Near the glittering stars of Hollywood in 1969, it seemed only
fitting that William Holden’s movie, “The Wild
Bunch,” was used to nickname the best defensive line in the
nation, a group at USC that terrorized opposing backfields.
But this time, 34 years later with a different cast of
characters, the sequel — called The Wild Bunch II ““ may be
even better than the original. This group features the star,
Kenechi Udeze; the unsung hero, Mike Patterson; the comeback kid,
Shaun Cody; and the newcomer, Frostee Rucker.
“There are a lot of different characters on our defensive
line,” Cody said. “Everybody excels at different
things, whether it’s speed or power.”
By season’s end, Udeze will be on several All-American
lists. He leads the team with 18.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks
on the season despite being double-teamed on virtually every
play.
What makes Udeze’s statistics even more heartbreaking for
UCLA is that Udeze was once rumored to be coming to Westwood.
“At the time, I felt that USC had a better coaching
staff,” Udeze said. “It just was a better place for me
after I looked at both schools.”
Patterson actually has more tackles than Udeze, with 43 on the
season. However, he doesn’t get the same publicity as Udeze.
Still, Patterson doesn’t mind being a role player in
Carroll’s defensive scheme.
“You’re happy for your teammates in this
defense,” USC defensive line coach Ed Orgeron said.
“You do your job with the knowledge that they’ll do
theirs.”
Cody, also at one time rumored to be a future Bruin, has had his
fair share of difficulties over his Trojan career. While his
productivity on the field has never been questioned, he suffered a
season-ending knee injury this past year, causing him to ponder
jumping to the NFL after this year. Still, Cody has come back from
the injury and enjoyed his season.
“It’s been fun being here with these guys since we
were freshmen,” Cody said. “We’re very
experienced and I think that helps a lot. Guys are able to trust
each other, and it gets a lot of issues out of the way.”
However, the Trojans are deep along the defensive line, as
exemplified by the performance of newcomer Rucker. Rucker, a
transfer from Colorado State, stepped in after the loss of Omar
Nazel, and the line has not missed a beat.
But if this sequel has been a success, a large part of the
credit also has to go to its director, Orgeron.
“Coach Orgeron gets us pumped up a lot,” Cody said.
“When someone works as hard as he does, all you can do is
work your hardest.”
A former coach at Miami in the 1990s, Orgeron has played a
pivotal, albeit behind-the-scenes, role in USC’s revival. His
fiery personality gets his players to play, and his vivacious
demeanor has attracted recruits on a national level.
At practices, Orgeron is as animated as ever, and even looks as
if he’s the one who has had a workout. The focus on UCLA is
equally intense, and the defensive line’s mantra is
emphasized ““ that any success on defense starts with The Wild
Bunch II.
“When we play well, the defense plays well,” Udeze
said. “Our success on defense comes in large part because
we’re able to allow our linebackers and defensive backs to
run free.”
The Wild Bunch II had high expectations entering the season, and
they have not disappointed. From the opening act against Auburn, to
the dramatic field goal block by Cody in USC’s only loss to
Cal, to the simply comical way they have beaten teams to this
point, the Wild Bunch II is coming to the Coliseum near you.