USC vs. Rutgers: D’Anton Lynn gets creative to ramp up pressure

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Greedy Vance Jr. may not look, on paper, like he would be the answer to USC’s pass rushing problems. One, he’s a nickel corner — hardly a premier pass-rushing position. And two, Vance weighs only 170 pounds, making him the lightest player on the Trojans’ defense.

But as USC struggles to get to the quarterback, defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn has had to get increasingly creative. In recent weeks, it’s meant manufacturing pressure from the most unexpected sources.

In this case: a stringy slot corner who never had been credited for a sack in his college career.

“We’re going to keep on trying to mix it up,” Lynn said Wednesday, “and give different people opportunities.”

That should continue Friday against Rutgers, a team that for all of its issues has been among the best in the Big Ten at protecting the quarterback.

To create that pressure against Maryland, Lynn sent Vance rushing the passer from the slot on five snaps, while Kamari Ramsey came up from the safety spot to blitz six times. Neither had rushed the passer that many times all of last season combined.

And they weren’t the only ones blitzing from the secondary: Akili Arnold added two pass-rush snaps last Saturday, while Jaylin Smith rushed once from his corner spot.

Those looks have become a more regular part of Lynn’s scheme with USC’s front failing to pressure quarterbacks with any consistency. USC ranks 124th in the nation in sacks with just eight through seven weeks. Nearly a third of those have come from the secondary, where Ramsey is tied for the team lead with two. USC’s entire defensive line has only a half-sack more.

USC safety Kamari Ramsey knocks the ball out of the hands of Bryson Barnes during the Trojans' win over Utah State

That isn’t the sort of split either Lynn or coach Lincoln Riley would like to see. But past the midway mark of this season, they may not have a choice.

“You’ve got to go make it work with what you have,” Riley said, “And try to accentuate the things that we do well, and then try to — I don’t know if cover up’s the right word, but you got to try to create with what you have.”

That’s not exactly a rousing show of support for USC’s defensive front, which lost two of its most disruptive pieces — defensive end Anthony Lucas and linebacker Eric Gentry — for the season last week. The pass-rushing picture up front has been bleak. Senior Jamil Muhammad, who led the team in sacks last season, has yet to register one. Sophomore defensive tackle Devan Thompkins is USC’s most productive source of interior pressure despite just starting his second game.

The circumstances have made for a difficult test of Lynn’s ability to adapt his defense. And so far, Riley has been impressed with his answers.

“You feel his creativity week to week,” Riley said. “And he stays really positive with it. Very positive, very confident, it’s all about — just find a way. And if this isn’t working, or if this is different, then let’s adjust, and do everything we can to put these guys in position to succeed and to stop offenses.”

That’s how Vance ended up blitzing from the slot last Saturday, sprinting untouched into the backfield where he brought down Maryland quarterback Billy Edwards for a two-yard loss.

Vance looked every bit the part of an ace pass rusher in that moment. Even if he was pint-sized.

Here’s what else to watch as USC hosts Rutgers on Friday at 8 p.m.:

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Rutgers’ big-time back

Rutgers' Kyle Monangai brushes past Nebraska's Isaac Gifford on Oct. 5 in Lincoln, Neb.

USC has had its share of trouble slowing Big Ten backs. Now it’s set to face the most difficult to take down of all.

No running back in the conference has forced more missed tackles than Rutgers’ Kyle Monangai, who has broken loose of 45 in just seven games. Despite being just 5-foot-9 and 209 pounds, Monangai is a load to take down, meaning USC’s tackling will be tested early and often.

“It’s going to be big as far as wrapping up, as far as gang tackling, as far as angles of pursuit, and it’s going to take all 11 guys on every single play,” Lynn said. “Because he’s a tough guy to get down.”

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Banged-up secondary

Minnesota receiver Daniel Jackson powers past USC cornerback Jaylin Smith during his team's win over the Trojans.

Coming off a short week, USC could be down as many as three of its usual starters in the secondary.

The status of Ramsey and cornerbacks Smith and Jacobse Covington still was in doubt as of Wednesday. Riley said he was “hopeful” after all three had “shown some positive signs” this week.

If Covington and Smith are unable to play, Decarlos Nicholson and John Humphrey are likely to get the starting nod, while freshman Marcelles Williams, who was elevated from the scout team this week, could play more of a role.

As Big Ten teams go, Rutgers isn’t much of a threat through the air. Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis is completing just 53% of his passes, 15th in the conference.

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Lake ready

USC tight end Lake McRee catches a pass and tries to slip by Maryland defensive back Judah Jenkins

The moment a Michigan defender barreled into one of his knees three weeks earlier, Lake McRee thought his season was over. He’d been through two torn anterior cruciate ligaments. He feared the worst.

But McRee got good news. He returned to action Saturday with a brace on his knee, and stepped in with four catches. That involvement should continue to climb in the coming weeks, as USC’s young receiving corps continues to work through growing pains.

“He adds a whole new element to our offense,” quarterback Miller Moss said.