The USC Trojans are going to have to preach defense this season if they are hoping to improve upon their mediocre 2024 record of 7-6.
Five-star defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart could be the key for this Trojans defense.
Jahkeem Stewart Working with Trojans’ Defensive Tackles at Practice
According to USC insider Ryan Young, freshman defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart most recently practiced with the defensive tackles. This is significant because Stewart is already proving how useful he can be at multiple positions.
Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley spoke about Stewart in front of the USC media earlier this week.
Five-star USC freshman Jahkeem Stewart worked with the defensive tackles during some of the early periods of practice Tuesday, and Lincoln Riley said the staff is working him both there and at DE this spring.
(See clips and Riley’s comment below): pic.twitter.com/Bkronk2IJd
— Ryan Young (@RyanYoungRivals) April 2, 2025
If Riley and Co. can find a way to utilize Stewart properly, that could mean the difference between at least a couple of wins and losses.
After all, this defense averaged just over 377 yards allowed per game a season ago, along with 38 touchdowns given up.
The Trojans’ 2025 Aspirations
Simply put, USC has to find a way to do much better than 7-6 from a season ago.
After going 11-3 in his first season as the head coach of the program in 2022, he has turned in an 8-5 season and a 7-6 season. That is not good enough, especially when you consider what he accomplished at Oklahoma with the likes of Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, and Jalen Hurts under center.
While the quarterback situation might be up in the air at this point, defense has sometimes been a problem for Riley’s teams. To build a great championship team, you must have a complete roster on both sides of the ball. The Ohio State Buckeyes won a title this past season because of how elite they performed on offense and defense.
KEEP READING: Lincoln Riley’s $30M Net Worth — A Closer Look at the USC Trojans HC’s Assets
Having a versatile piece here or there certainly doesn’t hurt any team looking to hoist a trophy at the end of the year. This is why a lot of eyes will be on Stewart as he continues to build himself into a great college football player.
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