The USC Trojans had an atrocious defense in 2023. While Caleb Williams was brilliant at times, the defense couldn’t stop anybody. Head coach Lincoln Riley made some big changes to the defensive staff but also wanted to beef up the defense through the transfer portal. The program got a huge boost on Thursday when former UCLA safety Kamari Ramsey announced he has committed to USC.
BREAKING: Former UCLA Safety Kamari Ramsey has Committed to USC, he tells @on3sports
The 6’1 202 S is ranked as the No. 12 Overall Player in the Transfer Portal (No. 1 Safety) per On3 👀
Will have 3 years of eligibility remaining https://t.co/MyArdioWxQ pic.twitter.com/8dUdvsT74E
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 22, 2023
USC Trojans Land S Kamari Ramsey
Per On3, Ramsey is the number 12 player in the portal and the top overall safety. This isn’t a huge surprise as the Trojans hired former UCLA defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn. Ramsey looked comfortable in that defense as he had 27 solo tackles, 1 interception, and 4 passes deflected in 2023. Ramsey had this to say in a statement.
“USC is a great program and you can get the best of both worlds there. They have a great education and football has a standard that they are working to get back to. I want to major in business and they have the number 1 business program. My defensive coordinator from last year is the coach there now and I believe he can help change the defense around there like he did with our team last year.”
2024 Outlook
Looking at the schedule now, USC has one of the toughest schedules in 2024. While a lot can change, at this moment there is no rest for the Trojans next season. They open against LSU and have an early season matchup at the Big House with Michigan. Penn State, Wahington, Wisconsin, and Nebraska are all a part of their Big Ten schedule. If that’s not enough, they end the season against Notre Dame. However, if USC can win a lot of these games, they will have one of the best resumes in the country.
Can the USC Trojans bounce back in 2024? Landing a defensive player like Ramsey is a huge help but the defense will continue to be a point of emphasis this offseason.