USC safety Bryson Shaw starts versus Wisconsin and Alex Grinch

LOS ANGELES — He was the man who’d most fervently backed Alex Grinch when the first low point hit in 2023, sitting at a podium in Boulder after USC gave up 41 points to Colorado and taking up verbal arms for his defensive coordinator.

“I don’t know what else to tell you besides, we gotta fix it,” safety Bryson Shaw said in late September 2023, as anger pierced through his inflections in a viral defense. “Have full faith in this defense … we love Coach Grinch. Coach Grinch puts us in the right spots. He’s a great coordinator. There’s no other coach we’d rather have.”

One year later, USC had another coach, and Shaw trotted out next to Kamari Ramsey to start at safety against Wisconsin and Grinch. Now the Badgers’ safeties coach, Grinch was back at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, sporting a red visor for a different Big Ten program, hired in the winter after his midseason firing by Lincoln Riley in 2023. And it was significant, in particular, for Shaw, whose college career began at Ohio State after then-Buckeyes co-defensive coordinator Grinch recruited him out of Maryland.

They crossed paths again, in a sudden spotlight Saturday at the Coliseum, Shaw tabbed to start at safety in place of Akili Arnold after the stalwart Oregon State transfer went down multiple times with injury last week against Michigan. Trojans defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn made clear Wednesday that Shaw and redshirt sophomore Zion Branch could see more time at safety, and Shaw handled much of the first quarter before Branch entered at the end of the frame, making a massive stop to force a Wisconsin three-and-out.

“If he’s able to string this along and stay healthy,” Riley said Thursday of Branch, “there’s no question he’s going to become a heck of a player.”

Shakeup at right guard

It was a spirited week of practice for USC’s offensive line, as Riley described it, and one needed to simply stroll into the Trojans’ individual warmups Wednesday to see for themselves.

A few short plays in, slightly downfield, offensive line coach Josh Henson could be heard barking at his group from afar, in rather clear displeasure with their performance. The program knew, as Riley said Tuesday, that it simply had to play better on the offensive front after a manhandling Saturday at the hands of Michigan, with a second-half shakeup and right guard Alani Noa yanked in and out for periods.

“I mean, all of these guys are getting a bunch of reps, and we’re going to do our best to find the best combination that gives us the best chance to win, and move the ball, score points against Wisconsin,” Riley said Thursday.

They settled on a change Saturday, inserting redshirt freshman Amos Talalele at right guard for the first start of his USC career on a drive ending in a touchdown from quarterback Miller Moss to Ja’Kobi Lane. But in the second series, Henson sent Noa out again – and for the rest of the first half, the two largely alternated series, furthering an ongoing competition present since USC’s fall camp.

Bye-bye, Bear

As USC’s defensive line took a customary pregame midfield huddle Saturday, two hours before their Big Ten home opener, a certain member of the group was not so conspicuously absent.

After a fast-moving saga that played out across the past week, Bear Alexander and his family expressing frustration on social media Monday and declaring a junior season redshirt by Wednesday, the defensive tackle was promptly removed from USC’s depth chart by Thursday – and listed as “OUT” on USC’s pregame Big Ten availability report.

It brought an increased level of snaps for Wyoming transfer Gavin Meyer against Wisconsin, true freshman Jide Abasiri the only tackle behind him, as USC continues to move on from a messy divorce that’s dominated their news cycle this week.