USC Defense’s Make-or-Break Season | Los Angeles News

USC football’s defense is finally getting a fresh face in new coordinator Gary Patterson, who brings hope for consistency after years of inconsistency. With promising young talent like Luke Wafle and Elbert Hill rising in the 2026 class, the Trojans have real potential to turn things around — especially if players like Desman Stephens and Jide Abasiri step up. The secondary needs health and shutdown corners, while the linebacker corps remains thin but improvable. Patterson, though an unknown since 2021, blends new concepts with proven strategies — and with USC’s already elite offense, a solid defense could make them serious contenders. On offense, the loss of starting center Kilian O’Connor due to injury hurts morale, but depth at the position and potential transfers should help fill the gap. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/6c69220b6c43ec9c Presented by The Plant Daddies — rare specimen trees, living art, and hand-carved limestone vessels and fountains for extraordinary spaces. Showrooms in Los Angeles and Irvine. Listeners of Los Angeles News Today receive 10% off with code LANEWS10. theplantdaddies.com/lanews