The 2023 college football season was a disaster for USC, and there’s simply no getting around that reality. We all wanted something different. We all hoped this scenario would be avoided. Yet, it happened. That can’t be changed. Nothing can improve the way the 2023 season went down at USC. All that can be done is to learn from it and look forward to the future. The 2024 Trojans who were on the 2023 team will try to grow and develop. The players not returning to USC football, who will instead go to the NFL’s upcoming scouting combine, will try to make a firm and forceful statement: They are better than what they were in 2023. Last year was not the final and defining snapshot of their quality as football players.
Let’s look at each combine invitee from USC, summing up the stakes involved at the combine: