A lot of the attention has been focused on the offensive fireworks that Lincoln Riley's hire is expected to bring to the field for USC, but on the other side of the ball Alex Grinch is quietly installing his defense and the expectations are high for his unit if the Trojans are going to turn things around as many expect them to.
As a defensive play caller, Grinch's just wrapped up his third time installing a defense during the spring period, but his keys to playing elite defense have remained the same.
In an interview with 247, Grinch was asked what his elevator pitch is for his defensive philosophy and he laid out 6 keys.
While all five are important, everything is built off one main thing - effort.
"There are several things. Number one is that we build around effort."
"What we say is that if our scheme is sound, simple, repeatable, and adaptable, and the guys in our program give elite effort than we are going to reap the benefits and have success," he shares. "Effort is the greatest equalizer that there is."
Grinch has had success with that formula as the defensive play caller at both Washington State and Oklahoma and hopes to replicate that success at USC.
"That's the pressure that we put on ourselves as coaches is that we are sound and simple, but it can't just be simple because anybody can make it simple. It's also gotta be repeatable and adaptable over a 12-game season in the fall making sure that these guys understand where they need to be and when they need to be there so they can see the purpose behind the effort that they give."
Hear the full interview in the clip.