USC defensive coordinator Gary Patterson remains displeased with his unit's performance in the fourth quarter of the Trojans' season-opening victory over San Jose State, according to head coach Lincoln Riley.

Riley stated that three quarters of strong defensive play were followed by a less satisfactory final period. "I know he's pissed right now about the fourth quarter," Riley said in the immediate aftermath of the game. On Tuesday, three days after the 42-26 win, Riley indicated that his assessment hadn't changed after reviewing the game footage.

The Trojans' defense allowed only a field goal through the first three quarters, shutting down the run game and making a crucial fourth-down stop inside their own 10-yard line. However, in the final 15 minutes, a host of reserves struggled to contain San Jose State, conceding 23 points. Riley noted that the team accumulated more defensive "busts" in the fourth quarter than in the rest of the game combined.

Riley acknowledged that human nature likely played a role after USC established a commanding 35-3 lead. Defensive tackle Jide Abasiri echoed this sentiment, suggesting the team may have eased up. "When you start scoring a bunch of points and start letting up a little bit, that's when things can go south," Abasiri said. "I think that's where we let our foot off the gas and that's just something we've got to get better with next week."

While many of the breakdowns occurred with backups on the field, Riley emphasized that these players must improve as they will be needed in more significant situations later in the season. "We need those guys to all go in there and play well, not just seven or eight of them, which was basically what the case was in the fourth quarter the other day," Riley said.

The Trojans will have an opportunity to demonstrate improvement when they host Fresno State on Friday evening. Riley expressed confidence that a significant leap in performance is common between the first and second games of the season.

USC's defense is looking for more disruption from both starters and reserves. Backup defensive end Jadyn Ramos recorded the team's only sack, and the Trojans did not force any turnovers or interceptions. Freshman edge rusher Luke Wafle nearly added another sack, forcing the San Jose State quarterback to throw the ball away.

Pro Football Focus recognized Wafle with the highest grade among edge rushers from Week 0 games. Riley praised Wafle's readiness in defending the run and pressuring the quarterback. "The thing I liked the most about him on Saturday is he didn't hesitate — I mean, he went in there and he played aggressive, he was around the ball, he was around the quarterback," Riley said. "He made some plays for us obviously and he was really close to making a bunch of others, and I think that's just scratching the surface of how good this guy can be."

Abasiri made a key defensive play, stopping San Jose State's Isaiah Carlson for a loss on fourth-and-1 at USC's 7-yard line. Riley highlighted such red zone stops as critical for top teams. "If you don't allow touchdowns in the red zone, you've got a chance to be great."

Despite these positive moments, San Jose State scored touchdowns on both of its red zone trips in the fourth quarter, leaving Patterson and the coaching staff unsatisfied. Patterson was not available for interviews following the game, with Riley speaking on his behalf. "The way our starters played, that deserved to be a single-digit-score game," Riley stated.

The short turnaround this week offers the defense a chance to quickly rebound and address the issues that have left their coordinator frustrated.