USC Trojans defensive tackle Alex VanSumeren became one of the leaders of the USC defense upon his arrival on campus, and he revealed some of the Trojans' focus while preparing to face the Wisconsin Badgers in another prime time matchup on Saturday.
"Every great defense has really good red zone defense. Not giving up touchdowns. So that's something we emphasized ever since I got here with coach Riley and coach P (Gary Patterson). They got a good quarterback, they got a good program, so we respect them. Just doing our job, that's the main emphasis," VanSumeren said.
Alex VanSumeren Getting Ready for Star Wisconsin Quarterback
No. 16 USC has faced a fierce gauntlet of talented passers. Most landed on the dual-threat side like Louisiana quarterback Lunch Winfield, Oregon's Dante Moore (though Moore left with a concussion in the Ducks' 41-27 win on Sept. 26), and Washington's Demond Williams.
So USC is 2-1 so far against teams that bring a running and throwing threat to the field. And that's the element Wisconsin's Colton Joseph lures to the field. But VanSumeren sounds used to facing quarterbacks of Joseph's caliber.
"Almost every single team in college nowadays has a quarterback who can run," VanSumeren said. "That's popular and we faced a lot of them this season. But we've done a good job. Yet just because we've done a good job in the past, it doesn't guarantee success in this game. So we've done a really good job emphasizing it over the bye week."
Joseph landed with coach Luke Fickell and the Badgers out of Old Dominion. He emerged as a 1,007-yard runner for ODU and combined for 34 touchdowns, 13 rushing. Wisconsin has unleashed him on RPO (Run Pass Option) plays and the result has led to 14 combined touchdowns. That includes crossing the end zone four times by calling his own number; delivering each of those touchdowns in Wisconsin's last four games.
Impact of Alex VanSumeren Against Wisconsin
Past Wisconsin teams lean heavily into its powerful and massive offensive line to ignite the running game. Fickell, however, prefers to roll with a spread look featuring running plays implemented for the quarterback.
Joseph has emerged as the man who ignites the offense. So VanSumeren can come in handy in the middle here, as he can handle the dive and blast runs while defensive coordinator Gary Patterson can draw a scheme that seals off the edge, where mobile quarterbacks are most dangerous.
VanSumeren has 12 tackles and four solo stops in USC's first six games. But that number could grow facing this ground-and-pound approach.
Alex VanSumeren Sounds Off on Facing Wisconsin
VanSumeren has overheard rabid crowd noise throughout his college career. That includes his first four seasons with Michigan State.
The Spartans and USC's Oct. 24 opponent Wisconsin are known to be historic Big Ten Conference rivals, yet VanSumeren pointed out an interesting point ahead of the Trojans' matchup with the Badgers. He's never faced the crowd at Madison, Wisconsin before, and he spoke about that heading into the Trojans' road trip.
So VanSumeren will take his strength and power in the middle of the defense over to the Badgers' home venue. He'll soon now say he's faced a rival he's never crossed paths with.
But VanSumeren already feels like the 4-2 Badgers will be a rugged challenge.
"They're another physical Big Ten opponent," VanSumeren began. "It's nothing we're not ready for. It's going to be a great atmosphere over there. Haven't played in Madison before. So I'm looking forward to it. But we've had a great week of prep, and we're ready for it.
That means No. 16 USC will be preparing for its second noisy Big Ten environment after facing Penn State back on Oct. 10. But VanSumeren is bracing himself for more than just crowd energy in this showdown.
"They got a great atmosphere over there. I think it was helpful that we were able to play in an environment like we did a couple weeks ago with all the crowd noise, we've done a great job preparing for that," VanSumeren said.
USC is coming off a bye week before facing Wisconsin, and VanSumeren shared his excitement to get back onto the field:
"It's good to have a bye week, we did go seven straight or whatever it was. So, it was good to have that time. But I'm itching to get back out there now. Not playing for a week, it kind of fires you up, want to get back out there," VanSumeren said.
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