LOS ANGELES >> There was no familiarity.
Linebacker Porter Gustin knew little about Clancy Pendergast at first when the coach was picked by Clay Helton as USC’s defensive coordinator last January.
Gustin was a junior at Salem Hills High School in Utah when Pendergast last led the Trojans’ defense in 2013.
But many of his teammates took the news of his hire well and began telling stories.
“Of course, his reputation is great,” Gustin said.
The hope at USC has remained that Pendergast’s arrival would inject some energy into a defense that wilted down the stretch last season when it gave up 48 points at Oregon and 41 points to Stanford in the Pac-12 championship game.