John Middlekauff is joined by Michael Calabrese of the Action Network to discuss his new book “Legendary Bowl: Deciding College Football’s G.O.A.T.” John and Michael dive into Lincoln Riley struggling at USC and trying to back out of the 2024 season opener vs LSU. The commentators ask if USC football will be a national championship contender under Lincoln Riley. This is obviously a conversation which will continue to exist until the Trojans definitively prove they are worthy of being a top-tier program.
One of the keys is something Trojans Wire recently wrote about: The strength and the weak link of the coaching staff both have to do a great job in 2024 and beyond:
The USC Trojans have two position coaches who are both hugely important for USC football in 2024. One of them is Eric Henderson on the defensive line. One is Josh Henson on the offensive line. Naturally, line play is the central key for USC in its 2024 season, so in that sense, Henderson and Henson are in the same boat. Yet, a fuller look at these coaches unearths a fundamental difference between them.
Eric Henderson is the hope of this coaching staff. The hope at USC is that if Henderson is as great as advertised, USC can take less-than-spectacular talent and turn it into a top-tier defensive line unit in the course of the 2024 season. Henderson is the coach who has the most upside because of his credentials as he enters his job.
Josh Henson is the concern of this coaching staff at USC. After a difficult 2023 season, Henson has a lot to prove heading into 2024.
Henderson and Henson both thriving would likely elevate USC to the lofty standard the Trojans hope to reach under Lincoln Riley.
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