UCLA Football: Lincoln Riley Talks Bruins Turnaround In This Department

Your UCLA Bruins will play their second-to-last regular season game today against the USC Trojans, and even though nothing is at stake for both teams, this game means something to the players, programs, and fans,

It's always a game circled in these two fanbases' calendars, and we should be in for an exciting one at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

This will be UCLA head coach Chip Kelly's sixth cross-town rivalry, compared to USC head coach Lincoln Riley, who will coach in his second. Last year's showdown went down to the wire, with the Trojans coming out on top in a high-scoring affair, 48-45.

However, this season may be entirely different. The two offenses, mainly UCLA's, aren't the same as in 2022, and UCLA's defense isn't the same as in years past. The UCLA defense improved leaps and bounds in 2023, solidifying itself among the country's best.

If they play like they have for most of the season, they will pose significant challenges for the USC offense. Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley discusses how he is impressed with the Bruins' defensive turnaround, giving him hope for his team's defense going forward.

“It’s come together for them,” Riley said. “You look across college football, whether it’s UCLA, there have been plenty of examples of when you can turn things around and grab some momentum, and you get some of the right pieces on board, both from a staff and a player perspective, that you can make really major gains quickly. It’s very possible.”

(Per Ryan Kartje of The Los Angeles Times)

For those who have watched only the Bruins this season, the USC defense has been atrocious all season long, resulting in the firing of their defensive coordinator, Alex Grinch.

The USC defense allows 34.6 points per game (118th), 446.5 yards per game (120th), 6.1 yards per play (108th), and opponent passing completions at 63.1% (103rd). UCLA will look to take advantage of their awful defense, while the Trojans will look to get better, even just slightly better.

As we've witnessed with UCLA, it's possible to turn the defense around, and the Trojans will look and have to do the same (for their sake). Hopefully, that day isn't today, though.

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