Alex Grinch returns to the Coliseum a year after his firing when No. 13 USC hosts Wisconsin

Updated Sep. 26, 2024 5:20 p.m. ET

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lincoln Riley and Alex Grinch were awfully close during their half-decade working together, and so were their families. The offensive mastermind and his chosen defensive coordinator moved together from Oklahoma to Southern California, where everything fell apart last year.

Less than 11 months after USC fired him late in a horrendous defensive season, Grinch returns to the Coliseum on Saturday as the safeties coach at Wisconsin (2-1) for the first Big Ten home game for the No. 13 Trojans (2-1, 0-1).

Both Grinch and Riley have had plenty of similar reunions during their lengthy coaching careers, but this one stands out to Riley.

“Personally, it will be really good to see him," Riley said. “It will certainly be unique, being on opposite sidelines, with all the good times and great memories that we had together, all the years working together.”

USC's defense under new coordinator D'Anton Lynn has been largely outstanding through three games in a complete turnaround from Grinch's tenure. The Trojans present a test for new starting quarterback Braedyn Locke and the Badgers, who should have a healthy traveling contingent of fans for their first game at the Coliseum since 1966.

And two weeks after giving up 42 points to Alabama, Wisconsin will attempt to slow down a solid USC offense led by quarterback Miller Moss. Grinch knows plenty about Riley's offensive schemes and tendencies, but neither team is expecting that knowledge to be a difference-maker.

“Obviously, Coach Grinch has a good familiarity with what we’ve done,” Riley said. "But I still think the game comes down to players and who executes the best.”

Reunion weekend

Grinch isn't the only Badger with close USC ties.

Wisconsin linebacker Tackett Curtis played for the Trojans last season before leaving.

“I’m sure I’ll see some familiar things,” Curtis said. "I’m sure it might help me here and there.”

Wisconsin wide receiver CJ Williams, who is from Mission Viejo, California, is in his second season with the Badgers after playing one year at USC.

“I’m happy for those guys that are getting an opportunity at other schools, including Tackett and CJ at Wisconsin,” Riley said. “No bad blood with any of them. Want them to go and do well. Wish them the best and always be keeping up with them.”

Williams said he is trying to get about 40 tickets for friends and relatives, and his friends on the roster include Moss, receiver Kyron Hudson and new USC linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, his former high school teammate in Santa Ana, California.

“When I first transferred here, I think it was probably like a month, two months after (that) they announced the USC game,” Williams said. “I was like, ‘That’s pretty awesome. I get to go back to the Coliseum.'”

Wisconsin's new QB

After Tyler Van Dyke tore a ligament in his right knee in the first series of that 42-10 loss to No. 4 Alabama, the Badgers have spent the last two weeks adapting to their new quarterback. Only in this case, the new guy is already familiar to them.

Wisconsin went 1-2 last year in Locke’s three starts while Tanner Mordecai was recovering from a broken hand. Locke has six career touchdown passes with only one interception, but he has completed only half his attempts.

“The bye week definitely gave us a chance to get some more reps and look at USC for a couple of weeks,” Locke said. “It’s definitely going to be good when you have a new starting quarterback stepping in.”

D-line depth

The Trojans gave up 290 yards rushing at Michigan, and now they'll play the rest of the season without defensive lineman Bear Alexander, who is taking a redshirt year after being unhappy with his playing time in the first three games. Alexander couldn't beat out Vanderbilt transfer Nate Clifton or Wyoming transfer Gavin Meyer for a starting job, and Riley claims he isn't worried about losing Alexander's contributions.

“A lot of people want to play for this defense and this defensive line right now,” Riley said. "We’ve got a good, hungry group in there, and excited to see those guys go to work and affect games.”

Struggling against the best

Wisconsin’s blowout loss to Alabama dropped the Badgers’ record to 2-12 in their last 14 games against AP Top 25 teams. That includes an 0-3 mark in Luke Fickell’s two-year coaching tenure.

Saturday gives the Badgers another opportunity to prove themselves against a ranked team.

“I feel like the position we’re in, the predicament we’re in, every game is a prove-it game,” cornerback Ricardo Hallman said. “We’re not in no position to take anybody lightly or view any game as not being big. We know the history that USC has, we know the team that they are and we know the success they’ve had in recent years. I’m super excited for the opportunity. I think it’s another chance for us to raise the level of our team.”

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AP Sports Writer Steve Megargee in Madison contributed to this report.

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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll

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