IMHO Sunday: It’s still the bottom line
In my humble opinion, cardinal and gold thoughts on what I see, what I hear, and what I think from Los Angeles:
The bottom line: We know it’s true, so let’s not ring around the Mulberry Bush. Lincoln Riley knows it, his staff knows it, and you all know it. In order for USC to rise to the next level of admiration, fawning, and rare air, the 2023 USC Trojans as a program at the very least need to win the Pac-12 title and make a major run for a national championship. Winning big is the bottom line in 2023.
The bottom line – Part 2: Lincoln Riley, whose 2023 USC Trojans have been pre-ranked No. 6 in the country in the USA Today Coaches Poll, has done a masterful job in resurrecting a USC program from choking itself to death and has caught the attention of the locals and the national scene by going 11-3 in his first season. Despite the 11 wins in 2022, the Trojans dropped two games to conference champion Utah, the second loss in the Pac-12 title game, and it wasn’t pretty. Sure, a hamstring injury to Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Caleb Williams in the title game was a real killer, but Utah still won and played with the heart of a champion.
The bottom line – Part 3: Despite winning 11 games last season, as prolific as the USC offense was in 2022, the defense was the polar opposite, which I know that you already know. Give the Trojans even a decent defense last season and the Trojans were likely to be in the College Football Playoffs (CFP) along with the best player in college football. We all know that, the country knows that, and recruits know that. What nobody knows is what the Trojans will do this season, especially with that loaded back half of the 2023 schedule.
The true test for the 2023 Trojans will begin on Oct. 14 when the Men of Troy play at Notre Dame.
(Photo above by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The bottom line – Part 4: Because nobody really knows what will happen to the Trojans in 2023, it’s safe, however, to assume four bottom lines could happen:
The Trojans win the Pac-12 title and are invited to the CFP postseason.
The Trojans win the Pac-12 title but are not invited to the CFP postseason yet play in a New Year’s Day bowl game.
The Trojans lose in the Pac-12 title game yet have an outside chance of another New Year’s Day appearance somewhere.
Or they could simply have a nice winning season and end up in the Holiday Bowl with still the best player in college football.
The bottom line – Part 5: One of the above options could happen, some more likely than others. So, in essence, this could be a big season or an exploding cigar, depending on the outcome of the second half of the season results. It is assumed that the Trojans take care of business and skate through the first half of the season at 6-0. Still, it’s likely that this upcoming season will be one of feast or famine. A season that will define the image or redefine the image of Lincoln Riley’s USC program. Results in 2023 are critical, and don’t get distracted by a comment like Riley’s program is a “work in progress.”
The bottom line – Part 6: It says here that Lincoln Riley and his staff, which includes a highly efficient and organized recruiting staff, have done everything humanly possible to stock the shelves with available talent. However, as witnessed with a glorious recruiting month of June and a disappointing July, there remain questions among recruits, justified privately or not, that Riley’s program still needs to get over the top. Over the top means a defense that is at least acceptable to compliment the extraordinary firepower of the offense.
USC needs to step it up to assist the explosive offense in 2023.
(Photo above by WeAreSC/Acscottphotography)
The bottom line – Part 7: Lincoln Riley is well aware of the disaster at the end of last season. We know because he mentions it, although he wouldn’t publicly characterize it as a disaster, and points out the 11 wins during the regular season isn’t chopped liver. He also knows and can only imagine what eliminating those two losses at the end of last season probably meant: a trip to the CPF playoffs and greater recruiting efficiency.
The bottom line – Part 8: Yet, probably the biggest “stigma” hanging over the Trojans in the eyes of recruits is the perception that Lincoln Riley is a brilliant offensive coach and coordinator, but his past with his defenses is not a bragging point. In fact, it’s a sore spot or should be for Riley. He knows this perception needs to stop this season or he will have trouble getting the necessary defensive studs required for championships. Winning games 45-43 might be exciting but losing a game by the same score does nothing for Riley’s resume or perception: all offense and no defense. Riley has taken a chance by continuing with the heavily scrutinized Alex Grinch as his defensive coordinator. By the end of the season or perhaps even sooner, we’ll all know whether Riley’s investment of Grinch was well founded. If it is not, we’ll all get a very clear picture why USC can’t seem to get over the hump when it comes to recruiting enough elite high school defensive talent.
Could an impressive defensive season for the Trojans flip LB Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa from Notre Dame to USC?
(Photo above by Chad Weaver/BGI)
Summation: The good news is that the Trojans and Riley need to make a big winning statement this season, and it doesn’t matter at this point if you had the mother of all recruiting luau parties at your massive mansion overlooking the Pacific Ocean. All that matters now are the final results on the Coliseum and visiting stadium scoreboards because winning matters, it’s the bottom line.
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The Josh Hanson quotebook…
Offensive guard Emmanuel Pregnon and offensive line coach Josh Henson
(Photo above by David Sanders Jr. Twitter)
Speaking on the potential of Wyoming transfer offensive guard Emmanuel Pregnon starting in 2023, USC offensive line coach Josh Hanson says:
“Emmanuel, it doesn’t take much to look at him to figure maybe he can be a guy that can move people off the ball. He demonstrated that on film a lot. He has to get more consistent, certainly has a lot of room to grow as a player. But you saw some glimpses of top-end potential that maybe he can be really elite someday.”
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From the press box…
(Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images)
Nobody asked me…but: It sure seems that redshirt senior edge rusher Solomon Byrd is making quite a statement in training camp and not far behind is redshirt freshman safety Zion Branch.
Nobody asked me…but: I am a little surprised we haven’t heard much news regarding how heralded freshman wide receiver Duce Robinson is doing.
Nobody asked me…but: It’s going to be very difficult to keep true freshman linebacker Tackett Curtis off the field for any length of time as the season progresses.
True freshman inside linebacker Tackett Curtis could be the next future All-America linebacker at USC.
(Photo above by Erik McKinney/WeAreSC)
Nobody asked me…but: It was somewhat surprising to hear the first name on offense that Lincoln Riley mentioned after a recent scrimmage was true freshman receiver Ja’Kobi Lane. A recruiting challenge at the time, but Lincoln Riley knew he got a good one in Lane, and Ja’Kobi certainly has validated his ability in training camp.
Nobody asked me…but: Speaking of Ja’Kobi Lane, the 6-5 receiver also played basketball for Red Mountain High, which accounts for mismatches on 50-50 high-point balls.
Nobody asked me…but: I am intrigued by the first Associated Press (AP) preseason poll that is expected to be released on Monday. I’ll go out on a limb and say the Trojans are No. 6 – give or take a spot.
Where will the Associated Press rank the Trojans in its preseason poll. which is expected to be released on Monday?
Nobody asked me…but: Wouldn’t it be something if the Big Ten had an epiphany and decided to invite Stanford and Cal to their conference. All it would take is Fox deciding they don’t want ESPN getting programming in the Bay Area on Saturday evenings.
Nobody asked me…but: I can now see 6 p.m. Pacific kickoffs for games that showcase two Big Ten West Coast schools playing at night. Let’s put it this way, a 6 p.m. kickoff time would translate to a 9 p.m. East Coast kickoff time. Well, a 6 p.m. kickoff would be an improvement over a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.
Nobody asked me…but: It’s going to be very interesting to see who starts on both the offensive and defensive lines. What’s interesting will be who lines up where along the offensive line.
Where will be the final landing position for talented offensive lineman Jonah Monheim for the San Jose State opener?
(Photo above by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Nobody asked me…but: Consider you’re a USC recruit from Arizona. Do you want to play in the Big Ten or the Big 12 or is that a rhetorical question?
Nobody asked me…but: Hope you got the chance last week to watch Chris Arledge’s Musings with Arledge Solo Edition. Chris’s guest was Trojans’ longtime radio voice Pete Arbogast. It was highly entertaining, and I would go to YouTube to watch the show.
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The post-game show…
(Photo above by Eliot J. Schechter/Getty Images)
Program reminder: Inside the Trojans Huddle, the popular free content video/podcast show that last season was posted on both Tuesday and Thursday, will be shown on Tuesday throughout the regular season.
Program reminder – Part 2: Inside the Trojans Huddle will return to its game-like four quarters, halftime, and overtime format in streamlined form. And yes, the traditional symbolic lighting of the Coliseum torch will take place between the third and fourth quarters of the show.
“Inside the Trojans Huddle” will again light up its symbolic Coliseum torch between the third and fourth quarters of the video/podcast.
CFP rankings: The College Football Playoff selection committee will announce its first of six rankings October 31. The committee members will convene in person on Mondays and Tuesdays, revealing their rankings each week on ESPN.
CFP rankings – Part 2: The final CFP selection committee rankings of the 2023 season will be released on selection day, Sunday, December 3. The committee will also announce the matchups for the Playoff Semifinals at the Rose Bowl and Allstate Sugar Bowl, as well as the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Vrbo Fiesta Bowl and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl pairings.
Will the Trojans play in this season’s Rose Bowl game, which is hosting a CFP semi-final game?
(Photo above by Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
Bowl prediction: CBS Sports predicts that the 2023 Trojans will play Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl, which doesn’t exactly fire me up just like Tulane didn’t fire me up, and we all know the results of that game in the Cotton Bowl.
On sale: Single-game tickets for all USC home games, with the exception of UCLA, are now on sale.
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The Call-in Show…
Caller No. 1: Greg, is there any possibility that the offense will not be as sensational as it’s being touted?
Caller No. 1, no, unless Caleb Williams goes down for any length of time. Knowing the first half of the schedule is weak, backup QB Miller Moss would keep the offense rolling, at least through the first six games.
Caller No. 2: Katz, I don’t know what to make of the defense. Do you?
Caller No. 2, since the media is not allowed to watch the meaty part of practice, we won’t know until the games are played. That being said, if the defense doesn’t show or appear to be dominating in the front half of the schedule, there will be cause for concern entering the final six regular season games.
USC defensive lineman Bear Alexander hopes to improve the Trojans fortunes in 2023.
(Photo above by Erik McKinney/WeAreSC)
Caller No. 3: G-dog, will freshman linebacker Tackett Curtis start at some point this season?
Caller No. 3, it’s certainly possible the kid could start, especially if anticipated starters Mason Cobb or Eric Gentry get hurt. Curtis is so overwhelmingly good that he already has the respect of several players on the Trojans’ offense.
Caller No. 4: Mr. G, will you be at Friday’s Salute to Troy?
Caller No.4, I think I have answered this before, but I won’t be at Salute to Troy since it’s being billed as not a media event. I have not heard any definitive ruling on whether we can attend if we don’t do a story or report on it.
This Friday night will be Salute to Troy on the USC campus.
Caller No. 5: GK, such a tragedy in the town of Lahaina on Maui. Have you ever been there?
Caller No. 5, I have been to Maui many times and the historical town of Old Lahaina. Front Street is the main drag, and until the fire, it was filled with restaurants, souvenir stores for tourists, and some very interesting art galleries. To watch the destruction from the fire is just overwhelmingly sad. It may take years to rebuild Front Street and make it the way it was.
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The Last Word…
In Tuesday’s edition of Inside the Trojans’ Huddle, panelists Marc Kulkin, Erik McKinney, Chris Arledge, and Greg Katz gave their opinions, observations, and analysis of Troy’s latest available training camp information, the demise of the Pac-12, the latest USC recruiting news, and viewers’ questions and panel answers.
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