USC Trojans – Page 2 – Syndication Server

USC QB coach Luke Huard visits notable recruit Friday night

If Julian Lewis bolts for Indiana or Colorado, getting Husan Longstreet to flip from Texas A&M could prove to be very crucial for USC.

On Friday evening, Jarrett Perez of 247Sports reported that USC football quarterbacks coach Luke Huard was in attendance at Corona Centennial High School, checking out five-star quarterback Husan Longstreet.

Per On3 Consensus’s rankings, Longstreet is the number 23 overall player in the Class of 2025. He is also the number four quarterback and the number two player in the state of California.

Longstreet is currently committed to Texas A&M. Over the past few weeks, however, rumors have begun to fly that he could potentially flip his commitment to USC.

The Trojans have had five-star 2025 quarterback Julian Lewis committed since last year. However, Lewis has taken numerous visits to other schools even after committing to USC, and the general vibe is that there is a good chance he winds up elsewhere.

USC’s quarterback situation for next year is still very much up in the air. The Trojans have just two quarterbacks on their 2024 roster who have thrown a pass at the FBS level: Miller Moss and Jayden Maiava. However, there is a good chance that at least one of the two will transfer this offseason, if not both.

While it will depend on how the last three games go with Maiava replacing Moss as the starter, it is likely that USC will be looking for at least one quarterback in the transfer portal this offseason. While the odds of a true freshman coming in and winning the starting job right away are slim, it is certainly not an impossible scenario given USC’s current status at the position.

College football’s early signing period for high school recruits begins on December 4, less than three weeks away.

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JuJu Watkins makes NIL history shortly before making USC history

JuJu Watkins’ scored her 1000th career point at USC shortly after making NIL history and developing her robust national brand.

In the season following Caitlin Clark’s departure from women’s college hoops, JuJu Watkins of USC women’s basketball is the next big thing. The sophomore finished second in scoring behind Clark last season as a freshman. JuJu has picked up right where she left off this year, averaging 21.3 points per game to start the season.

On Friday, behind a 22-point performance in an 81-50 throttling of Santa Clara, Watkins became the fourth-fastest player to reach 1,000 career points in Division I history, passing none other than Clark. She also made USC history by becoming the fastest Trojan to reach 1,000. It took her only 38 games.

Off the court, JuJu is making history with her NIL deals. Watkins has inked a deal with Gatorade and a multiyear extension with Nike, but she also became the first student-athlete to sign a deal with Funko Pop! collectibles. On top of that, it was recently announced that she would star in and executive produce her own show on NBC and Peacock.

We are still in the early stages of Watkins’ career. She is already turning heads night in and night out and etching her name in the record books. The 1,000-point mark is just the beginning of what we will see from her this season, as it becomes clearer that USC has one of the top players in women’s basketball, and maybe the best of them all.

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USC lands local 5-star recruit as part of new Big Ten regime

USC tennis adds yet another 5-star prospect to a young, exciting team in hopes of bringing home a Big Ten title and much more.

USC has a lot of intriguing teams on the playing fields right now. There is JuJu Watkins and the women’s basketball team. Jayden Maiava is the big story for the football team. Don’t forget a team that may have slipped under the average Trojan fan’s radar screen: men’s tennis.

While out of season, the tennis team is getting better and better this offseason. It recently landed a top recruit, five-star prospect Nathan Suh. He is a homegrown talent from Orange, Calif., and he already has USC ties.

In a recent interview, USC head coach Brett Masi touched on the connection while giving his thoughts on Suh:

“Nathaniel is a great young talent out of Southern California, who has been a top talent in the area over the course of his junior career from 12-years old to 18s– Nathaniel has a legacy of being a Trojan, and we are excited to continue that legacy as his mom was a Trojan.”

USC is keeping it in the family with this recruitment.

The incoming freshman has been impressive against other top-tier talent. Suh has a match record of 10-5 against other five-star recruits and an astonishing 8-1 record against four-star recruits.

Suh will join the Trojans in the fall.

While not as flashy as football or basketball, it is always good news for USC sports to land top talent.

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Expert score predictions: Nebraska vs. USC

Who will win between the Huskers and the Trojans?

Nebraska travels to California for a clash with the USC Trojans in the Los Angeles Coliseum. Both teams announced big changes to their offenses ahead of this matchup, making the outcome more unpredictable.

The Huskers changed offensive coordinators and play-callers, bringing in Dana Holgorsen to jump-start Nebraska’s offense. However, USC also made a change during the bye week, benching quarterback Miller Moss and starting sophomore UNLV transfer Jayden Maiava.

Maiava played in all 14 games for the Rebels in 2023, leading the team to the Mountain West Championship, where they fell to Boise State. UNLV then played Kansas in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl but lost 49-36 after throwing 24 completions off 35 throws for 291 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions

He finished his freshman year completing 224 of 353 passes, averaging just over 220 passing yards, throwing 17 touchdowns and ten interceptions, and suffering only ten sacks across 14 games.

However, he also had run support at UNLV, with the Rebels racking up 2,429 rushing yards and 39 rushing touchdowns. Maiava is a dual threat, breaking seven double-digit yard runs during the 14-game span.

UCLA’s Ethan Garbers showed that quarterback runs are another critical factor in getting by Nebraska’s defense. However, Maiava only has one season of play under his belt, which primarily consisted of facing Mountain West teams.

Now, he earns his first start as a Trojan against a Big Ten defense that, despite its struggles, still poses a threat to inexperienced quarterbacks. The Blackshirts stand with 25 sacks and nine interceptions while holding opponents to just over 19 points per game.

Also, adding Phil Snow as a defensive consultant could give Tony White support and help turn the defense around.

USC relies on the passing game but can produce on the ground when needed. Nebraska’s defense primarily shuts down running backs, excluding Indiana. So, the Huskers need to get to Maiava if they want to stop the pass. Bring the pressure, take away the first read, and force the Trojans to run.

With a shake-up finally occurring for Nebraska, USC can’t rely on the predictability aspect, as it’s hard to say what Dana Holgorsen will call from the playbook or even cook up.

He’s only been in Nebraska for less than two weeks, so it’s more than likely that Satterfield’s playbook is still present. But Holgorsen is calling the shots and could even rework a few of the plays to his liking.

However, unlike the Husker’s last three opponents, USC can’t foresee what Nebraska will do, which doesn’t help its defense. The Trojans allowed an average of around 22 points per game this season.

However, with Nebraska’s recent history of seeking the sixth win, it’s hard to give the Huskers the win here. USC has struggled in the fourth as of late, but it couldn’t have asked for a better team to get out of that stretch than Nebraska.

Score Prediction: USC 28, Nebraska 24

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Nebraska’s football schedule: Are the Huskers playing today?

Is Nebraska playing today? Here’s a look at the schedule and the games to come.

Will the Nebraska Cornhuskers be on the field today in the week 12 college football schedule? Following a bye week last weekend, Nebraska returns to the field this Saturday, November 16, to face the USC Trojans.

The Huskers enter the game with a record of 5-4 (2-4), while the Trojans have a record of 4-5 (2-4).

This will be the sixth game between these two schools. USC leads the all-time series 4-0-1. The last time these two teams played was the 2014 Holiday Bowl, a game the Trojans won 45-42.

The Nebraska offense ranks No. 97 in the country in total offense at 354.1 yards per game. They also rank No. 100 in scoring offense at 23.6 points per game. The game will be the first with new offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen, who is replacing Marcus Satterfield as the team’s play-caller.

The Trojans rank No. 72 in the nation in total defense, at 370.8 yards per allowed per game. They also rank No. 47 in scoring defense at 22.22 points allowed per game.

The Nebraska defense ranks No. 16 in the country in total defense at 308.1 yards allowed per game. They also rank No. 22 in scoring defense at 19.11 points allowed per game.

The Blackshirts will face a USC offense that has announced a new starting quarterback for this weekend’s game. They rank No. 31 in the nation in total offense, at 437.8 yards per game, and No. 51 in scoring offense, at 30.6 points per game.

Saturday’s game from the LA Coliseum will kick off at 3:00 p.m. CT and can be seen on Fox.

NEBRASKA 2024 schedule

Aug. 31: UTEP (W, 40-7)
Sep. 7: Colorado (W, 28-10)
Sep. 14: Northern Iowa (W, 34-3)
Sep. 20: Illinois (L, 24-31)
Sep. 28: at Purdue (W, 28-10)
Oct. 5: Rutgers (W, 14-7)
Oct. 19: at Indiana (L, 7-56)
Oct. 26: at Ohio State (L, 17-21)
Nov. 2: UCLA (L, 20-27)
Nov. 16: at USC (3:00 p.m. CT)
Nov. 23: Wisconsin (2:30 p.m. CT)
Nov. 29: at Iowa (6:30 p.m. CT)
Record: 5-4 (2-4)

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USC celebrates proud football history while trying to restore on-field success

The irony is lost on no one: USC is celebrating its 1972 team and its 1970s-era heritage, including John Robinson, at a time when on-field results aren’t good.

Traditionally, USC football does not wear alternate uniforms. However, the Trojans announced that they will be making an exception this week—and for a very good reason. For USC’s homecoming game against Nebraska Saturday, the Trojans will wear 1970s-themed throwback uniforms. You can take a closer look at them here.

The uniforms will be a fighting tribute to legendary USC head coach John Robinson, who passed away on Monday. Robinson coached the Trojans from 1976-1982 and again from 1993-1997. He led USC to four Rose Bowl victories and the 1978 national championship.

In addition to the uniforms, Connor Morrissette of 247Sports reported on Friday that the Trojans will also have throwback field painting for Saturday’s game. Per Morrissette, “the endzones will be marked with gold paint, cardinal lettering and a cardinal and white diamond pattern, as well as a gold interlock painted at the 50-yard line.”

The irony cannot be ignored or missed: USC football is celebrating its rich history and the era which delivered so many of its best teams and greatest moments, all while the 2024 team is struggling to live up to that standard. The greatest tribute USC can create is to thump Nebraska and reawaken the echoes of glories past.

Kickoff between USC and Nebraska is set for 1 p.m. local time in Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon.

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USC announces tunnel captain for homecoming game

Adoree Jackson will be USC’s tunnel captain for the Nebraska game. USC hopes the game’s outcome matches all the festivities surrounding the event.

On Friday, USC announced its tunnel captain for Saturday’s homecoming game against Nebraska. Serving in the role will be none other than former USC All-America cornerback Adoree’ Jackson. He played at USC from 2014-2016. As a junior in 2016, he became the second Trojan to win the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back.

Jackson also saw action on offense and special teams during his time in Cardinal and Gold. In fact, he is the Trojans’ all-time leader in both kickoff return yards and punt return touchdowns.

One of Jackson’s most memorable moments at USC came during the 2014 Holiday Bowl against Nebraska, when he returned a kickoff 98 yards for the game’s first touchdown. The Trojans would go on to win the game 45-42.

Jackson was selected 18th in the 2017 NFL draft by the Tennessee Titans. He spent the first four seasons of his professional career there, before signing with the New York Giants in 2021, where he has been since.

Kickoff between USC and Nebraska is set for 1 p.m. local time in Los Angeles on Saturday.

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One fan base will be very angry about USC-Nebraska, regardless of who wins

The USC-Nebraska matchup is a must-win game for both teams. Fans are showing frustration toward both Lincoln Riley and Matt Rhule.

USC football has a big matchup this weekend against Big Ten foe Nebraska. The matchup contains an intriguing twist. Both Lincoln Riley, head coach for the Trojans, and Matt Rhule, head coach for the Cornhuskers, could very likely be under a lot of fire with a loss on Saturday.

The Trojans have clearly had a lot of problems this season with a 4-5 record after being ranked as high as No. 11 in the AP Poll this season, while Nebraska is sitting at 5-4 and is on a three-game losing streak.

Heading into the matchup, Nebraska fans are feeling reasonably frustrated with Rhule, but they are optimistic about handling the Trojans.

Evan Bredeson of Cornhuskers Wire put it this way:

“Nebraska fans are very nervous. Matt Rhule overachieved going 5-7 with last year‘s team and people were expecting the program to take the next step in year two. That hasn’t really happened and frustration is now starting to build and for the first time since he’s gotten here, he’s feeling the heat. With all that being said I think fans are optimistic about this Saturday’s game due to the change in offensive coordinator, but also due to the dysfunction within the USC program. From the outside, looking in, it looks like Lincoln Riley is really struggling and Husker fans think now is the perfect time to meet.”

This weekend will be very telling about the Trojans. With a new quarterback, a head coach in hot water, and future commits falling left and right, the game against Nebraska feels like a must-win.

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Cornhuskers Wire offers insight on Nebraska’s new offensive play-caller

A Nebraska analyst explains why the Huskers and Matt Rhule had to change offensive play-callers before playing USC. There’s a lot going on behind the scenes.

Earlier this week, Nebraska football announced that it will make a major offensive change ahead of the matchup with USC on Saturday. Former Houston and West Virginia head coach Dana Holgorsen, who recently joined the Cornhuskers as an offensive consultant, will take over the team’s offensive play calling for the remainder of the season.

Holgorsen replaces Marcus Satterfield, who had served as Nebraska’s offensive coordinator since the start of the 2023 season. Satterfield will now solely serve as the team’s tight ends coach.

Following the announcement, Evan Bredeson of Cornhuskers Wire offered some perspective on the move.

“Matt Rhule had to make a change. I don’t know that any of us thought he would do something this drastic, especially considering how loyal he is to the guys on his staff. The fact that he made the change though is welcomed news. The offense had been regressing the last two years under Marcus Satterfield. Quarterback Dylan Raiola is playing worse now than he did at the start of the season, and if a staff change wasn’t made at the top of the offense, the chances of him hitting the portal was possible.

“With Holgorsen, I expect to see shorter passes designed to get the quarterback into rhythm early. Nebraska’s passing game had evolved to screen pass or deep shot. Nothing really in between. I also think we’ll see a lot more of the tight ends being involved in the passing game. Dana is known to have an affinity for using tight ends and the huskers actually have some depth at that position group and have not been utilizing it in any effective way this season.

“And they will run the football. Even though DH is an Air Raid guy, all of his top offenses always had a very good running game. Matt Rhule has said over and over again since arriving in Lincoln that he wants to be able to run the football consistently with power. The offense has simply not delivered on that front.”

USC takes on Nebraska at 1 p.m. Pacific Standard Time this Saturday.

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With Carol Folt’s retirement, Lincoln Riley is the last man standing at USC

The athletic director, the chief of staff, a key board figure, and now the president. The people on stage with Lincoln Riley in 2021 will all be gone next year.

Three years ago, when Lincoln Riley made the stunning decision to leave Oklahoma for USC, he mentioned the Trojans’ strong administrative alignment as one of the biggest factors that motivated him to do so. Three years later, he might be starting to question that decision a little.

One of the biggest X-factors in USC’s wooing of Riley was chief of staff Brandon Sosna. However, Sosna left for a front office job in the NFL before Riley even coached his first game in Cardinal and Gold.

USC certainly does not hire Riley without athletic director Mike Bohn. Under Bohn’s leadership, USC’s athletic department went from being a scandal-driven laughingstock to one of the premier operations in the country. However, Bohn resigned after Riley’s first season amidst reports of inappropriate conduct.

One of the speakers at Riley’s introductory press conference was USC Board of Trustees President Rick Caruso. However, Caruso resigned just a few months later to pursue a campaign for Mayor of Los Angeles.

And of course, spearheading the entire operation was USC President Carol Folt. While Bohn and Sosna may have done most of the dirty work, ultimately it was Folt who had to sign off on Riley’s nine-figure contract. Just last week, Folt announced her plans to retire at the end of the academic year.

At Riley’s introductory press conference in November of 2021, the head coach posed for a photo with Folt, Bohn, Sosna, and Caruso. Now, Riley will be the only one of the five still at USC next year.

Is this the end of the world? Not at all. Ultimately, Riley’s job is to coach the football team. It is not as though he is spending multiple hours with the president and athletic director on a daily basis.

But given that Riley was promised strong administrative alignment when he signed on, the fact that the four biggest people responsible for hiring him will be gone less than four years later is not exactly a great sign.

It is too soon to know what this will mean for Riley’s long-term future, but if he does not feel he has the support of the new administration, he could potentially decide to jump ship for the NFL sooner rather than later.

After all, there is a very good chance Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears will need a new head coach this offseason. Just saying . . .

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