Justin Wilcox says it’s ‘unacceptable’ how USC played on defense against Stanford
USC defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox gives Jabari Ruffin a pat on the helmet last year.
Justin Wilcox is used to it. USC’s defensive coordinator held the same position at Boise State, Tennessee and Washington before Trojans Coach Steve Sarkisian brought Wilcox with him from Seattle last season.
So he did not seem surprised when a contingent of reporters gathered around him after Wednesday’s practice with questions about his role in the Trojans’ 41-31 defeat by Stanford and his plans for Saturday’s game at Arizona State.
Wilcox faced similar inquires after last season’s defeat by Arizona State on a Hail Mary pass.
Asked if he felt the heat from fans after the loss to Stanford, Wilcox did not hesitate. “Every day I’ve ever coached college football, there’s that,” he said.
USC blew an 11-point second-quarter lead, gave up 474 yards, got pushed around by the Cardinal and could not contain quarterback Kevin Hogan.
“Nobody felt good coming out of that game about how we performed,” Wilcox said.
Wilcox has been the target of most of the criticism.
Sarkisian referenced personal experience when asked how, as a head coach, he deals with coordinators under fire. Sarkisian’s moves as USC’s offensive coordinator in the mid-2000s often drew criticism — see Stanford’s 2007 upset of the Trojans — and he stands by Wilcox.
“Just continue to support him the way I’ve been supported when I was coordinator and I didn’t do my best, maybe, and I didn’t have my best game as an offensive coordinator,” Sarkisian said. “We’ve got people on our staff that work extremely hard, that are very bright and that wouldn’t be here if they weren’t.
“And I just want to make sure that they go out and continue to operate to their best of their ability.”
Stanford used multiple formations, including an unbalanced line, to rush for 195 yards against the Trojans.
“We didn’t do a good enough job of that and it all starts with the coaches,” Wilcox said.
The Trojans also struggled to pressure Hogan.
“You pick and choose your spots on pressuring,” Wilcox said. “Sometimes you want to rush with four guys and sometimes you’re going to bring five or more, and we did both.
“We had opportunities to make plays back there and we didn’t quite finish them.”
Trojans defensive backs were in position to break up multiple passes but they recorded only one.
Wilcox said there were not enough plays in practice to prepare for every formation utilized by Stanford. So “you’ve got to play some plays on principle,” he said.
“Could we have adjusted a little quicker at times?” he said, “Yeah we could have.”
Now the Trojans face an Arizona State team that features quarterback Mike Bercovici, who passed for 510 yards and five touchdowns — including the Hail Mary on the final play — in a 38-34 victory over the Trojans last season.
Sarkisian said he wants the defense to be aggressive, fast, opportunistic in creating turnovers and to play “with a chip on their shoulder.”
Wilcox anticipates a better performance on Saturday. “It’s unacceptable, how we played,” he said of the Stanford loss. “That’s why we come back and meet and go back to work.
“I know our guys are going to come back and fight and we all expect to play better than that. There’s no doubt.”
Impressive debut
Jake Olson, USC’s blind long-snapper, got into a live drill for the first time since joining the Trojans last week and delivered a flawless snap for a field goal.
Olson is still wearing a yellow no-contact jersey so there was no rush.
Sarkisian has given no timetable for when Olson, a freshman, would get an opportunity in a game.
“When the timing’s right I’ll make that call,” Sarkisian said.
When the time comes, Sarkisian indicated that he would communicate with the opponent so that they are aware that Olson would be in the game.
“It will be a great story for everybody involved, and I think just from a sheer sportsmanship standpoint it sends a tremendous message for college athletics,” Sarkisian said. “For our program, what it would mean to our team for Jake to be able to do that, I think it would be tremendous just from a morale standpoint.”
Quick hits
Cornerback Kevon Seymour (knee) remained limited in practice and is questionable to play Saturday, but tailback Tre Madden (leg) appears on track to play. Linebacker Scott Felix (shoulder) practiced but tackle Antwaun Woods (shoulder) remains limited in his activities. ... Former defensive linemen Shaun Cody, Lawrence Jackson, Fili Moala and LaJuan Ramsey attended practice.
Twitter: @latimesklein
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