Preview into all of USC’s fall sports
The Trojans are embarking on their final fall season in the Pac-12 conference.
By YOAV GILLATH
School’s back in session, which means fall sports are back in business. USC women’s soccer kicked off a busy slate for USC Athletics by beating Michigan Thursday. USC women’s volleyball will follow on Friday at Houston before quarterback Caleb Williams and the football team opens up with San Jose State on Saturday. Let’s see how their seasons will shape up.
Men’s football
USC football finished last season ranked No. 12 in the country with an 11-3 record and a loss to Tulane in the Cotton Bowl. They’ll look to improve on that finish for Head Coach Lincoln Riley’s second season at the helm, armed with a retooled offense. The team will go as far as Williams takes it, but he’ll be joined on offense by top recruits Zachariah Branch, Duce Robinson and All-Conference Arizona transfer Dorian Singer. However, the offense has never been a problem for Riley-led teams. A substantial improvement on the other side of the ball holds the key to a run at the College Football Playoff.
The defense gave up a USC all-time record of 6.53 yards per play and a near-worst 29.2 points per game last season. Defensive Coordinator Alex Grinch faced heavy criticism for his role in that performance, and without a serious uptick from the defense, it’s hard to see him returning for another season. He’ll be aided by a bevy of recruits from across the country, including experienced transfer linemen Bear Alexander (Georgia), Anthony Lucas (Wyoming) and Kyon Barrs (Arizona) alongside promising freshman linebacker Tackett Curtis.
Women’s soccer
The Trojans will aim to return to the NCAA Tournament this year after missing out last fall. With star forward Croix Bethune transferring to Georgia in the spring, the team will count on junior forward Simone Jackson to lead the line. Jackson was second on the team in goals last year, notching six goals and three assists in 16 games. USC opened the season ranked No. 22 and is due for a rise after scoring a home win against Michigan last Thursday. The Trojans held the Wolverines without a shot in the second half after conceding just two in the first half. They’ll be a formidable force in the Pac-12 If they can sustain that intensity on the backline.
Women’s volleyball
Last year, the women’s volleyball team was picked to finish fourth in the Pac-12 — and met those expectations. They’ll start this season in the same spot, coming in at fourth in the Pac-12 preseason poll. Led by 2021 AVCA first-team All-American Skylar Fields, No. 22 USC will look to exceed expectations and secure a conference crown in its final Pac-12 season. A conference title would add to the program’s storied history of success, including six national title wins and eight conference championships since its inception in 1976.
Men’s water polo
Under three-time MPSF Coach of the Year Marko Pintaric, USC water polo has seen sustained excellence. He’s guided the program to 15 combined men’s and women’s national titles in 22 seasons, and he’ll work to add to that tally after a painful 13-12 loss to UC Berkeley in last year’s men’s national championship game. Top scorer Massimo Di Martire returns to the squad after scoring the ninth-most single-season goals in program history.
Women’s cross country
The cross country team will hit the course at Torrance, California’s Wilson Park Sept. 1 to open up its season. Last year, sophomore Lucy Westlake led the team to a third-place finish in the Mark Covert Classic 5K, which was the team’s best finish since 2016. She’ll be joined on the track by Pac-12 Fall Academic Honor Roll runners Isabelle Cairns, Maya LaCamp, Mihajla Milovanovic and Giovanna Pisano.
Meet USC’s new athletic director: Jennifer Cohen
President Carol Folt found former athletic director Mike Bohn’s replacement at current and future conference rival Washington. Cohen has led the Huskies since 2016 and was recently selected to the College Football Playoff selection committee. Under her leadership, Washington hired football coach Kalen DeBoer, who led the team to a top-10 finish and an 11-2 mark in his debut season last fall. Earlier this summer, Cohen steered Washington to the Big Ten at a partial revenue share, and she now becomes the first woman athletic director in USC history.
