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Bryson Shaw Backs Alex Grinch, Takes Accountability for USC's Defense

On3 imageby: Adam Bradford03/25/23Adam_Bradford14
Bryson Shaw
USC safety Bryson Shaw walks to a spring practice session for the Trojans (Daniel Villagomez/WeAreSC)

Last season, USC’s defense was the subject of much scrutiny. While the Trojans’ offense routinely put up 40 or more points per game, the defense frequently struggled to stop opponents and prevented USC from pulling away in games. Perhaps no games were better examples of this than losses to Utah (Pac-12 Championship Game) and Tulane (Cotton Bowl) to conclude the season.

Naturally then, defensive coordinator Alex Grinch has come under fire for his unit’s performance during the 2022 season. Head coach Lincoln Riley‘s decision to retain Grinch following the Cotton Bowl debacle was met with a significant amount of criticism from USC both fans and the media.

Bryson Shaw on Alex Grinch

When asked about Grinch following Thursday’s practice, however, safety Bryson Shaw, backed his defensive coordinator.

“I think Coach Grinch, is a fantastic coach, I love playing for him,” Shaw said. “He gets us fired up every day, he gets us ready to attack. We all love playing for him.”

Shaw instead placed responsibility for USC’s defense struggles last season on the players, vowing that they need to be better in 2023.

“It’s not on him, it’s on the players for not executing,” Shaw said. “We all feel like we let him down.”

“We just wanna get this year for him. I feel like you can feel that in how we’re practicing.”

Bryson Shaw’s 2022 Season

It didn’t take long for Bryson Shaw to make an impact at USC. In his first season with the Trojans, Shaw racked up 50 total tackles, 36 solo tackles, four passes defended, and an interception.

bryson-shaw-takes-accountability-for-uscs-defense-backs-alex-grinch
Bryson Shaw impressed during his first season at USC. (WeAreSC/@fredoshotthat)

Shaw transferred to USC from Ohio State prior to the 2022 season. After seeing limited action in his first two years with the Buckeyes, he had 59 total tackles, 30 solo tackles, three passes defended, and an interception in 2021.

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Garry Paskwietz (1966-2019)

Garry Paskwietz was a pioneer in bringing team-specific sports coverage to the internet. He founded WeAreSC in 1998 and was an Emmy winner for his work with Fox Sports West. Always generous with his time, knowledge, and compassion, he touched the lives of countless USC and high school football fans.

Garry Paskwietz