ESPN Pac-10 Blog

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

	John Pyle/Icon SMI
	Taylor Mays has high expectations for the USC defense.

LOS ANGELES -- USC free safety Taylor Mays is just like you. He doesn't know who USC's starting quarterback is going to be against Virginia. Unlike you, he doesn't much care.

He wants a reporter to know that this is USC-2008, and USC-2008 is about one thing: defense. 

"The only time the offense has success is if we mess up," Mays said while negotiating the post-practice festival of autograph-seekers packing Howard Jones Field that is a staple of the USC experience. 

"I don't think anybody really impresses me on our offense, but the offense is going to be alright. They've got a lot of athletes and a lot of great players, too. But I'm not going to give them any pub because we're a defensive football team."

Asked who's stood out for him on the Trojans defense during preseason practices and Mays ticks off about eight names before just saying, "Everybody."

"Everybody on our defense is a cover-story player, is special," May said.

Mays leads the crew in terms of pure ability. He might, in fact, be the best athlete in college football, considering he's the best all-around athlete on the Trojans.

Mays ran the Trojans fastest 40 time during the off-season: 4.25.

And he weighs 235 pounds.

At times, there has been talk that he was too linebacker-big and that he should lose a few pounds to improve his lateral quickness.

"I can't lose any weight because my body fat is too low," he said. "It would be unhealthy and I'd be going to rehab for anorexia."

But the athleticism has been a given for Mays since he was everybody's All-American coming out of Seattle's O'Dea High School. Entering his third year as a starter, Mays points to another "muscle" -- his head.

"I just know the defense," he said. "I understand what I really need to do to be a great safety."

Which is why the preseason Playboy All-American is expected to declare for the NFL draft at the end of the season, when he'll likely be picked in the top half of the first round.

As for this season, Mays believes this Trojans defense can match that of last year's model, which ranked second nationally in total defense (273.2 yards per game) and scoring(16.0 points per game).

In fact, he thinks it can exceed 2007's spectacular unit for one reason: He anticipates it creating more turnovers -- the Trojans forced 28 last year, which ranked third in the Pac-10.

"We recognize that one of the few weaknesses we had in the defense last year was turnovers, so that's been our primary focus," he said.

So maybe all those interceptions QB Mitch Mustain has been throwing aren't such a bad thing?

But seriously, Taylor, who's going to be the quarterback?

"I don't think it really matters," he said, "because we're going to play well on defense regardless."