COLLEGE FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : USC : Smith Says Defense Won’t Be Changed

Although USC gave up a season-high 385 yards passing in last week’s 38-37 loss to UCLA, Trojan Coach Larry Smith said he doesn’t plan to alter his aggressive defensive strategy of blitzing in Saturday’s game against Notre Dame.

“When you get hit with a big play in the style defense we run, it’s got to be for one of two reasons,” Smith said. “One, you’re not covering well; and 1-A, you’re not getting to (the quarterback) quick enough. If you’re going to put the defensive backs on an island, you’ve got to really make sure that you’re coming hard enough.

“And as I looked at (the game films) I think we were coming hard, but not as hard as we’re capable of doing. We were about a step from getting to (quarterback John) Barnes. Our man-to-man techniques were good. We were in ‘man’ 29 times in that game, and we were successful 26 times.

“But one time (cornerback) Jason Oliver slipped and (UCLA wide receiver J.J. Stokes) ran right by him (and caught a 29-yard touchdown pass). One time, they threw a four-yard dump underneath, and the corner (Jerald Henry) missed the initial tackle. Another time he just flat out got beat (on Stokes’ 90-yard touchdown pass play).

“In technique (Henry) graded out at 90% plus in the first three quarters. It’s just that things went bad for him.”