USC does not have a dedicated special teams coach. Some teams do. Some don’t. Lincoln Riley doesn’t believe in it. If you have good kickers, that part takes care of itself. The coaches make their mark the kickoff teams, punt teams, etc. That’s where John Baxter tended to self-destruct. It’s too early to say how Riley’s approach will work. We’ll see over time. But I … Continue reading Let’s Have A Word On USC Special Teams

Tailback Raleek Brown (ankle) dressed for practice but worked on the side with the strength coach at the beginning of the workout. Defensive tackle De’jon Benton, who led the defensive line in tackles vs. Rice, had his left arm in a cast and was not fully dressed for practice. I’ll update this post when Lincoln Riley meets the media. UPDATED: Riley said Brown might play … Continue reading USC Suffers Defensive Line Injury*

QUARTERBACK Is there anything Caleb Williams can’t do? He’s really the best thrower and runner on the team and that will become more apparent against superior teams. Well, as superior as teams can be on that crummy schedule USC plays. Lincoln Riley just needs to keep him healthy. Grade: A- RUNNING BACK No tailback had more than six carries so it’s probably not completely fair … Continue reading Morning Buzz: USC-Rice Report Card

A few people who went the game Saturday noted the band seemed to be noticeably smaller. I heard this last season too. Maybe it’s a fallout from COVID-19. Who knows? The sun deck (the end zone bleachers where the band watches games) is definitely smaller, perhaps because USC wants it to look full with less band members. Here’s a look at the band seven years … Continue reading Another Observation From Game 1

I might have criticized the defensive line and secondary but I haven’t been critical of the linebackers. Linebackers Shane Lee and Eric Gentry combined for 15 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, .5 sacks, 1 interception and 1 pass breakup vs. Rice. These guys are going to be the foundation of the defense. And they’ll be making a lot of tackles if the defensive line doesn’t … Continue reading USC Linebackers Step Up

So how did the transfers shape USC? 11 of USC’s 22 starters vs. Rice made their first start as Trojans. Eight of the new starters were transfers. The transfers who started: Mekhi Blackmon, Romello Height, Shane Lee, Caleb Williams, Travis Dye, Brenden Rice, Jordan Addison and Mario Williams. Continue reading USC Monday Buzz: Transfers Make Impact