Monday’s Morass: What If Your Impression Of USC Is Wrong

Everyone has an opinion. But what if your impression of Lincoln Riley’s ability to recruit a starting quarterback or coach a team with a strong defense is wrong?

What if Lincoln Riley extends a public offer to another 2025 QB recruit?

First impressions are lasting ones.

Over the weekend I took the time to watch Julian Lewis lead his team as they opened their season with a nationally televised game on ESPN. When I watch him play the QB position, it’s easy to see why Lincoln Riley put Lewis at the top of his recruiting draft board for the 2025 cycle.–He can even punt in a pinch too!

JuJu’s game stats won’t leave an impression,(9/15/ 126 yards, 3 TDs, and 1 INT), however, the weather was an issue during the 2nd half with heavy rain.

What made the bigger impression on me was when Lewis was interviewed before the game kicked off.

Lewis had the chance to officially shut down his recruitment and all of the rumors swirling, instead, he left the door open when he said, “As of right now, I’m still locked in with USC…That’s still where my home is. You know, taking visits is kind of a part of the process, and I was going to see what’s going on everywhere else, but I’m still USC right now.”

He said it twice, “Right now,” I’m USC.” Why was that necessary?

USC’s staff can’t mention a recruit by name until they sign a Letter of Intent on signing day. However Lincoln Riley can send a similar message that Lewis sent out on national TV.

Lewis has plans to be in Las Vegas when USC takes on LSU so I’m sure there will be some communication between Lewis and Riley. What if Riley tells Lewis, “For right now, I’m going to consider bringing in two quarterbacks in the 2025 class?”

What if USC’s run defense can stop USC’s run offense?

All spring, summer, and fall camp, the USC offensive line and defensive line have been testing themself against each other, and some of those test results are going public. Last week Coach Riley and Jamil Muhammad offered some insight.

Riley said last Tuesday that the USC defense “dominated” big chunks of a recent scrimmage against the Trojans’ offense. Muhammad seemed to agree with that take. “We’ve just been playing with so much cohesion,” he said. “We’re so prepared.–“I feel like as of right now, I think this team is probably closer than maybe we were towards the end of last year…That’s saying something, being that we have a lot of new guys coming in.

Infer what you want, but the two groups are battling against each other until they see a different jersey color lined up and that’s where the enthusiasm comes from.

But let’s say for argument’s sake, that USC’s rush defense is further ahead than anyone anticipated.

Logic dictates, that if USC’s rush defense is having success during practice then it will carry over to the game against LSU.

One could reasonably infer that D’Anton Lynn, Eric Henderson, Matt Entz, Doug Belk, and a new defensive scheme a positive and are making a similar impact that Lynn’s scheme had at UCLA.

Another assumption could be Lincoln Riley’s offense with Josh Henson, Anthony Jones Jr., and a brand new backfield lining up behind center needs more time.

Go ahead Trojan fans, have fun with that thought.

Heading into their game against LSU, the concern is the Trojans rush defense will eventually wear down because USC lacks the size and necessary depth upfront. If Brian Kelly is smart he should use all 1607 lbs of his starting offensive line and lean on USC’s defensive line.

However, USC’s defensive smaller defensive line line has been testing itself against USC’s offensive line since the spring. The Trojans offensive line weighs 1605–1610 lbs depending on who is starting at RG. Alani Noa weaighs 335 lbs and Amos Talalele tips the scales at 340lbs.

Size isn’t everything. However, it does matter. But one thing is clear, USC isn’t going to overwhelmed in the trenches.

What if USC supplied each player on the team with a parents’ jersey?

This sounds trivial, however, USC and its NIL collective House of Victory should give each player a replica jersey that they can give to their parents.

Someone at USC needs to send a request to Phil Knight and NIKE to dip a little deeper into their swag bag of apparel and put a smile on every USC parent’s face.

Keep in mind that Nike pays USC a licensing fee to wear their product. NIKE provides the uniforms, and cleats, not to mention all of the other stuff the team wears like gloves socks, and shades.

I mean would it kill NIKE to put an extra jersey in their next USC shipment for family members?

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