Tag: USC

Lincoln Riley knows he needs to make the USC QB room better in 2025

Lincoln Riley is mapping out his plan for the 2025 quarterback room at USC, but the one thing which matters should be obvious to anyone paying attention.

USC football and Lincoln Riley are in an interesting spot at the quarterback position heading into 2025. Miller Moss, who started the first nine games of the season for the Trojans, announced his plans to enter the transfer portal earlier this week. With third stringer Jake Jensen also planning to transfer, USC has just one scholarship quarterback set to return next season: Jayden Maiava.

Maiava, who transferred to USC from UNLV ahead of the 2024 season, started the final three games of the regular season for the Trojans. He will presumably start USC’s bowl game as well, and will return as a redshirt junior next fall.

The Trojans also just signed Husan Longstreet, a five-star quarterback in the class of 2025. Longstreet will enroll a semester early at USC, and begin practicing with the Trojans leading up to the bowl game. He will look to compete for playing time as a true freshman in the fall.

With just two scholarship quarterbacks currently on the roster heading into the spring, USC will need to add depth at the position. On Wednesday, Riley confirmed that USC will look to add a player in the transfer portal at the position.

However, Riley also expressed confidence in the two quarterbacks currently on the roster. Based on the sound of his comments, it seems as though USC will look to add a depth piece at the position, rather than a high-profile commodity.

“We obviously have a ton of confidence in both [Maiava] and Husan,” Riley said. “We’re gonna put a lot of emphasis, a lot of reps, a lot of time into those two guys.”

While Maiava should seemingly be the front runner to win the job, USC’s quarterback competition will certainly be an interesting story to follow when spring practice rolls around.

One fact shows why USC football fell short in the Big Ten this year

USC placed just one player on the Big Ten’s first team this year, and it was the punter. Few facts will tell a simpler story about the Trojans in 2024.

There are many indicators and telling facts which explain why USC football fell woefully short in Big Ten football competition this year. Earlier this week, the Big Ten announced its all-conference football teams for the 2024 season.

In a rather fitting development just one Trojans made the first team. Who was it, you ask? Why, that would be punter Eddie Czaplicki, of course.

Czaplicki being the lone Trojan to earn all-conference honors was a rather fitting microcosm of USC’s season. The Trojans struggled offensively throughout the year, with Czaplicki frequently needing to bail them out in terms of field position.

Two USC players did earn second team all-Big Ten honors: offensive lineman Emmanuel Pregnon and running back Woody Marks. The Trojans also had four players on the third team: offensive lineman Jonah Monheim, cornerback Jaylin Smith, long snapper Hank Pepper, and return specialist Makai Lemon.

In addition, Lemon was an all-conference honorable mention at wide receiver. Also earning honorable mention recognition were linebacker Easton Macarena’s-Arnold, offensive lineman Elijah Paige, tight end Lake McRee, safety Kmari Ramsey, and defensive lineman Gavin Meyer.

The Trojans finished the regular season 6-6, and await their bowl game destination.

Sam Darnold tries to prove he can be a crunch-time king for Vikings

Sam Darnold really answered the bell in the clutch for the Vikings this past Sunday. He has more proving-ground moments ahead of him in December and January.

USC football fans are used to seeing Sam Darnold come up big in clutch moments. Just go watch the fourth quarter of the 2017 Rose Bowl. On Sunday for the Minnesota Vikings, he did it again.

Trailing the Arizona Cardinals 22-16 with a little over three minutes left to play in the fourth quarter, Minnesota got the ball back at its own 30 yard-line. Darnold subsequently led the Vikings down the field on an eight-play, 70-yard drive that culminated in a touchdown pass to Aaron Jones that tied the game at 22.

After the extra point gave the Vikings a one-point lead, Minnesota’s defense sealed the deal with an interception of Arizona quarterback (and Lincoln Riley protege) Kyler Murray. Darnold and the Vikings were then able to go into victory formation and improve to 10-2 on the season.

With the win, the Vikings remained just one game back of the Detroit Lions in an incredibly strong NFC North. Minnesota and Detroit square off in the Motor City during the final weekend of the regular season.

Darnold is currently enjoying the best statistical season of his NFL career. Despite being just 12 games in, the former USC star has already set a career-high in touchdown passes with 23. He is also just 72 passing yards away from matching his career-high in that category—set all the way back in 2019 with the New York Jets.

In addition, despite being in his seventh NFL season, Darnold has yet to make the playoffs as a starting quarterback. (He was the backup for the San Francisco 49ers when they made it to the Super Bowl last season.) With Minnesota currently having one of the best records in the league, it looks as though this will finally be the season that changes.

Up next for Darnold and the Vikings is a matchup with the Atlanta Falcons this Sunday.

USC Seahawks are thriving while 49ers stumble in NFC West

Leonard Williams is balling for the Seahawks, and Uchenna Nwosu might soon play again after an extended injury absence. USC Seahawks are rising.

The USC football alumni playing for the Seattle Seahawks are having a good time, and another USC Seahawk might soon come back to the lineup after an injury. It’s a good time to be a Trojan in Seattle, with the Seahawks leading the NFC West and the San Francisco 49ers fading from the picture. Let’s start with this development: Another week, another monster game from Leonard Williams. This time, he made NFL history in the process.

After his 2.5-sack day in last week’s win over the Arizona Cardinals, the Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman one-upped himself Sunday. In a 26-21 victory over the New York Jets, Williams had four tackles, two sacks, a blocked kick, and an interception—which he returned 92 yards for a touchdown.

According to the NFL, Williams was the first player to post such accolades in a game since 1982.

To make matters even sweeter, Williams’ performance came against his former team. After a decorated career at USC, the Jets took Williams sixth overall in the 2015 NFL Draft. He spent thr first four-plus seasons of his career with New York.

After nearly four more years with New York’s other team, the Giants, Williams was traded to Seattle in 2023. This season, he has quietly been one of the better defensive linemen in the NFL.

Now, Williams has his sight set on something bigger: the playoffs. In his first nine NFL seasons, Williams made the postseason just once. But with the Seahawks currently in first place in the NFC West, he has a great chance to get back there this year.

Williams and the Seahawks will be back in action this Sunday when they get a rematch with the Cardinals, this time in Arizona. Seattle might get former Trojan Uchenna Nwosu back into the lineup. Nwosu practiced on Wednesday and has a chance to play against the Cardinals.

The USC Seahawks have a lot to be optimistic about. Let’s see if they can finish the job this next month.

USC has work to do in the transfer portal as roster construction season begins

USC transfer portal activity is heating up, and the Trojans know they will have to go into the portal to restock portions of their roster for the 2025 season.

USC football now confronts the reality of needing to get a lot of work done in the transfer portal. On Tuesday, USC kicker Denis Lynch announced his intention to enter the NCAA transfer portal. It’s one of several portal departures for the Trojans, as the flurry of roster activity begins in the offseason. USC has had multiple offensive linemen enter the portal, which will force Lincoln Riley to restock there. Riley has said he will try to find a Jayden Maiava backup at quarterback in the portal, adding to USC’s Christmas shopping list.

Let’s briefly talk about Denis Lynch. After redshirting his first season on campus in 2021, Lynch earned the starting job in 2022. In two seasons as USC’s starting kicker, Lynch made 69.4% of his field goal attempts. He was also 139-of-140 on extra points.

Ahead of the 2024 season however, Lynch was beaten out for the job by Georgia Southern transfer Michael Lantz. He did not attempt a kick this season.

Lynch will be remembered by USC fans for his powerful leg but highly inconsistent accuracy. As a Trojan, Lynch went 11-of-13 on field goal attempts of 40+ yards, but just 9-of-17 on attempts between 30 and 39 yards.

Lantz will have one year of eligibility remaining.

With Lynch transferring and Lantz out of eligibility, the Trojans will be in the market for a new kicker in 2025. That’s one need on their list, but their pursuit of quality linemen will be the top priority for the Trojans. USC can’t get caught shorthanded on the lines the way it was in 2024, with injuries eroding defensive depth and the offensive line being too young in the early part of the season, especially at Michigan.

USC loses out to Notre Dame for top linebacker target — again

The recruitment of Madden Faraimo might sound familiar. This marks another loss of a linebacker recruit to Notre Dame, following Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa.

On Saturday, Notre Dame defeated USC on the football field. On Wednesday, the Irish once again bested the Trojans, this time on the recruiting trail. Heading into signing day, USC football was the favorite to land San Diego four-star linebacker Madden Faraimo. On Wednesday morning, however, Faraimo instead picked Notre Dame.

According to the On3 Consensus rankings, Faraimo is the No. 77 overall player in the class of 2024. He is also the No. 4 linebacker and the No. 6 player in the state of California.

Faraimo spurning the Trojans was likely related to the departure of USC linebackers coach Matt Entz. With Entz accepting the head coaching job at Fresno State Wednesday morning, there was major uncertainty as to who would have been Faraimo’s position coach had he picked USC.

Not all was lost for USC on Wednesday. The Trojans did make a huge splash with the addition of five-star defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart, while also flipping cornerback Alex Graham from Colorado.

Yet, any time you lose out on a recruit to your most hated rival, it is not pleasant. This marks another loss of a linebacker recruit to Notre Dame, a prominent recent example being Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa.

The loss of Faraimo, to go along with Entz’s departure, will dampen what was a promising day for the Trojans, but not as complete a conquest as the program hoped.

USC flips 4-star recruit from Colorado, turns tables on Deion Sanders

USC is making offseason waves with an early signing period splash, taking a player away from Deion Sanders and Colorado. Not bad at all.

In recent weeks, the USC Trojans have struggled in recruiting, losing some top commits. Whether due to the letdown of a season, finishing 6-6 overall and 4-5 in its first their first season in the Big Ten, or a lack of faith in head coach Lincoln Riley, the Trojan program has been losing recruits in flips. One of the top recruits lost was 5-star quarterback Julian Lewis, who decommitted from USC football and committed to Colorado under head coach Deion Sanders. However, on Wednesday, the tide began to turn.

Eric Henderson landed five-star defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart. That got the train rolling. Then came another bright spot, and a recruit who has risen for the Trojans. The experts pointed to this before the start of the early signing period: Allen Trieu of 247Sports recently reported that 4-star cornerback/safety Alex Graham was all but certain to decommit from Colorado and commit to the Trojans.

That’s exactly what happened on Wednesday, as USC gained a player Deion Sanders couldn’t retain.

Graham is a 6-foot-1 Detroit product. He is the 4th-best player in Michigan and 34th-best cornerback in the class, per 247Sports.

The flip marks an early offseason win for defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn and secondary coach Doug Belk, who are both entering their first full offseason in their respective positions.

The fact that this defensive staff is getting work done in its first full offseason is a great sign for the future of the USC defense.

Five-star receiver Jerome Myles goes to Texas A&M after USC decommit

Jerome Myles, the receiver who decommitted from USC over the weekend, has committed to Texas A&M as the early signing period starts.

USC’s loss to Notre Dame wasn’t the only defeat that the Trojans suffered over the weekend. On Sunday, the Trojans saw things get worse, as five-star wide receiver Jerome Myles decommitted from USC football. Myles then flipped to Texas A&M on Wednesday as the early signing period began.

The West Jordan, Utah, product had been committed to USC since September. On3 Consensus ranks Myles as the No. 24 overall player and the No. 4 wide receiver in the class of 2025.

Myles was not expected to sign during this week’s early signing period, so the Trojans still have a shot with him. However, Texas A&M became the new leader to land the talented wideout and was able to close the sale.

With the loss of Myles, USC’s 2025 recruiting class fell to 17th in the country, per On3’s rankings. The Trojans also dropped to fifth place in the Big Ten, behind Ohio State, Oregon, Michigan, and Penn State.

College football’s early signing period, the earliest dates when high school recruits can sign with schools, officially began on Wednesday. USC signees are being announced left and right, and we will see how the dust settles when Wednesday ends.

USC offensive lineman Jonah Monheim accepts Senior Bowl invite

Jonah Monheim’s departure leaves the USC offensive line room even thinner heading into 2025. How USC restocks is a centrally important question.

On Tuesday, USC football offensive lineman Jonah Monheim officially accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl.

Monheim arrived on campus in 2020 as one of the few bright spots in Clay Helton’s otherwise dismal recruiting class. After redshirting during the six-game COVID season, he has started at various positions on the offensive line for the Trojans over the past four years.

Ever versatile, Monheim played both tackle and guard for the Trojans between 2021 and 2023, before slotting in at center this season. In addition to the position changes, he had three different offensive line coaches during his time in Cardinal and Gold.

Monheim was a part of USC’s Joe Moore Award finalist offensive line in 2022. In 2023, he earned second team all-PAC-12 honors in 2023.

Monheim is projected as a mid-to-late round NFL draft pick. With his loss, the Trojans will have a major hole to fill in on an already thin unit that frequently struggled in 2024. USC has to replenish this offensive line and get a level of performance in 2025 which is clearly a few notches better than it was this past season.

A lot has changed in two years for Lincoln Riley, none of it for the better

In 2022, USC was the team celebrating vs Notre Dame after a dominant performance which gave Caleb Williams the Heisman. Those two years seem like 20.

One of the biggest rules in any sport is that you never want to see an opposing team celebrating on your field, especially not if that team is your most hated rival. Unfortunately for USC football and Lincoln Riley, that is exactly what happened to the Trojans at the end of their regular season.

Heading into USC’s rivalry matchup with Notre Dame on Saturday, the Irish were ranked No. 5 in the College Football Playoff rankings. With an upset victory, the Trojans had the chance to knock their hated foes out of the field.

However, USC came up short, falling 49-35. As a result, Notre Dame wrapped up an 11-1 season and got to celebrate clinching a playoff berth on the Coliseum field.

To make matters worse, this is the third time in their past six visits to the Coliseum that the Irish have gotten to have such a celebration in the Trojans’ house. In 2012, No. 1 Notre Dame defeated USC in the Coliseum to lock up a BCS Championship Game berth. In 2018, the No. 3 Irish took down the Trojans 24-17 to advance to the then-four-team College Football Playoff.

All of this stands in marked contrast to two years ago, when USC carried the hammer and brought it down hard on the Irish in a blowout win which sealed an 11-win regular season and brought Caleb Williams his Heisman Trophy.

So much has changed in the past two years, none of it for the better at USC.

The only silver lining for USC fans is that in both of the previous two instances, the Irish were blown out once they got to the postseason. The Trojan Family can only hope that the same will be true this time, and their hated rivals will remain in search of their first national championship since 1988.

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