It’s hard to wipe the memory of November’s defensive implosion away. The biggest culprit? A defensive line that was certainly decimated by injury but also filled with untested kids and leftovers.
Without a healthy Jarron Jones and Sheldon Day, the interior of the line had no chance. And by the time the Irish limped to Southern California, the front-four was playing on roller skates. The Trojans took what they want, when they wanted it, in one of the least competitive games between the two programs since the heights of the Pete Carroll era.
But there’s hope that last season’s embarrassments will fortify the troops.