Tag: USC Football

Watch Texas A&M’s final hype video before the Aggies take on USC in the Las Vegas Bowl

Texas A&M looks to end the 2024 season with a win against a blue blood program

Texas A&M (8-4) looks to finish the 2024 season with a victory, as the Aggies will cap off coach Mike Elko’s inaugural campaign against USC (6-6) in the annual Las Vegas Bowl on Friday night.

Despite the Trojan’s 6-6 record, USC is a blue-blood program that deserves respect. However, after losing 19 players to the transfer portal, including several key starters on offense and defense, coach Lincoln Riley is tasked with fielding a competitive team for four quarters.

For the Aggies, Elko is also dealing with losing an equal 19 players to the portal. Still, that number primarily comprises backups and rotational reserves, as the starting units are in solid shape, led by starting quarterback Marcel Reed.

On Thursday, Riley praised Reed as a “dangerous” offensive weapon that is close to becoming one of the best players in college football once he improves as a passer:

“He has been impressive to watch. He has made the most of his opportunities. A very talented guy… Dangerous player. Definitely one of the top young players in college football.”

Ahead of the late game, Texas A&M’s media team released the final pre-game hype video of the year, and I can safely say that this was by far the best one yet.

Texas A&M will close out the 2024 season against USC in the Las Vegas Bowl on Friday, Dec. 27 on ESPN.

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Texas A&M vs. USC final injury report ahead of Friday’s Las Vegas Bowl

Here is the updated injury report for Texas A&M before the Aggies take on USC in Friday’s Las Vegas Bowl

Texas A&M (8-4) will face USC (6-6) in the annual Las Vegas Bowl on Friday night as coach Mike Elko looks to end the year on a high note and lead his team to its first nine-win season since the 2020 campaign.

This week, the Aggies and Trojans made a stylish entrance in Las Vegas, as both teams aim to conclude the 2024 season with victories, carrying momentum into the 2025 offseason.

However, this matchup is another opportunity for Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed to improve as a passer, which will go a long way toward achieving stark improvement heading into spring football.

On Thursday, Mike Elko and USC coach Lincoln Riley spoke to the media, previewing several position groups and player progress. At the same time, Elko also noted several injury updates centered around sophomore running back Rueben Owens and junior starting right guard Ar’maj Reed-Adams.

KBTX Texas A&M reporter Travis Brown shared a photo of Reed-Adams with his left arm in a sling. The experienced offensive lineman suffered multiple injuries over the season, and it seems unlikely that he will participate on Friday.

Concerning Rueben Owens, Elko stated that despite his solid week of practice, nothing is guaranteed regarding his snap count:

“He has had a good week of preparation. He is not all the way back. That is a five-month injury. We are at four months.”

Elko also stated that since his last press conference earlier this month, there were no more player opt-outs.

Note: TexAgs’ Billy Liucci confirmed that running back Amari Daniels, linebacker Scooby Williams, and cornerback Jayvon Thomas will not play against USC.

Texas A&M vs. USC in the Las Vegas Bowl will occur on Friday, Dec. 27, at 9:30 p.m. CT. The game will air on ESPN.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.

Lincoln Riley announces offensive line updates before Las Vegas Bowl

There is a lot of reshuffling for an undermanned USC offensive line in the Las Vegas Bowl. Lincoln Riley announced which players will start.

When the USC Trojans take on Texas A&M Friday night in the Las Vegas Bowl, they will have two new starters along the offensive line.

At his pre-bowl press conference on Thursday, head coach Lincoln Riley confirmed that NFL-bound redshirt senior offensive lineman Jonah Monheim will opt out of the game. Redshirt sophomore Killian O’Connor will start in his place.

In addition, Riley announced that redshirt freshman Tobias Raymond will start at right tackle. Raymond will step in for redshirt junior Mason Murphy, who recently entered the transfer portal.

The Las Vegas Bowl will also mark the first game as offensive line coach for Zach Hanson. Hanson previously coached USC’s tight ends, but will move to offensive line following the departure of Josh Henson for Purdue.

Kickoff of the Las Vegas Bowl between USC and Texas A&M is set for 7:30 p.m. Pacific time Friday night. The game will air on ESPN television.

National media not very confident in USC heading into Las Vegas Bowl

It is hard for national media commentators to be bullish on USC and Lincoln Riley right now, and who can honestly blame them?

Heading into Friday night’s Las Vegas Bowl against Texas A&M, there are some major questions about the future of the USC football program.

After winning 11 games in Lincoln Riley’s first season in 2022, the Trojans are just 14-11 since the start of 2023. In addition, USC has lost more than 20 players to the transfer portal since the conclusion of the regular season, and recruiting, while certainly not awful, has been not nearly the level it was expected to be at when Riley was hired.

The national college football media has begun to take notice of the current state of the Trojans’ program. Leading up to the Las Vegas Bowl, several prominent media personalities have expressed skepticism over Lincoln Riley’s ability to be successful at USC.

During this weekend’s College GameDay show, the entire set picked the Aggies to beat the Trojans in Vegas. Several of the analysts questioned how motivated USC would be for the game given the disappointing season and the number of players in the transfer portal.

In addition, on his college football show “The Hard Count” last week, J.D. Pickell of On3 Sports questioned the investment level of the USC program under Riley.

“There are certain brands in college football, certain jobs in college football, where that logo requires a little bit more of you,” Pickell said. “USC is this way, Texas is this way. Alabama is this way.

“These big brands where, you don’t get to just wear the name tag. You gotta be all in. Being a USC Trojan has to be something you take pride in the moment your feet hit the floor in the morning.

“Because if you’re not going to be all the way bought in, guess what? You’re not going to have the success you want to have.

“The reason why it’s so frustrating, if you’re watching the pieces not totally fit properly for USC right now is like there’s no structural reason why USC can’t be a powerhouse on the West Coast.”

Fair or not, the national perception of Riley’s USC program right now is not very positive. It will be up to the head coach to repair this perception if he is serious about getting the Trojans back on track.

USC won’t be caught shorthanded on special teams in 2025

USC has restocked the cupboard on special teams. Can the Trojans now address their offensive line?

As we have stated here in the past, USC’s best player in 2024 played on neither offense or defense, but special teams. Eddie Czaplicki, who won the Ray Guy Award as the top punter in the nation, was the Trojans’ top player in 2024, alongside Woody Marks. However, with both Czaplicki and starting kicker Michael Lantz out of eligibility after the Las Vegas Bowl, the Trojans will need to find replacements at both positions.

In recent days, they took a major step towards doing such with the addition of UNLV transfer kicker Caden Chittenden. With the Rebels this past season, Chittenden was named the Mountain West Freshman of the Year on special teams, making 24 of his 30 field goal attempts.

This comes a week after the Trojans earned a commitment from one of the nation’s top high school punter recruits in Will Weisberg. Wesiberg comes to USC from nearby Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California.

Replacing Lantz and Czaplicki’s production will be an incredibly tough challenge. But with the additions of Chittenden and Weisberg, the Trojans hope they will at least be able to maintain a high level of play at both positions.

Carson Palmer’s relationship with Pete Carroll is deeper than ever

Carson Palmer is all-in on becoming a football coach, and Pete Carroll is with him every step of the way to lend support. This is a feel-good Christmas story.

More than half a decade after retiring from the NFL, former USC quarterback Carson Palmer is officially back in the world of football. As you know, Palmer was named the head coach at Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Orange County. Palmer is an alum of Santa Margarita, having starred there in the 1990s. After graduating, Palmer went on to USC, where he played for five seasons. As a senior in 2002, Palmer won the Heisman Trophy under Pete Carroll while leading the Trojans to an 11-2 record and an Orange Bowl victory over Iowa.

Palmer was selected with the first overall pick in the 2003 NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. He would go on to spend 15 years in the NFL with the Bengals, Oakland Raiders, and Arizona Cardinals. Palmer was named to three Pro Bowls during his pro career. His best season in the league came in 2015, when he threw for 4,671 yards and 35 touchdowns and led Arizona to the NFC Championship Game.

He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2021.

Palmer evolved as a quarterback under Pete Carroll, so as the newly-minted coach of a high school program, you had better believe he has turned to Carroll for some advice, as a recent Los Angeles Times story reported:

“I talk to him often and he’s given me little tidbits that I hadn’t even thought about when I first went to him with this,” Palmer said. “He’s an open book and so vulnerable with the mistakes he made, so open with the things he’s shared. I’ve gotten a ton of stuff from him that I love.”

Said Carroll: “It’s always a thrill for me when guys call in and have new challenges coming up and they want to talk about it. I’m honored to help and I give him everything I’ve got.”

If you want to feel good this Christmas, the story of Carson Palmer embracing coaching, and Pete Carroll throwing his full support to his former player, is sure to make Trojans of all ages feel warm and fuzzy.

USC comes to Las Vegas for a business trip, not a Christmas vacation

It’s all business for USC in Vegas. The pleasure will come from winning the bowl game against Texas A&M.

Four months ago, USC football kicked off its season with a victory over LSU in Las Vegas. Now, the Trojans are officially back in Sin City.

USC has arrived in Las Vegas ahead of the Las Vegas Bowl matchup with Texas A&M. The team will spend the week in town, engaging in pre-bowl activities leading up to Friday night’s game.

Highlights of the team’s Monday included handing out holiday meal kits to families in need and visiting Fremont Street. In addition, USC head coach Lincoln Riley and Texas A&M head coach Mike Eli attended a bowl kickoff event together with a view of the famous Bellagio fountains.

One notable attendance of the pre-bowl festivities was five-star quarterback signed Husan Longstreet. While Longstreet is not eligible to play in the game itself, he has been practicing with the team during their preparation period leading up to the game. Longstreet was previously committed to A&M, which spices up this game even though the quarterback isn’t playing in it.

Kickoff of the Las Vegas Bowl between USC and Texas A&M is set for Friday night at 10:30 p.m Eastern time, 7:30 Pacific, on ESPN.

Several 2025 Texas A&M signees have joined the Aggies in Las Vegas

Three of Texas A&M’s 2025 commits joined the Aggies in Las Vegas before taking on USC on Friday

Texas A&M’s 2025 recruiting class features some of the best high school athletes in the country, including four-star linebacker Noah Mikhail and four-star edge Marco Jones, two of the top defenders out of California.

On Friday, Texas A&M (8-4) faces USC in the Las Vegas Bowl. Coach Mike Elko’s first season has been successful compared to other first-year coaches in the SEC.

The Aggies can post their first nine-win season with a victory against the Trojans. While several players on the roster need to step up in the final game of the year, TexAgs’ Ryan Brauninger reported Noah Mikhail, Marco Jones, and four-star cornerback and Aggie signee Cobey Sellers have joined the team in Vegas.

This highlights the culture Elko and his team are fostering in College Station. All three players are not only skilled athletes but also perfect fits for the program. They are poised to excel on and off the field as they join the Texas A&M Aggies.

Texas A&M will face USC in the Las Vegas Bowl on Friday, Dec. 27, at 9:30 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on ESPN.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.

Texas A&M was welcomed to Las Vegas in style ahead of facing USC on Friday

The Aggies were given the red-carpet experience four days before taking on USC in the Las Vegas Bowl

Texas A&M (8-4) will take on the USC Trojans (6-6) in the annual Las Vegas Bowl, as Coach Mike Elko’s first season with the program will come to an official close and hopefully end with a victory against a historic program.

Throughout the month, Elko and his staff have focused on adding veteran talent from the transfer portal. They have already landed nine players, including former Texas Tech and five-star wide receiver Micah Hudson, and three Edge commits, including former Florida defensive end T.J. Searcy.

However, more work needs to be done, especially adding interior defensive line depth after defensive tackle Shemar Turner joined Nic Scourton and Shemar Stewart in declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft.

Elko and his 2024 Aggies team, aside from the 19 players who entered the transfer portal, received a warm welcome on Monday night during their second full day in Las Vegas, keeping their focus on the task at hand.

For those who feel any bowl game outside of the College Football Playoff is “meaningless,” Elko deserves credit for winning eight games during his inaugural season after enduring several season-ending injuries and plenty of late-season issues, knowing that a potential 9-4 finish could go a long way to a successful 2025 campaign.

Texas A&M will face USC in the Las Vegas Bowl on Friday, December 27 at 9:30 p.m. CT. and will air on ESPN.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.

USC’s player problem is bigger than just the transfer portal

When players transfer out of USC, it stings, but if the player never really plays well for USC, that’s not a portal problem. Other factors are at work.

Two years after his departure from USC football, C.J. Williams went back to the transfer portal once again. A four-star wide receiver in the class of 2022, Williams was one of Lincoln Riley’s first big recruiting wins upon his arrival in Los Angeles. After a freshman season in which he caught just four passes for 34 yards, however, Williams elected to enter the transfer portal.

Williams landed at Wisconsin, where he spent the past two seasons. In two years with the Badgers, he caught 31 passes for 396 yards and two touchdowns. With his team’s season now over, Williams recently announced that he will be entering the transfer portal for a second time.

This past September, Williams returned to the Coliseum with Wisconsin. He caught one pass for 15 yards against the Trojans in a 38-21 loss. Now, Williams is back in the transfer portal once again. With one year of eligibility remaining, he will look to find a landing spot that will allow him to finally showcase why he was such a highly-touted recruit coming out of high school three years ago.

The story of C.J. Williams brings up the important point that while a lot of highly-rated football players have transferred out of USC, what’s arguably worse is that most of those players never really played like elite players when the Trojans and Lincoln Riley had them.

Either these players aren’t being evaluated well when USC considers which players to add, or the players aren’t being coached well enough once they get into the program. In Williams’ case, his lack of production at Wisconsin suggests this was more of an evaluation problem than a development problem, but either way, USC can’t be making deficient decisions which lead to washouts.