THE DIRECTIVE CAME from D'Anton Lynn, the man who might be most significant in shaping USC's trajectory this coming season.
Lynn's goal wasn't uncommon, especially for a coordinator taking over a struggling defense. Coaches often want players to transform their bodies. The first item in the offseason credo -- bigger, stronger, faster -- isn't just a buzzword.
But Lynn's desire for USC defenders to get bigger, especially along the line, carries more weight, quite literally, because the Trojans, along with UCLA, Oregon and Washington, are making the move from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten, a conference known for size and bruising line-of-scrimmage play.