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USATSI

With USC trailing 17-13 in the fourth quarter of a Week 1 win over LSU, linebacker Eric Gentry shed a block and hit Tigers running back John Emery in the backfield, dropping him for a 1-yard loss on a critical third-and-1 play. It was one of his team-high two tackles for loss in a 27-20 win for the Trojans.

The play was a sign of what appeared to be a new defensive toughness for the Trojans under first-year coordinator D'Anton Lynn. LSU was forced to punt from its own territory, returning the football to USC's offense, which scored a go-ahead touchdown as the Trojans notched a seismic victory in the national spotlight to begin Year 3 of Lincon Riley's head coaching tenure. 

But just halfway through the 2024 season, the staying power of USC's defensive improvement and the signs of program progress it seemed to portend are under siege. Gentry announced Tuesday that he will redshirt this season "due to a series of concussions in a short period of time." That blow came the same day Riley revealed defensive end Anthony Lucas will miss the rest of the season due to an injury suffered in last week's 33-30 overtime loss to Penn State.

As the Trojans (3-3, 1-3 Big Ten) prepare for yet another cross-country trip to Maryland — their fifth in a stretch of seven straight Big Ten contests without a bye — their depth and toughness in a rugged new conference is being put to the test.

"Hate it for Anthony, because he'd really improved," Riley said. "He'd had a really strong impact on our defense."

Lucas registered 16 tackles in the first six games, including a season-high six against Penn State before suffering what Riley termed a "lower extremity injury" and undergoing a procedure on Tuesday.

"It's going to create an opportunity for some more guys to step up," Riley said Tuesday. "You hate when you lose a key player, but the positive of this is there's going to be someone else emerge that maybe wouldn't have had the same type of opportunity. So we're disappointed for Anthony but excited about what comes next."

Lucas and Gentry are just the latest losses for USC's defense. Senior linebacker Raesjon Davis and junior defensive tackle Bear Alexander had already announced their midseason decisions to redshirt this season, meaning the Trojans now have a handful of players who were expected to be contributors in their front seven inactive heading into the season's second half.

The losses already appear to be taking their toll as the Trojans navigate life in the Big Ten. Minnesota gutted out a pair of touchdowns in the final eight minutes to steal a 24-17 win over the Trojans on Oct. 5. Last week, Penn State railed from a 20-6 halftime deficit to outscore USC 24-10 in the second half prior to winning in overtime.

USC ranks No. 6 nationally in third-down defense, limiting opponents to just a 27.1% conversion rate after ranking No. 106 nationally in that same category last season. The Trojans held Penn State to 4 of 13 on third-down plays and limited Minnesota to just 2 of 8. 

But fourth downs have been another story.

Both the Nittany Lions and Gophers went 2 for 2 on fourth-down conversion attempts against USC and came up with game-altering fourth-down conversions during critical moments in the fourth quarter.

USC's struggles to get off the field on fourth down in its last two losses stands in contrast to how it opened the season. 

When LSU was faced with a fourth-and-goal on the game's first possession in Week 1, the Tigers opted to roll the dice and go for it instead of kicking a field goal. There pressuring LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and knocking him to the turf as he fired an incompletion was none other than Lucas.

He and Gentry were key cogs in the strides USC was making.

Now, the Trojans must prove they can reclaim that positive defensive trajectory without them as USC seeks to salvage momentum from what's suddenly devolved into a second straight disappointing season.