It’s a Huge setback: USC Trojans Star Sends Farewell Message To fans As he departs the team due to………..

June 1, 2024 admin Other Clubs 0

USC DL Bear Alexander’s possible departure would be a devastating blow to the Trojan defence.
USC could lose a critical element in one of its most important defensive spots. If that’s the case, Lincoln Riley and company will need to prioritise defensive linemen when the transfer portal opens.


The portal is capable of both giving and taking.

USC performed admirably in utilising the December transfer portal window to improve its defence at all three levels. The Trojans expanded their secondary with Kamari Ramsey, Akili Arnold, John Humphrey, and DeCarlos Nicholson. They promoted Oregon State linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold to the second level. Most notably, they signed Isaiah Raikes and Nate Clifton to strengthen the defensive line.

A large part of Raikes’ appeal was his ability to assist USC get the most out of Bear Alexander. With the 6-foot-1, 313-pound Raikes on the roster, Alexander would be able to move to the B-gap, where he is a better match. The Trojans frequently had little alternative but to play Alexander in the A-gap, and while he made the most of it, it was plainly not ideal.

Bear Alexander says he's staying at USC - Burnt Orange Nation

Now, that ideal condition may not occur. Alexander announced his intention to use the transfer site when it opens on April 16 and runs until April 30. USC is attempting to reintegrate Alexander, but the best laid intentions of Lincoln Riley, D’Anton Lynn, and Eric Henderson may require a pivot.

Here’s an updated picture at what the USC defensive line room would look like sans Alexander (along with their specified weights):

 

Player Weight
DL Jide Abasiri 291
DL Nate Clifton 289
DE Lorenzo Cowan 230
DE Kameryn Fountain 256
DE Sam Greene 250
DL Elijah Hughes 285
DL Deijon Laffitte 305
DE Anthony Lucas 275
DL Kaylon Miller 276
DE Jamil Muhammad 255
DE DJ Peevy 256
DL Kobe Pepe 310
DE Garrett Pomerantz 216
DL Isaiah Raikes 313
DE Braylan Shelby 250
DE Devan Thompkins 275
DE Solomon Tuliaupupu 247

In terms of overall numbers, this is not a huge hit. It’s through every other lens where it starts to hurt. Alexander is one of four USC defensive lineman to surpass 300 pounds. USC would have only Raikes, Kobe Pepe and Deijon Laffitte. Laffitte missed all of last season while Pepe played 34 defensive snaps. Alexander gave USC 629 snaps last season and was in line to give them a similar amount as an obvious starter for the Trojans. We talked about Lafitte’s potential emergence as a bonus, but now it may be more than that. Hughes, Clifton and Abasiri are close enough to the 300-pound mark that they could slide inside if forced. They could also plausibly pack on some more pounds this summer. However, that would ultimately be forcing all three to play positions where they are not best suited. Clifton played 621 snaps for Vanderbilt last year, but only 14 of them were lined up in the A-gap.

This is simply the period we are living in. College football rosters are in constant fluctuation. This spring, USC had enjoyed almost nothing but sunshine and rainbows. The Trojans’ defence is improving, and they appear to be a juggernaut on the high school recruiting trail. Alexander’s departure would have been one of the most unwelcome blows to USC. Now the Trojans may have to hustle and really get to work in the portal. If Alexander does enter the portal, he has at least provided notice, allowing Riley to maximise the portal window. If he had walked away from the Trojans without notice after the spring game, it may have been disastrous.

Today, the transfer portal may be taking away from the Trojans in a critical position. We’ll see how Riley’s “defense-first” programme fares in the coming weeks. Eric Henderson was a hit with high school recruits early in his career. This spring, he’ll need to be just as effective in selling USC to veteran players.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*