What to watch for in the Trojan’s opening game

There is arguably no college football program with more intrigue or a more rejuvenated fan base than the USC Trojans. 

After a dismal 2021 season in which USC went 4-8 and suffered an embarrassing 33-62 defeat against cross-town rival UCLA, newly acquired head coach Lincoln Riley looks to catapult the storied college franchise back into the spotlight. 

With this coaching change comes a retooled roster. 71 players are returning from the 2021 roster, only eight of whom were starters. Some of these starters include 2022 first team preseason All-American left guard Andrew Vorhees and wide receiver Gary Bryant Jr., who recorded 44 catches last fall.

In addition, Coach Riley has brought with him an entourage of high-profile transfer athletes, with over 40 new players joining the team. Some notable transfers include Caleb Williams, the dynamic sophomore quarterback from University of Oklahoma, who looks to build off his impressive first year after earning a 169.6 QB passer rating, the fifth-best rating among quarterbacks in 2021. Travis Dye, a running back transfer from the University of Oregon, finished in the top 20 in the country in rushing yards with 1,271 and 16 touchdowns. Jordan Addison, the reigning 2021 Biletnikoff trophy winner and University of Pittsburgh transfer, recorded over 1500 receiving yards and tied for the top spot among receivers by catching 17 touchdowns. 

The revamped Trojans face off against the Rice University Owls to begin the new season. Many see this as an easy win for USC, as the Trojans are a 32.5-point favorite. While the game may not be a nail-biter, fans and experts alike will be able to gauge a lot from the Trojans’ home opener and what is in store for the coming season. Here are a couple of things to look for in the game on Saturday. 

USC’s rushing attack

This weekend will provide quality insight into the effectiveness of USC’s rushing attack this season. USC’s passing game will almost certainly be well-utilized, both against Rice and other opponents this season. Caleb Williams demonstrated his passing capabilities last year with Oklahoma and is already acquainted with Coach Riley’s air-raid style game plan. USC has also attracted numerous quality receivers to the team, including 2021 true freshman All-American Mario Williams from the University of Oklahoma, former Colorado Buffalo Brendan Rice and Terrell Bynum from University of Washington as well as Addison.

A bigger question mark arises in whether USC can establish a stable and effective running game to start the season. USC ranked a mediocre 7th place in the Pac-12 in rushing yards last year with 1,747 yards. However, newly acquired transfers Dye and Austin Jones, a senior from Stanford who ran for 1,155 yards and 12 TDs in his three seasons with the Cardinal, will provide two solid options at the running back position. 

USC has also brought in Coach Kiel McDonald to take over the job of running back coach. McDonald was previously the running back coach at the University of Utah, which led the Pac-12 in rushing yards in 2021. Coach McDonald will be working with newly hired offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Josh Henson, who has 23 years of experience — most recently with Texas A&M. Both coaches should bring a new image and game plan to USC’s rushing attack. 

Establishing the run game early in the season will be critical for the success of USC’s offense, so keep an eye out on how the Trojan running backs are utilized. Rice allowed over 162 rushing yards per game in 2021, so if USC is effective running the football early on, the Trojans rushing attack could quickly wear down Rice’s defense and thus open up the passing attack for later in the game. 

The battle at the line

A defining factor of an effective offense is the offensive line. USC’s offensive line, unlike much of the other roster positions, has continuity from previous years. At the center position, redshirt senior Brett Neilon looks to build off his 2021 All-Pac-12 honorable mention and Pro Football Focus All-Pac-12 first team season. Veteran All-American Andrew Vorhees is returning for his sixth season after utilizing his extra coronavirus year granted by the NCAA, and his experience will be an anchor for the offense in 2022. Other returning linemen include Courtland Ford, Jonah Monheim, Justin Dedich, Jason Rodriguez and Andrew Milek. 

However, Rice has proven talent on the defensive side of the football and will look to challenge USC’s frontline from the get-go. Starting defensive end and Outland Trophy Watchlist player Ikenna Enechukwu led the team in sacks in 2021 (5-30 yards) and tallied 42 tackles last year (12.5 for loss). Defensive lineman De’Braylon Carroll, after a strong first year in 2020 but losing 2021 due to injury, will also be a factor for Rice in Saturday’s game. Other notable names include defensive lineman Izeya Floyd, inside linebacker Myron Morrison, linebacker Kenneth Orji and defensive back George Nyakwol. 

If USC’s offensive line can keep Rice’s pass rushers at bay and hold off potential blitz schemes Rice defensive coordinator Brian Smith may deploy, this may all but seal the game for the Trojans. A stalwart offensive line will create holes for running backs Dye and Jones to exploit for big gains, and keep incoming pressure off quarterback Caleb Williams, which will allow him to show off his arm and hit his explosive receivers downfield. 

Dynamic defensive plays

While USC’s dynamic offense cannot be understated, defense remains an integral part of the Trojans’ success in the 2022 season. Opening weekend will provide key insight into its prospects for the year. USC ranked 10th in the Pac-12 in yards allowed in 2021, with almost 5,000 yards given up. Thus, it will be essential that USC’s defense is much improved this year if they wish to compete for a Rose Bowl appearance — let alone the college football playoffs. 

Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch heads the restructured defensive coaching staff along with former Oklahoma colleague and inside linebacker coach Brian Odom. Donte Williams, who took over as interim head coach last season after the university fired former head coach Clay Helton, is the defensive backs coach. 

Rice dominated time of possession in 2021, holding the ball for an average of 33 minutes per game — which ranked 10th in the country. It will be up to integral defensive weapons such as 2021 All-Pac-12 first team defensive lineman Tuli Tuipulotu, redshirt junior defensive lineman Stanley Ta’ufo’ou and redshirt senior linebacker Nick Figueroa to force Rice to turn the ball over. Rice will be led by quarterback Wiley Green who has 11 career touchdowns and 10 career interceptions. Putting pressure on Green will be an important task for USC’s pass rushers. Rice only reached 150 rushing yards four times last season, thus preventing running backs Ari Broussard and Cameron Montgomery from big gains will force Rice to rely on the passing game, creating opportunities for turnovers.

If USC is effective in creating turnovers, whether through blitz packages or aggressive tackling, this will allow USC’s offense to dominate time of possession and dictate the tempo of the game.