FOOTBALL

USC Morning Buzz: The Good/Bad Of Football And Another Key Baseball Defection

Let’s look at the potential strengths and weaknesses of the USC football team:

PRIMARY STRENGTHS: The offense features a Heisman Trophy contender and the usual array of star prospects at the skill prospects. The offensive line returns all five starters and has size and depth. In a reversal for recent USC teams, the defense will be led by its defensive line, which could solve last year’s problem of stopping the run. There are a handful of big-time recruits expected to make an immediate impact. 

POTENTIAL PROBLEMS: Quarterback Jayden Maiava was inconsistent in some of last year’s biggest games and lost his top two receivers from last year. There is a certain amount of risk expecting so many true freshmen to step in and contribute right away. The defense has some real questions at linebacker and especially in the secondary, which will likely determine whether USC finally reaches the College Football Playoff.

  • USC first baseman Adrian Lopez is the latest Trojan in the transfer portal. He finished last season with a .304 average, 13 home runs and 47 RBI.

It was almost worse, as Abbrie Covarrubias also entered the portal but then changed his mind.

Safe to say, this team will not resemble last year’s squad with the defections. Why are they leaving? They think they can get better NIL offers at other schools. USC does not place baseball in the same conversation as football, men’s and women’s basketball with NIL.

10 thoughts on “USC Morning Buzz: The Good/Bad Of Football And Another Key Baseball Defection”

  1. Transfer 25% of the NIL money dedicated to men and women basketball to baseball. Problem solved. Basketball does not generate income, particularly the women. It is not more important than baseball. At least baseball has a history of greatness at the university. Can’t say that with basketball.

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      2. KAM: USC has slowly morphed into the Washington Generals.

        DON: We play hard and make the highlight reel of the other team.

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      3. How dare you say that!! There was nothing unusual about any of our last minute losses —especially the one to Tulane where we gave up 9 points in 3 seconds…. or…. to TCU …where we allowed a TD in the last second by watching a runner go through 7 USC players [all of whom were caught on camera saying, “what the heck?’]……

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    1. KAM: What about Special Teams?

      DON: The Trojans return record-setting kicker Ryon Sayeri but will have a new punter, long snapper and special teams coach.

      The Trojans gain an Australian punter in Memphis transfer Lachlan Carrigan and an experienced long snapper in Oregon State transfer Dylan Black.

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