I want to thank USC Athletics for the opportunity to broadcast the 2024
@USC_Baseball
season! It was an amazing experience. With that, I'm excited to share my play-by-play reel with moments from our 25 broadcasts on
@theKXSCSports
and
@Pac12Network
!
Notre Dame has blocked 7 punts this season (leads FBS).
#USC
has had Caleb Williams pooch kick both of their punts to keep the ND punt block team off the field. Very smart.
If youโre still wondering why
#USC
is leaving the Pac-12, tonight is a perfect case study.
- The worst camera quality of any conference
- P12 Network interviews Gronk in the middle of a USC drive instead of a timeout or an Arizona drive
-Refs blow the end of the first half
#USC
head coach Lincoln Riley missed his second consecutive practice today with an illness. Outside wide receivers coach Dennis Simmons is in charge in his absence. USC is also working with compliance to have Kliff Kingsbury elevated to an official assistant position. ๐ฅ
#USC
running backs had 12 carries for 117 yards tonight against Utah. Thatโs an average of 9.75 yards per carry. They were not tackled for a loss once.
The fact that they only had 12 carries is a problem, especially on a day that the passing game was struggling.
Caleb Williams may not put up the volume needed to win the Heisman Trophy but his efficiency and precision should at least get him to New York. Here are his stats through 8 games:
178/275 (64.7%), 2382 yards, 24 TDโs to just 1 INT
249 rushing yards, 3 rushing TDโs
#USC
โs defense will get most of the blame for the second half and they deserve to. BUTโฆ
The Trojans didnโt score a single point in the last 17 minutes and 14 seconds of the game on offense either.
#USC
Head Coach Lincoln Riley said there will be โa lotโ of philosophical changes made in the program to adapt to DโAnton Lynnโs defensive scheme.
Riley mentioned defensive line size as a key example.
According to this report,
#USC
is hiring North Dakota State head coach Matt Entz as its new linebackers coach. Entz has led the FCS powerhouse since 2019 and is a two-time FCS National Coach of the Year winner.
#USC
was well represented on
@ESPN
โs top 100 college football players of 2022 list.
1. QB Caleb Williams
44. WR Jordan Addison
47. DL Tuli Tuipulotu
49. G Andrew Vorhees
85. CB Mekhi Blackmon
#USC
QB Caleb Williams on his decision to transfer to USC: โWhen I got here I had a visionโฆ I canโt say that Iโm anything less than proud of what we did this year.โ
Since 2004, no quarterback has thrown more touchdowns through their teamโs first 9 games while also throwing 1 or fewer interceptions than Caleb Williams (28). Williamsโ 28th TD pass pushed him past former CFB greats Justin Fields and Tua Tagovailoa ๐ฅ
#USC
held the ball for 39:49, allowed only 8 completions on defense, fell just 6 yards shy of 600 on offense, and nearly doubled up Tulane on first downs.
Somehow, they found ways to lose.
Riley noted that there have been conversations between he and Lynn about practice changes as well and said that heโs willing to do whatever it takes to play good defense at USC.
#USC
Head Coach Lincoln Riley said there will be โa lotโ of philosophical changes made in the program to adapt to DโAnton Lynnโs defensive scheme.
Riley mentioned defensive line size as a key example.
If Caleb Williams has played his last game at
#USC
, here are what I would consider the 4 best throws of his Trojan career with an installment from yesterday.
Any of these have an argument to be his best throw ever in my opinion.
Something hit me on my way home from Tunnel Vision:
#USC
has played 20 games since the 4-8 season ended. Theyโve won 17 of them.
Some wins havenโt been pretty. The losses have been ugly. But Trojan fans need to find some perspective or they donโt deserve Lincoln Riley and CW.
Everyone applauded Bryce Young after he salvaged a poor day against Texas with a big play when he needed it most. Itโs time to see if Caleb Williams gets the same National treatment.
Say what you want about Lincoln Riley but he pried a rising DC away from
#USC
โs biggest rival and a well-respected DL coach away from a local NFL team that wanted to keep him. That shows a clear commitment to defense and the ability to convince others to believe in his vision.
I just finished rewatching the
#USC
defense and I have some thoughts. ๐งต
- Play was much smoother with Eric Gentry at LB (Always in the right place, length helped)
- Bear Alexander was very disruptive even if it didn't show on the stat sheet
- Rush lanes definitely need work
#USC
Head Coach Lincoln Riley said that RB Austin Jones was told early on in the season that Travis Dye had earned the workhorse job but he praises Jones for putting his head down and working.
BREAKING:
#USC
lands 5-star, multi-sport athlete Duce Robinson. The all-world tight end recruit joins a Trojan class littered with talented stars. Robinson is also a big-time prospect on the baseball diamond.
Taking off my journalist hat for a second: Starting when I graduate next year, I will be able to say for the rest of my life that Caleb Williams was my quarterback when I was a student at
#USC
and for that I am grateful. Iโm glad I got to witness history firsthand.
Since I was 10, all I ever wanted to do was to play football. The journey would be empty without the people who have supported and loved me. I will Fight On forever and rep Hornsdown4Life. Iโm ready to do whatever it takes. I am officially declaring for the NFL Draft.
โ๐ฝ๐ค๐ฝ๐๐ฝ
2022 was a dream come true. From my first semester at USC in the spring, to a summer of baseball broadcasting, to covering a historic football season in the fall, it was an amazing year. Thanks to everyone who I crossed paths with! I canโt wait to see what 2023 holds! ๐๐พ
With National Championship hopes gone, Caleb Williams should consider sitting out the rest of the season.
The Heisman is a long shot, CFB Playoffs are even less likely, and he wonโt play in the bowl game.
The risk of playing FAR outweighs the reward. Business decision.
#USC
Defensive Backs Coach Donte Williams threw on a pretty sweet helmet at practice today and got very hands-on during a warmup drill showing the DBs how to get in the body of opposing tight ends. (
@ThePeristyle
)
#USC
has scored 55 or more points in 4 games since the start of last season (16 total games).
The Trojans scored 55 or more points in 4 games between 2011 and 2021 (136 TOTAL GAMES).
The Lincoln Riley and Caleb Williams effect...
Shaun Nua, who was recently named one of
#USC
's interim co-defensive coordinators, has been the defensive line coach over the last two seasons.
Nua was previously on Michigan's staff for three years in the same role.
It is officially rivalry week at
#USC
Tommy Trojan and Traveler are properly duct-taped and will be under around-the-clock supervision by the
@trojanknights
all week long.
The four teams joining the Big Ten next year went 4-1 in postseason play with wins over
#3
Texas,
#15
Louisville, and
#23
Liberty.
The lone loss was in the National Championship game.
Outside of Michigan, Big Ten teams went 4-4, losing 3 of 4 ranked matchups by 10+ points.
Weโre excited to announce the establishment of the Branch Out Foundation! We look forward to making a positive impact on the lives of others! Join us on our mission by visiting
#FightOn
I asked
#USC
WR Brenden Rice tonight about whether anything stood out on film from the final drive against Utah and itโs safe to say he wasnโt a fan of the holding penalty called against him on Raleek Brownโs kickoff return.
Stephen A Smith said in a discussion with Paul Finebaum on ESPN that the reason
#USC
wonโt make the CFP is because of their strength of schedule (or perceived lack thereof)โฆ
#USC
AD Jennifer Cohen says that a robust NIL program is crucial to building an Athletic Department that can win a National championship in any of the 21 sports.
Cohen said she will be โrolling up her sleevesโ to build USCโs NIL program.
#USC
Head Coach Lincoln Riley returned to practice today amidst a battle with pneumonia | ft. Eminem's "Without Me" and Lil Baby's "Sum to Prove." ๐ฅ
What a weekend for
#USC
hoops!
โช๏ธMenโs win vs. Colorado
โช๏ธWomenโs win vs. Cal
โช๏ธMenโs win vs. Utah
โช๏ธWomenโs win vs
#2
Stanford
More than a football schoolโฆ
#USC
Head Coach Lincoln Riley said that Courtland Ford was right on the edge of being available but said it was great that Bobby Haskins could take all the snaps and allow Ford another week to get healthy. Notes that Ford is now 100%.
BREAKING:
#USC
Quarterback Caleb Williams is the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner. Williams becomes the 8th Trojan to take home the Heisman, the most of any school in the nation.
The online discourse around Miller Moss is already reminding me of the way people talked about Sam Darnold following the Rose Bowl win against Penn State.
#USC
had three players named as first-team AP All-Americans, the most of any school in the nation.
QB: Caleb Williams
IOL: Andrew Vorhees
DL: Tuli Tuipulotu
Here is a number that sums up the feeling behind
#USC
's 6-0 start: The Trojans are 2.5 point underdogs against a 4-2 Notre Dame team that just lost by two scores to Louisville and has only scored 48 points in the last 3 weeks combined.
Iโm so grateful for having the opportunity to call yesterdayโs
#USC
vs
#ASU
game in Tempe and what a game it was!
Hereโs how the Trojansโ game-sealing TD sounded on
@theKXSCSports
๐๏ธ
#USC
Head Coach Lincoln Riley on Domani Jackson: โHe made a couple of really important plays for us.โ
Notes that it was great to see him perform in his first opportunity.
#USC
Head Coach Lincoln Riley said that the team is excited to push through the gauntlet of UCLA, Notre Dame, and the PAC-12 title opponent.
โOur team gets excited to play games like this.โ
#USC
Baseball was left out of the NCAA Tournament despite finishing 4th in the PAC-12 with a 17-13 conference record. On a day where the West Coast as a whole was snubbed, the Trojans may have gotten the worst of it.
#USC
transfer DL Anthony Lucas just announced that he plans to play baseball for the Trojans next season.
He says that he plays corner infield and pitches. He models his game after Mike Trout and Francisco Lindor.
Dare I say it, that looked a little Caleb Williams-ish for Miller Moss. The stat line does too.
Moss has FOUR passing TDโs in the first half including this gem of a play.
Finally! So excited Reggie's Heisman has been returned to him. His impact on USC and college football is legendary. This is a HUGE day for Reggie and the entire Trojan Family. FIGHT ON!
The final stat line for
#USC
Quarterback Caleb Williams:
31/45, 411 yards, 5 TDโs
He sets his season-high yardage total for the second straight week. Two games in a row with 5 Touchdowns.
#USC
Head Coach Lincoln Riley says that the culture and buy in since he arrived has lived up to his expectations and has even slightly exceeded them.
Notes that it is the thing he is most proud of so far.
#USC
has the best offense in college football according to
@PFF
's expected points added (EPA) per play. The defense is a different story...
Offensive EPA/play: .320 | 1st among 131 FBS teams
Defensive EPA/play: .039 | 97th among 131 FBS teams
The
#USC
and
#UCLA
womenโs basketball rivalry was phenomenal this year to say the least.
The 2OT Pac-12 semifinal was just icing on the cake. What a win for Lindsay Gottlieb and the Trojans.
On
@ChrisNTrevino
โs field-level highlights from yesterday, you can hear me call Jordan Addisonโs TD right after the play started. What a call from
#USC
Head Coach Lincoln Riley.
Washington RB Dillon Johnson, who rushed for a career-high 256 yards and 4 TD's last night, had a damning postgame quote about
#USC
's defense.
โThey were slowing down. They werenโt pressing as much as we thought they would. It made our day kind of easy.โ
#USC
Head Coach Lincoln Riley said that WR Kyle Ford was really set back by his Spring camp injury but the coaching staff always expected him to make an impact.
โItโs been a grindโฆheโs had to earn those reps.โ