The USC Trojans have made a concerted effort to improve their defensive talent, and it seems their hard work is paying off with the emergence of a surprising freshman. Despite not being a highly-touted recruit, defensive tackle Floyd Boucard is turning heads in fall practice and earning significant praise from coaches and teammates alike. His performance is a promising sign for a USC defense that desperately needs to improve, particularly against the run.
Defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn, who is tasked with revamping the Trojans’ defense, has been particularly impressed with Boucard. According to an X Post by Ryan Kartje, Lynn stated that Boucard “just does some things you can’t coach.” This obvious high praise indicates how good of an athlete Boucard is and how his game can provide immediate value to USC’s defense. This sentiment is echoed by other members of the coaching staff, with defensive ends coach Shuan Nua praising Boucard’s athleticism and “good feet,” and defensive line coach Eric Henderson describing him as “physical,” “heavy-handed,” and having “elite footwork” (per 247 Sports).
The praise for Boucard is not limited to the coaching staff; his teammates are also taking notice. Junior defensive lineman Devan Thompkins highlighted Boucard’s “great skill set” and “unbelievable” footwork (also per 247 Sports). Perhaps the most telling endorsement came from redshirt sophomore Kameryn Fountain (per Athlon Sports), who admitted to learning from Boucard and taking tips from his game. For a veteran player to look to a freshman for advice is a powerful indicator of Boucard’s incredible skill.
The fact that everyone from the defensive coordinator (Lynn), position coaches (Nua and Henderson) and teammates (Thompkins and Fountain) is so impressed with Boucard is a great sign. This amount of “corroborating evidence” is a strong indicator that Boucard will play an immediate and pivotal role for this USC defense.
Boucard’s impact is especially critical for a USC team that struggled mightily on defense last year. The Trojans finished near the bottom of the Big 10 in run defense, per the data from Pro Football Focus.
As the above chart shows, quality run defense generally correlates with wins. In fact, an argument could be made that the two most important parts of a Big 10 contender are its passing game (ie QB play) and it’s run defense. Lincoln Riley has the passing game on shoulders. Young defenders like Boucard should elevate the run defense.
Boucard’s surprising athleticism can be attributed to his diverse athletic background, which includes playing hockey and positions like tight end and running back. This versatility has given him a unique skill set for a defensive tackle, allowing him to be agile and light on his feet despite his size. The fact that he’s not a traditional football player means he has very few bad habits to “un-learn” which means he will likely only get better and better.
In a sport where recruiting rankings often dictate expectations, Floyd Boucard’s performance is a refreshing reminder that true talent can be found anywhere. His early success is a leading indicator that he could be a significant player for the USC defense and a key factor in the team’s efforts to rebuild its reputation on that side of the ball. His emergence provides a promising sign for the future and gives Trojans fans a new reason to be optimistic about the season ahead.
Disclaimer: The content of this article was originally published as a YouTube video on the SMI College Football Show YouTube channel. With AI assistance, the publisher of the video created this article based on the content of that video.
