Young Defenders Are Holding the Line for Trojans

It was surprising when USC got off to a fast start this season, winning its first four games and upsetting Baylor and Washington, which were ranked among the nation’s top 10 teams at the time.

It was even more surprising, then, when the Trojans had the rug pulled out from under them in Pullman, Wash., where they were upset by Washington State, 34-14.

Call it a total team breakdown, and no one was more shocked than Tim Ryan, USC’s freshman defensive tackle.

Ryan plays on the team’s least-experienced unit, the defensive line, which was a primary concern for Coach Ted Tollner at the start of the season. But it hadn’t been exposed until the Washington State game.

“The defensive line had been playing all right up to that game, and, after watching Washington State on film, they didn’t look like a very good team,” Ryan said.

“Then, we got our butts kicked. They dominated us on both sides of the ball. I couldn’t believe it.

“We came back here and watched film, and I think that was sort of the turning point for our defensive line. Mike Ackerley, our defensive line coach, said, ‘You guys just have to get better,’ and that’s not all he said.”

That game was not indicative of USC’s defensive caliber. The Trojan defense bent some but didn’t break against Baylor as USC won, 17-14. Washington was thoroughly shut down after an opening touchdown drive, losing, 20-10.

Ever since polluting Pullman, though, USC’s defense has been performing at an increasingly higher level.

Even the 29-20 loss to Arizona State in the sixth game was deceiving. The Rose Bowl-bound Sun Devils had only one long touchdown drive, and that was sustained after they missed a field goal on fourth down, only to get a first down when USC was penalized for running into the kicker.

Arizona State’s other touchdowns were directly attributable to errors by the offense and special teams.

In the last three games, against Stanford, Arizona and California, the Trojans have allowed only one touchdown, that on a 24-yard advance by Arizona after a turnover.

USC is, of course, aware that it must remain on a high defensive plateau as a condition for beating UCLA Saturday at the Rose Bowl.

Ryan and the other young defensive linemen--Dan Owens, a redshirt freshman nose guard, and Deryl Henderson, a sophomore tackle--were jolted out of their comfort zone against Washington State.

“I think it has been a gradual learning experience for me and a lot of fun,” Ryan said. “I was nervous going into the first game, but, as each game went on, I began to feel a lot more comfortable with my teammates and a lot closer to the guys.

“Everybody was talking about the young defensive line at the start of the season, so we felt a little bit of pressure trying to hold our own up front. We knew the guys behind us would do a good job.”

The Trojans have experienced linebackers and defensive backs, with such big-play athletes as All-American strong safety Tim McDonald and outside linebacker Marcus Cotton.

“Tim fits into the Jack Del Rio-George Achica category, a guy who comes in and plays as a freshman because he is mentally and physically ready to go,” said Artie Gigantino, USC’s defensive coordinator. “When you assess whether a freshman can play or not, you look at the mental maturity of the young man.

“A lot of them have physical ability, but a player like Ryan comes in and isn’t awed by being a starter as a freshman and fits in from a social standpoint with the older players and goes about his business without acting like a freshman.

“Ryan doesn’t make freshman mistakes. I think he’s a competitive guy and he’ll be a positive force in our defensive program the next three years.”

With a flowing mustache and mature bearing, Ryan seems older than someone who turned 19 last September.

As a blue-chip athlete from Oak Grove High School in San Jose, he was heavily recruited. Besides making every significant prep All-American football team, he was also an all-star center on his basketball team.

“I took my recruiting trips to Miami, Washington, Arizona, canceled Nebraska, and came here. I live in Northern California, but I never liked Cal and Stanford,” Ryan said. “I liked UCLA but, when they came to recruit me, I didn’t. They were too business-like. I was going to Miami and I really liked the school. But my mom would just cry all the time. It was just too far away. Now my mom has been down to all the home games.”

Ryan, who stands 6 feet 5 inches and weighs 250 pounds, had to adjust to not being the biggest kid on the block once he got to college.

“In high school, I was playing against some guys who were 5-10 and 170 pounds,” he said. “Now I’m going against linemen who are 6-5, or 6-6 and 280. For the season, I don’t think I have gone against more than one or two offensive tackles who are smaller than I am.”

And he won’t be confronting any “gutty little Bruins” Saturday. UCLA doesn’t have an offensive lineman weighing less than 260 pounds.

“They’re all about the same size,” Ryan said. “They come off the ball and get good position on you. Gaston Green is our primary concern. He’s a great running back. He’s probably the best back we’ve played against all year. You’ve got to key on a guy like that by trying to recognize the formations and blocking schemes.”

Green, who has had five consecutive 100-yard plus rushing games, has the entire USC defense on the alert.

“The biggest problem that UCLA presents, and it’s characteristic of all teams that have a great running back, is that you’re so focused as a defense on that one entity that it scares you, and it’s a potential to open up other things,” Gigantino said.

“Gaston Green is the best tailback we’ve played against, and he’s the fastest and scariest. It’s going to take a monumental team effort to try and stop him.”

Gigantino said his defense will have to play with a sense of urgency while getting McDonald and Cotton in position to make big plays.

USC ranks only sixth in total defense in the conference, yielding an average of 335.7 yards a game.

That figure is distorted by three games, though. Baylor gained 408 yards when USC’s offense was unproductive for most of the game, keeping the defense on the field for long periods of time. Oregon had 449 yards, benefiting from USC turnovers, but lost, 35-21. Washington State simply ripped the Trojans with 510 total yards.

UCLA easily handled WSU, 54-16. Conversely, the Bruins lost to Stanford, 28-23, a team the Trojans shut out, 10-0.

So much for making a case for comparative scores.

They don’t have much bearing, anyway, in the celebrated rivalry between the schools.

“I’m excited,” Ryan said.

It’s an emotion shared by freshmen and seniors alike.