USC vs. Rutgers: D'Anton Lynn gets creative to add pressure

The greedy Vance Jr. may not look like the answer to USC's pass-rushing woes on paper. First, he's a premier cornerback – hardly a premier pass-rushing position. And second, Vance weighs just 170 pounds, making him the lightest player on the Trojans' defense.

But as USC struggles to get to the quarterback, defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn has had to get more creative. In recent weeks, that has meant production pressure from completely unexpected sources.

In this case: a tough slot corner who has never been credited with a sack in his college career.

“We’re going to continue to try to create variety,” Lynn said Wednesday, “and provide opportunities for different people.”

That should continue Friday against Rutgers, a team that, for all its problems, was among the Big Ten's best at protecting the quarterback.

To create that pressure against Maryland, Lynn Vance rushed the passer from the slot on five snaps, while Kamari Ramsey blitzed six times from the safety spot. Neither had rushed the passer that often all of last season.

And they weren't the only ones flashing from the secondary: Akili Arnold added two pass-rush snaps last Saturday, while Jaylin Smith rushed once from his corner spot.

These looks have become a more regular part of Lynn's game plan as the USC front fails to consistently pressure the quarterbacks. USC ranks 124th nationally in sacks with just eight to seven weeks. Almost a third of those came from the secondary, where Ramsey is tied for the team lead with two players. USC's entire defensive line only has half a sack more.

USC safety Kamari Ramsey knocks the ball out of Bryson Barnes' hands during the Trojans' win over Utah State on Sept. 7 at the Coliseum.

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

That's not the kind of division neither Lynn nor coach Lincoln Riley would want. But halfway through this season, they may have no other choice.

“You have to make it work with what you have,” Riley said, “and try to highlight the things that we do well and then try to – I don't know if cover up is the right word, but you. “I have to try to create something with what you have.”

That's not exactly a rousing show of support for USC's defensive front, which lost two of its most disruptive forces – defensive end Anthony Lucas and linebacker Eric Gentry – for the season last week. The pass rushing picture at the top was bleak. Senior Jamil Muhammad, who led the team in sacks last season, has yet to register one. Second-year defensive tackle Devan Thompkins is USC's most productive source of interior pressure despite just starting his second game.

Circumstances have severely tested Lynn's ability to adjust his defense. And so far, Riley has been impressed with his answers.

“You can feel his creativity week after week,” Riley said. “And he stays really positive. Very positive, very confident, it's just a matter of finding a way. And if that doesn’t work or if it’s different, then we adapt and do everything we can to put those guys in a position to be successful and stop attacks.”

So last Saturday, Vance burst out of the slot and sprinted unscathed into the backfield, where he brought down Maryland quarterback Billy Edwards for a two-yard loss.

Vance looked like an ace pass rusher in that moment. Even if he was tiny.

Here's what else you can watch when USC hosts Rutgers on Friday at 8 p.m.: