2022 Recap: Lincoln Riley began his tenure in Southern California. Before the Alabama Crimson Tide and their championships, the USC Trojans were the team you either wanted to root for or cheer against. Everyone was looking up to them at one point. Pete Carroll had a machine going. Scoring points was no issue for this group last fall. This was a video game-like offense that scored with ease. While I’m here, can we give Lincoln Riley his flowers please? He was a good coach in Oklahoma, and he won 11 games in his first season with the Trojans. Lincoln has also coached three Heisman Trophy winners in Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Caleb Williams who won the award last year becoming the third Quarterback in university history to win the award joining Matt Leinart and Carson Palmer. USC ended their season with a loss to the Utah Utes in the conference championship game and fell short to Tulane in the Cotton Bowl.
Key Departures: WR Jordan Addison, OL Andrew Vorhees, DL Tuli Tuipulotu, DB Mekhi Blackmon
2023 Prediction: I like the USC Trojans to win a share of the Pac-12 conference and get back to the title game in Las Vegas. Their offense won’t miss a beat and as I mentioned before, scoring points will not be an issue. What will determine if USC can clinch a spot in the College Football Playoff will be the defense. Lincoln elected to keep Defensive Coordinator, Alex Grinch for another season. The Trojans took advantage of the transfer portal and landed Defensive Linemen Bear Alexander and Anthony Lucas, Linebacker Mason Cobb and Defensive Back Christian Roland-Wallace. For all the firepower on offense, the defense needs to chip now. That’s what’s holding them back.
