “however there’s an ideal alternative in entrance of this staff, there’s an ideal alternative in entrance of this protection.”
When Riley met with each coaches following Grinch’s firing, that was the message. The coach had seen firsthand how one interim alternative might be a profession catalyst. When his mentor Mike Leach was fired as Texas Tech’s coach simply earlier than the staff’s bowl sport in 2009, Riley stepped in to name performs.
“That absolutely modified my trajectory,” Riley mentioned. “And adversity like this could additionally result in a number of the finest alternatives in any person’s life if you happen to view it that manner.”
It’s in all probability too late to vary the trajectory of USC’s protection, which stays on tempo for a college report in factors given up. However for now, Odom and Nua are taking that gargantuan process someday at a time.
“I don’t even actually bear in mind what day it’s proper now,” Odom mentioned. “We’ve been grinding away at it, and we’ll go give it our greatest shot.”
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