USC vs ASU Report Card 2016: Grading the Trojan Defense

USC vs ASU was far from the shootout many expected, with the Trojan defense shutting down the Sun Devil attack at the Coliseum.

The Trojans have been far from their best defensively in 2016, but a dominating performance against the high-flying Sun Devil offense may indicate a turnaround.

USC held ASU to season-lows in scoring rushing, total offense, yards per play and third-down conversions. Only Northern Arizona limited the Sun Devils to less passing yards, in a game ASU won easily.

SEE ALSO: Grading the Trojan Offense vs ASU

Here’s how each defensive unit graded out against the Sun Devils:

There was more substitution across USC’s defensive line than there had been at any point this season against ASU and it paid dividends for the Trojans.

Starters Rasheem Green and Stevie Tu’ikolovatu remained the primary figures, both logging two tackles while Green had a sack and a QB hurry. However, when they went out, replacements like Malik Dorton, Josh Fatu, Christian Rector and Jacob Daniel stepped up to the plate.

After a disappointing performance agaisnt Utah, the emphasis for the Trojans all week was generating more pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Still working primarily with a two-man defensive line, much of that pressure came from the linebackers, who stepped up and kept ASU QB Manny Wilkins uncomfortable in the first half.

Uchenna Nwosu led the way with one sack and important in keeping the Sun Devils from getting to the outside. Porter Gustin had a tackle for loss and key hurry which almost resulted in an interception.

Adoree’ Jackson had four of his five tackles on the first ASU drive of the game, let the team in tackles and shut down Sun Devil receiver N’Keal Harry, but for the first time this season he wasn’t the star of the Trojan defensive performance.

Not that that’s a bad thing, as Jonathan Lockett, Leon McQuay and Chris Hawkins stepped in to make their marks as well.

Lockett stole the show with his first career interception, preventing ASU from extending their early lead. He added a tackle for loss on Demario Richard, then broke up a third down pass intended for Tim White late in the game.

McQuay also had a big third-down break up while Hawkins crashed through the line for a ten-yard sack on Wilkins, helping to force the Sun Devils into a field goal on their third drive.

Not only did Clancy Pendergast need to sort out a way to increase pressure defensively, he needed to exorcise some demons after his last experience against ASU.

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In 2013, the Sun Devils blasted USC defense, scoring 62 points on the last night of Lane Kiffin’s tenure at USC.

This time around, ASU barely managed six before the third string came in for mop up duty and made the scoreline look slightly more respectable.

USC’s defensive gameplan involved changing things up in the front, utlizing more subs, moving the outside linebackers around and giving the Sun Devils a variety of looks to decipher.

Pendergast dialed up blitzes and was rewarded with three sacks. Meanwhile, his defensive front allowed just 75 yards rushing on the day, good for a 2.3 yard average.