The 2023 season was a brutal year for the USC Trojans and Lincoln Riley. But it is hard to argue that it was worse for anyone more than Defensive Coordinator Alex Grinch.
After an unimpressive defensive season in 2022, and a monumental defensive collapse in the Cotton Bowl that made a Tulane team look like the 2019 LSU Tigers, Grinch was retained and given the opportunity to show that he could turn the unit around with another offseason to get recruits and transfers that fit his system.
Well, one drive into the first game of the 2023 season against San Jose State and it was fairly evident that this would not be the case. After an embattled year, Alex Grinch was fired after a 52-42 loss to the Washington Huskies, with two games remaining.
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Since then, the USC Trojans have had a fantastic offseason, winning the Holiday Bowl and building out a robust defensive staff led by new Defensive Coordinator D’Anton Lynn, and Co-Defensive Coordinator Eric Henderson.
Former USC Trojans DC Alex Grinch Returns To The Sidelines
It is now being reported that Alex Grinch has been hired by the Wisconsin Badgers to coach safeties.
Now what is notable about this is that not only is Grinch going to an inter-conference opponent, but Wisconsin will be traveling to the Los Angeles Coliseum on September 28th to face the Trojans. Get your popcorn ready as it is going to get really interesting when Alex Grinch runs out of that tunnel for the first time with a Badgers polo on.
You have to think that Lincoln Riley and the USC offense (if it didn’t already) will have a massive upper hand in exploiting the Wisconsin defense, specifically the secondary.
While Grinch has a long history with Riley, the offense is going to look completely different next season with either Miller Moss or Jayden Maiava under center, and a new cast of starting receivers.
This is just another, of many, storylines heading into a pivotal 2024 season.
