As we near the start of Fall Camp and with the season just a month away, I’ve been making predictions about how the competition for starting spots will end up. Who will step onto the field for the Trojans on that first snap?
Two weeks ago, I made my predictions for the starting offensive backfield, and last week I predicted who will start on the offensive line.
It’s the defense’s turn this week. I was going to start with the defensive backfield. But, since two of USC’s top linemen last year and first-round NFL picks just signed their pro contracts this week, I have decided to start there.
Of course, every USC fan knows that I’m talking about SedrickEllis and Lawrence Jackson. Ellis, a holdout, joins former USC teammate Reggie Bush and former USC defensive line coach, Ed Orgeron, with the New Orleans Saints. Meanwhile, Jackson signed with the Seattle Seahawks, where he joins former USC linebacker Lofa Tatupu.
So, let’s start with Ellis’ nose tackle spot since he appears to be the one player the Trojans will miss the most on that defensive line. Not only did he have 58 tackles, 12 ½ for losses and 8 ½ sacks, but he was usually double-teamed and even triple-teamed.
Going into Spring camp, the player that most expected to replace Ellis was Averell Spicer, a redshirt junior. The 6-2, 295-pound Spicer was a backup nose tackle and defensive tackle last season. He had 9 tackles and 1 sack in 12 games. But Spicer injured his knee and missed most of Spring practice. The health of his knee and his overall conditioning will have a lot to do with his ability to maintain his top spot at nose tackle on the depth chart.
The other factor that will have much to do with Spicer’s ability to hold down that starting nose tackle spot is Christian Tupou. The 6-2, 280-pound true sophomore from Sacramento had a lights out Spring practice. As a freshman, he saw limited action in only four games. However, his hard work on the practice field earned him the John McKay and Service Team Defensive Player of the Year Award.
Tupou’s fantastic showing during Spring practice puts him neck-and-neck with Spicer for the starting nose tackle spot. My prediction: Spicer will start the first game against the University of Virginia. But Tupou’s speed and agility, very mindful of the way Sed Ellis played that spot, will see him take over that starting spot against Ohio State.
Sorry, my mistatke – The Ohio State University.
Behind Spicer and Tupou on the dept chart are two freshman, DaJohn Harris and Jurrell Casey. Harris is a 6-5, 285-pound redshirt freshman from Serra High School in Gardenia, CA. Harris has good size for the position and should see some significant game action.
Casey is a 6-1, 280-pound true freshman from Long Beach Poly, which has sent more players to the NFL than any other high school in the nation. Casey was an EA Sports second team All-American with an incredible 134 tackles and 7 sacks last year at Poly.
Taking a look at the defensive end spot on that side, the position is Kyle Moore’s to lose. I say he doesn’t. I say the 6-6, 270-pound Georgia native not only holds onto the starting spot but excels there.
This will be his second season as a starting defensive end. Last year as a junior he appeared in all 13 games, starting 11, and had 35 tackles, 3 ½ for losses, two sacks for 20 yards along with two interceptions that he returned for a total of 38 yards.
Moore also had three takeaways in the first three games and was credited with five blocked passes, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery for the season. Look for more of the same from Moore – much more.
Backing up Moore will be redshirt senior, Gerald Washington. The 6-6. 255-pound Washington was a tight end at Chaffey Junior College, where he caught 23 passes with 2 touchdowns in 2005. He was moved from tight end to defensive end in 2007 and saw limited action in 10 games mostly on special teams.
Behind Washington on the depth chart are three freshmen. Trey Henderson is a 6-3, 280-pound redhirt freshman from Vancouver. Arthroscopic surgery for torn cartilage in his right knee kept him out of action.
Wes Horton and Malik Jackson are both true freshmen. Horton 6-5, 245 pounds and Jackson at 6-5, 230 pounds will need some time to fill out those 6-5 frames. But working with conditioning coach, Chris Carlisle, they should be equal to the task a year or so down the line.
Taking a look at the defensive tackle spot, Fili Moala has a lock on the spot, and I don’t expect things to change before the opener in Charlottesville, VA. Last year, playing beside Sedrick Ellis, Moala had 32 tackles with 5 ½ for losses and 2 ½ sacks. Moala, a 6-5, 295- pound redshirt senior is not only expected to start but may indeed be a first-round NFL selection.
Backing up Moala will be Derek Simmons, a 6-4, 285-pound redshirt sophomore. Simmons played in six games last season as a backup defensive tackle and had two tackles. Behind Simmons is Trey Henderson, mentioned above, and another true freshman, Armond Armstead.
The 6-5, 290-pound freshman from Sacramento is a versatile athlete who played football and basketball at Pleasant Grove High School in Sacramento. With his size and mobility, Armstead could quickly move up the depth chart and should see some meaningful game action this season.
Holding down the other defensive end spot is Everson Griffen. The 6-3, 265-pound sophomore had an outstanding season last year as a backup defensive end behind Lawrence Jackson and Kyle Moore. Playing primarily in pass rushing situations as a true freshman, Griffen appeared in all 13 games and had 21 tackles, including 5 ½ sacks for losses of 30 yards , 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery and 2 blocked passes. He was named to the 2007 Sporting News Freshman All-American first team, Football Writers Freshman All-American first team, Rivals.com Freshman All-American first team, Scout.com Freshman All-American first team and Collegefootballnews.com Freshman All-American second team, (Second team? What do they know?)
Make no doubt about it, Griffen is a beast. He is the Rey Maualuga of the front four.Backing up Griffen is the tallest player on the roster, 6-9, 225-pound Andrew Weiss. He is a walk-on transfer
Also behind Griffen on the depth chart is Nick Perry, a 6-3, 240-pound USA Today, All USA first team and a Parade All-American from Detroit, Michigan. As a senior at King High School in 2007 where he played defensive end and linebacker, Perry had 147 tackles and a state record 36 sacks and helped King to a state title.
Most likely, Perry will see some playing time on third-down passing situations, where he can use his tremendous pass rushing skills as an elephant much like Clay Matthews, Jr.
And that brings to the last but certainly not the least – Clay Matthews, Jr. The 6-3, 240-pound Matthews is the fourth member of his family to play football at USC. Although he may not be in the starting lineup on the first snap at Charlottesville, he will be in at some point on the first series – count on it.
Matthews plays the elephant position, a hybrid defensive end/linebacker depending on where he lines up. In 2007, Matthews appeared in all 13 games and accounted for 17 tackles, 3 for losses of 23 yards, 2 forced fumbles, a blocked pass and 2 blocked field goals.
Even though those are the kind of takeaway statistics that Pete Carroll and his staff love to see, Matthews was even more incredible during Spring scrimmages. He was a regular visitor in the offensive backfield, much to the consternation of all three Trojan quarterbacks.
Matthews will backup both defensive end spots and start as a stand-up end in certain defensive formations. He will also see action as a linebacker and on special teams. Unless he incurs an injury in camp, there is no way that the coaches will keep Matthews off the field. He is just too versatile and too dynamic an athlete.
So, there you have my predictions for the starting defensive front for the Trojans. As always, your comments are not only welcomed but requested.
Next week, look for my predictions on the Trojans starting linebackers and the defensive backfield.
As a reminder, LA LIVEPEACE, a grassroots Peace March and Rally for Kids to promote peace in the streets of Los Angeles, will be held on Saturday, Aug. 2, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Coliseum. It hosted by the Coliseum in partnership with A BETTER LA and UNITY ONE with the goal of promoting non-violence in the streets of Los Angeles and raising public awareness regarding our community’s efforts toward gang intervention.