USC’s Drake Jackson feeling at ease in new hybrid role

Drake Jackson has a new job title, but in his estimation, no new responsibilities.

The USC sophomore broke onto the scene last season, earning Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year honors with 11.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and three pass breakups in 11 games at defensive end.

But with the arrival of new defensive coordinator Todd Orlando, Jackson was asked to move into more of a hybrid role as an outside linebacker who frequently stays up on the line to pass rush.

After two games, Jackson doesn’t feel like he’s being asked to do anything different, aside from occasionally dropping back in coverage. Actually, he feels like the new scheme has been liberating.

“I would say they just let me play more rather than thinking about anything,” Jackson said in a Zoom press conference on Wednesday. “I like that a lot more, just having me play free and letting me do what I do.”

The season opener against Arizona State was relatively quiet by Jackson’s standards: Three tackles, one for loss, no sacks. But even after having to sit out much of the second game to receive an IV, Jackson made an impression in his limited snaps.

He had five total tackles but two sacks. The first came on a third down in the third quarter, forcing Arizona to punt. The two sacks accounted for a total of 17 yards lost by the Wildcats.

But Jackson didn’t see the improved performance as a sign of being more comfortable in his new role.

“I would say it’s just a matter of me getting to the quarterback because sometimes you get there and they just throw it away,” Jackson said, noting that ASU QB Jayden Daniels was quick with his release. “But this week I was getting home, and I mean that’s about it.”

One definite difference for Jackson is the new weight he is playing at this year. As a freshman, the 6-foot-4 Jackson weighed in at 275 pounds.

But for his new role, which requires more agility when he drops back in coverage, Jackson has lost 20 pounds. He says he feels “more twitchy,” and he can tell a difference in terms of quickly he’s able to get around the edge now.

“Last year, probably a little bit heavy,” Orlando said of Jackson. “To me, he’s got really, really good vision. That’s probably the thing that good players have that’s not coachable. He can see everything, and he can adjust.”

STEELE RESOLVE

Sophomore cornerback Chris Steele has been called for four personal fouls in the first two games of the season, causing the USC defense to stay on the field for extended drives.

It’s really the only nit to pick with Steele’s play this year, as teams have tended not to throw in his direction. And Orlando doesn’t want to see Steele change his approach to the game to avoid flags.

Instead, he wants to coach Steele up on what officials will look for, and to make him understand that opposing coaches will try to make officials aware of Steele’s history pregame.

“You just try to show him how things are going to be called. You want guys to be aggressive. It’s hard. If you get too much into a corner’s head and make him soft you’ll never get that back,” Orlando said. “So all we’re doing right now is be aggressive but understand if that head’s not back toward the football that’s going to get called, if you get a little bit too handsy that’s going to get called.”

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