Joel Klatt Calls Out USC Trojans' Biggest Uncertainty

As the USC Trojans and the rest of college football prepare for the fall, there are still questions for each team following their spring practices. 

Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt gave his take on what USC’s biggest question is and how it could impact the Trojans and coach Lincoln Riley in 2026.

USC’s Biggest Question

“The question for me is actually the defensive line. Is the defensive line ready? Let me take a deeper dive. During Lincoln’s tenure at USC, they are 132nd in the country in yards per carry allowed,” said Klatt on the Joel Klatt Show.

An improvement up front is definitely something that the Trojans have to fix in a conference like the Big Ten. To win in this conference, being dominant on both sides of the line of scrimmage is paramount, and unfortunately, USC has not proven to be dominant on the defensive side of the ball.

Last season, the Trojans struggled to limit the run in games against Oregon and Notre Dame, which were both games that USC lost. If the Trojans had been able to stop the ground game in those contests, the outcome could have been much different and helped USC to create a much different result in those games, but also over the course of their season as a whole. 

However, the Trojans did show some flashes of having the ability to win the line of scrimmage when they were able to beat Michigan in a game that the Trojans dominated physically on both sides of the ball. If USC can replicate this performance for the entire season, the Trojans could have the opportunity to become one of the scariest teams in the country. 

Defensive Line Disruption 

Even with the question that Klatt has about the defensive line, he is still optimistic that this group can respond and has the talent to do so.

“The defensive tackle that I really love is Jahkeem Stewart. They’ve got Boucard in there as well, they’ve got Shelby in there, they’ve got Kameryn Crawford on the edge. But now they have depth, now you can rotate and not get as tired. They also have the number one edge player in the class, Luke Wafle. If they’re better on the defensive line, then USC could have a monster year. They could compete for a Big Ten title, they could level themselves up into the playoff,” added Klatt. 

As Klatt alluded to, the Trojans have plenty of players who could contribute along the defensive line, and one of the bigger names seems to be Jahkeem Stewart, who can play defensive tackle or defensive end. In his freshman season with USC, Stewart found great success as he recorded 18 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one interception, and one forced fumble. With the production he put on display, Stewart has the potential to be even more disruptive in 2026. 

Added to Stewart, the Trojans also have defensive ends Kameryn Crawford and Braylan Shelby in addition to defensive tackle Floyd Boucard. Crawford, Shelby, and Boucard have also shown great production and the ability to cause havoc on opposing offensive lines. 

Last season, Crawford totaled 10.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks, Shelby recorded seven tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks, and Boucard totaled two tackles for loss and one sack. Finding players who can be disruptive and consistently put offenses behind the sticks is critical, and with another opportunity to improve, it seems that USC may have found just that. 

In addition to the returners to the defensive line, the Trojans were also able to land one of the top edge recruits in the country with defensive end Luke Wafle. As an upcoming freshman, Wafle also brings the ability to be disruptive after recording 99 tackles, 37 tackles for loss, and 23 sacks in his senior season. 

Standing at 6-6 and 265 pounds, Wafle can translate well to the collegiate level, and after graduating from high school early and participating in the spring, Wafle could be poised for a stellar performance in his freshman season. 

USC’s Defensive Potential

With the returners that USC has along the defensive line, in addition to a solid freshman class, the defense as a whole should significantly improve and show that they can compete with the top of the Big Ten.

However, the key for the Trojans in 2026 may be if they can consistently stop the run and put pressure on the quarterback when they absolutely need it. If USC can dominate defensively on the line of scrimmage, that could be exactly what they need to win the tough games on their schedule and have an opportunity to compete for a Big Ten title and a College Football Playoff berth. 

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