Alex Grinch will be retained as USC defensive coordinator in 2023, Trojans coach Lincoln Riley confirmed on Tuesday. Grinch followed Riley to Los Angeles from Oklahoma but has come under fire after numerous lackluster defensive performances during his four years working with Riley.
"I know what he's made of. I just do. I know what's getting ready to happen defensively. And so, I just have a confidence and a belief there, not just in Alex, but the other guys in the room," Riley said.
Grinch joined Riley at Oklahoma after success at Washington State and a middling tenure as co-defensive coordinator at Ohio State. In his first season, Grinch helped transform the Sooners from the No. 114 total defense in college football to a top-40 unit, headlined by holding Texas to just 310 yards and 2.8 yards per carry in a 34-27 win. The unit improved to No. 29 in total defense in 2020.
However, Grinch's defenses have spiraled over the last two seasons and hit new lows since moving to Los Angeles. The Trojans squandered a 15-point lead with just 4:30 remaining in a 46-45 Cotton Bowl loss to Tulane on Jan. 2 in one of the more frustrating finishes of the season. In three losses during an 11-3 campaign, Grinch's defense allowed 136 points and 1,634 yards -- essentially a full mile of total offense.
Rumors swirled that Riley might consider moving in another direction at defensive coordinator on the heels of the Cotton Bowl meltdown, but Riley told reporters that no staff changes were expected on either side of the ball outside of interim receivers coach Luke Huard earning the full-time position after former receivers coach Dave Nichol tragically died of cancer.
Grinch now becomes one of the most scrutinized assistant coaches in college football. USC was a pair of Utah games away from earning its first trip to the College Football Playoff, but the Utes scored 90 combined points in the two thrashings of Grinch's defense. Grinch has not held a ranked opponent to below 27 points since the 2020 Cotton Bowl against Florida when the Gators were without quarterback Kyle Trask and tight end Kyle Pitts.
The USC staff has been aggressive in the transfer portal, though, adding five defensive players to join the 12 defensive transfers from the previous recruiting class. Complicating matters is the fact that first-team All-American defensive end Tuli Tuipulotu and top cornerback Mekhi Blackmon are off to the NFL Draft.
Regardless, another finish outside of the top 90 in total and scoring defense, especially with Heisman-winning quarterback Caleb Williams leading the other side of the ball, may end up with Riley looking in a new direction for 2024.
