Alex Grinch addresses idea he's coaching for his job

USC was on the verge of a College Football Playoff appearance in 2022, but the Trojans just couldn’t figure out how to stop Utah. Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch began to feel the heat after giving up 43 and 47 points to the Utes in two meetings.

Then the Trojans gave up 46 in a shocking loss to Tulane in the Cotton Bowl.

“I think 21 years in the business, I think you’re coaching for your job all the time,” Grinch said when USC opened fall camp.

Rarely has that been more true for the USC defensive coordinator than in 2023. USC finished eighth in the Pac-12 in both rushing and passing defense last season, keeping the team from its ultimate goal.

With Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams back and the Trojans going into their second season under head coach Lincoln Riley, expectations are once again high. The defense can’t afford to hold the team back if Grinch wants to stay on Riley’s staff.

“I think pressure comes with it,” Grinch said. “I think about whether it was at Missouri or Washington State or Ohio State or Oklahoma, I think I know I don’t feel any different than any of those other years as far as pressure football coaches are under.

“I think most coaches would tell you the same thing, that’s part of it. The two things you do is obviously the most recent thing would be the previous year, going through that and attack it from the standpoint what you did well, what you need to improve on. Then you’ve got to weight that in terms of coaching your current team, which is really, really important that you don’t get lost in the sauce that you’re not coaching the ’22 team any more in this particular instance.”

How Alex Grinch, USC defense are improving

So how exactly is Grinch going to fix the issues with the USC defense?

A whole lot of studying has gone into it, he explained.

“You’re looking at, absolutely, NFL film, college film, trends as well as not just studying defenses but offenses, obviously the opponents that you’re going to play and then transferring from that standpoint,” Grinch explained. “So you’re looking at all, is there anything that can help you moving forward?”

Even with the pressure of improving, knowing your job is potentially on the line, Grinch said you have to be careful not to overcorrect. It’s easy to get too focused on what happened in the past and not realize there are always changes in personnel, scheme tweaks that can be made, etc.

“What you don’t get in the business of doing — and this takes a lot of maturity, and I’ve used that term, I don’t know if it’s the right thing to say, I’ll say it anyway — maturity and discipline from a coaching standpoint, in terms of those are you having the what are we changing meetings?” Grinch said. “Are you doing those? What’s the best thing moving forward? Sometimes you’ve got to stop as a defensive staff, in particular, but also as you police yourself is press the pause button and say, ‘OK, what’s your intention here?’ All that takes place every offseason.”

Grinch’s new-look USC defense will debut on Aug. 26 against San Jose State.