USC Football: Trojans DL Plans to Enter NCAA Transfer Portal

USC football defensive lineman Bear Alexander is reportedly entering the transfer portal, via On 3 Sports' Hayes Fawcett.

Alexander would be leaving the Trojans after spending just one season with the team. Prior to transferring to USC for his sophomore season in 2023, Alexander played for Georgia in 2022, where he notched two sacks to help the Bulldogs win the national championship. At USC in 2023, Alexander recorded 47 total tackles, 1.5 sacks and two pass break-ups while appearing in 12 games.

The loss of Alexander will take away some of USC's depth along the defensive line as the team transitions to a new defense under coordinator D'Anton Lynn. Before hiring Lynn this offseason, the Trojans' Achilles heel was their defense. They are looking to turn around a defense that gave up an average of 432.8 yards per game a season ago, but will now have to do so without Alexander. They've also put in the effort to improve defensively by hiring Eric Henderson as their defensive line coach and run game coordinator. Henderson was previously Aaron Donald and the Los Angeles Rams' defensive line coach.

Instead, Alexander will enter the transfer portal for the second time in his collegiate career. The report comes in the middle of the Trojans' spring practices, which began back on March 19. The decision is rather surprising, as the Trojans were making efforts to re-tool their defense like hiring Lynn and Henderson.