Everyone at USC is interested in how the secondary — a very fluid position group — will shake out this season. A first opportunity to create a clear hierarchy in the secondary will occur in the season opener on August 26 versus San Jose State.
Lincoln Riley talked to 247Sports about the secondary:
“”Still some competition ongoing, but guys like Calen (Bullock) and guys like Max (Williams), Jaylin Smith, Domani (Jackson), Ceyair (Wright), Bryson (Shaw), Christian Roland-Wallace, those are guys that have asserted themselves and you feel like they’re gonna have a chance to play a lot of snaps and then you got a few other guys, (Anthony) Beavers, Zion (Branch), Christian Pierce, Prophet (Brown). We got a handful of other guys. Jacobe Covington probably could put on that first list. We got a handful of others that are going to play and have an opportunity.”
As we have told you — and as we will keep emphasizing — it’s less important who starts against San Jose State. It’s more important who starts on October 14 at Notre Dame, when USC’s schedule begins to become very difficult. The coaching staff has more than a month to learn which players fit best in various roles. That, more than the Week Zero depth chart, is particularly important and relevant for USC. No one should be particularly alarmed if the depth chart undergoes a lot of changes during the month of September. Having something solid and proven in early October is what matters.
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