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USC Football Preview: Kennard Heads Dynamic Linebacking Corps

Ryan Nunez |
September 1, 2010 | 1:52 p.m. PDT

Staff Reporter

The Trojans appear to be bona fide at linebacker once again after an uncharacteristically weak year in 2009.

Last season, USC was affected by the NFL defections of All-American linebackers Rey Maualuga and Brian Cushing, and All-American honorable mention Clay Matthews. Maualuga was the 2008 Chuck Bednarik Award winner and Cushing went on to be the 2009 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.  Players like that are hard to replace, even at USC.

Without Maualuga, Cushing and Matthews in the mix, the Trojan linebackers scared no one last year. It was a season marred by missed assignments and poor tackling. But that should change this year thanks to one man: sophomore Devon Kennard.

Kennard, who beat out redshirt junior Chris Galippo for the starting middle linebacker job in training camp, is the son of former NFL player Derek Kennard and is an imposing figure at 6-foot-3, 250 lbs. 

He had surgery on his left thumb before spring practice, but it barely fazed him. Kennard and his cast were everywhere in the spring. Every major dustup seemingly ended with a signature Kennard hit.

Kennard's rare combination of size and speed enabled him to earn a starting position on defense midway through last season, a rarity for a freshman.  He is a true sideline-to-sideline tackling machine, something the Trojans have sorely missed in 2009. 

Teaming with Kennard are seniors Michael Morgan and Malcolm Smith.

Both Morgan and Smith were voted team captains on Monday (along with sophomore Matt Barkley and seniors Stanley Havili and Shareece Wright) and both will be relied upon heavily by the Trojans.

Morgan, who was named starting strong-side linebacker, is 6-foot-4, 240 lbs. He brings much-needed presence to the linebacking corps. 

In addition to his impressive size, Morgan is also blessed with amazing speed for a linebacker. When asked recently who the fastest Trojan on the team was, the second name out of Devon Kennard’s mouth (after Ronald Johnson) was Morgan.

Morgan was USC's starter at strong-side linebacker last season before losing the job at the end of the year to Kennard. He appeared in all 13 games and finished the season with a team-best 13 tackles for a loss, including four sacks. 

Malcolm Smith rounds out the starting linebacker corps, holding onto his 2009 starting position at weak-side linebacker. 

Smith was asked to do too much last season and is the player who will likely benefit the most from the development of Kennard and Morgan. He was second on the team in 2009 in tackles, which was a troubling stat because middle- and strong-side linebackers are usually the tackle machines on a defense, whereas the weak-side linebacker is typically allowed to roam a bit and gamble in order to make big plays.

Smith’s lone interception of 2009 was against UCLA, and he took it back 62 yards for a touchdown.

With the progression of Kennard and Morgan, and the depth provided by juniors Galippo, Ross Cumming and Shane Horton, Trojan fans can expect more plays like that from Smith and the rest of the linebacking corps in 2010.

To reach reporter Ryan Nunez, click here.

If you enjoyed this article, check out Neon Tommy's USC quarterback, running back and wide receiver previews.



 

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