Latest / Reign of Troy Radio on USC Football / Roster Rundown

Transcript

Roster Rundown · Reign of Troy Radio on USC Football

0:01
[SPEAKER_03]: Rain a short hot line.
0:03
[SPEAKER_03]: At least you know Michael what's going on.
0:05
[SPEAKER_03]: We know you have takes, we have takes.
0:07
[SPEAKER_03]: I'm back to surprise that you're a rant line, rape line, whatever it is, it's completely full.
0:13
[SPEAKER_01]: What can't we just win a game?
0:14
[SPEAKER_02]: Can I blame Michael Cassfield for this?
0:16
[SPEAKER_01]: Can I blame Bob Connelly for this?
0:17
[SPEAKER_01]: Can I put on a zebra shirt and just go out there?
0:19
[SPEAKER_01]: Scratch, claw, up against the wall.
0:22
[SPEAKER_00]: Can I explain that one feeling right now, guys?
0:24
[SPEAKER_02]: I can't believe it.
0:25
[SPEAKER_00]: Let's open up that raised ball.
0:31
[SPEAKER_02]: or can't believe USC is undefeated in the SEC.
0:36
[SPEAKER_02]: Wait, we're in the big tent.
0:39
[SPEAKER_02]: What the record?
0:40
[SPEAKER_02]: Oh no!
0:42
[SPEAKER_03]: everybody welcome back to red intro radio episode 645 coming to you on Thursday July 16th we're gonna look at USC's roster for the 2026 season a lot of new names a lot of guys back a lot of guys in via transport all of that we're gonna talk about it
1:05
[SPEAKER_03]: refresh after a long off season and so much more as always you can follow us on social immediate rate of Troy email us right into my fan side.
1:12
[SPEAKER_03]: I comment our phone number eight one eight six fourth three seven two two seven second let's burn show.
1:19
[SPEAKER_03]: I'm your host Michael Castilla journalist Michael host here on the ray of choice studio Los Angeles.
1:23
[SPEAKER_03]: So let's hit our door.
1:24
[SPEAKER_01]: Hello everybody.
1:25
[SPEAKER_01]: Hello.
1:26
[SPEAKER_03]: We're back from Merdy in the chat says wow new music.
1:31
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah if you're joining us on YouTube, there's new
1:36
[SPEAKER_03]: gives a little ambient vibe, I guess.
1:39
[SPEAKER_01]: Robba, that was my, also my reaction.
1:42
[SPEAKER_01]: So this is the first stuff I've heard it.
1:45
[SPEAKER_01]: I looked over such, isn't music?
1:48
[SPEAKER_03]: It is, it is not music, but here we are.
1:51
[SPEAKER_03]: At least we were back last week with the first time in a long time.
1:55
[SPEAKER_03]: And,
1:57
[SPEAKER_03]: I think the first couple episodes back are really going to be about getting back into the mix of things, not only for us as podcasters, y'all as listeners, but I think just catching up on the season, right?
2:12
[SPEAKER_03]: Like, I just watched the TikTok today from someone who is a footy person.
2:22
[SPEAKER_03]: And they were talking about club over country, but they're been so focused on the World Cup.
2:25
[SPEAKER_03]: They don't even know what's happening.
2:28
[SPEAKER_03]: Like they totally forgot the the latest going on in in the prem.
2:33
[SPEAKER_03]: And like that's how I felt about USC football all off season because we've had so much stuff going on.
2:39
[SPEAKER_03]: And so I think this episode will be good to walk through the roster.
2:42
[SPEAKER_03]: And remind yourself that it's pronounced luke wafel.
2:47
[SPEAKER_01]: We will need many reminders about Luke Wafel and a few guys in terms of the pronunciations.
2:54
[SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, I agree, I think everybody needs a primer on who is actually on the team every season.
3:03
[SPEAKER_01]: I know I do, and this feels like a good time because you and I both,
3:10
[SPEAKER_01]: needed to remember what's going on uh... with this roster uh... i i feel like it's because it's every year it has become harder and harder and harder to keep track of
3:25
[SPEAKER_01]: who is even on the roster, who is back, who is going to contribute, who is going to be a factor.
3:32
[SPEAKER_01]: So it's like, I spend all off season trying to remind myself of who players were.
3:38
[SPEAKER_01]: It's like, when fall camp would start every year, the first few days of fall camp, when we were covering it.
3:47
[SPEAKER_01]: I would spend the whole practice just trying to re-acquaint myself with the Jersey Numbers.
3:53
[SPEAKER_01]: And it would be like, it's like I've forgotten everybody's Jersey Numbers, and now I need to remember it.
3:58
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't need to know Jersey Numbers quite as well as I did when I was covering Bragg's everyday, but it's still the same kind of feeling of, oh yeah, that's the offensive of these are the offensive linemen who are probably going to be starting this year.
4:17
[SPEAKER_01]: So it's good to have reminders.
4:19
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, I'm always amazed at the thing that happens every off season where you forget, forget a lot of stuff, then you go into at least as for us and prepping for a season.
4:33
[SPEAKER_03]: Maybe this is our imposter syndrome talking, I don't know.
4:36
[SPEAKER_03]: But you get to July and you're panicking, you're like, how am I going to remember all these people?
4:41
[SPEAKER_03]: You're definitely going to be able to talk about it three times a week, four times a week, whatever it is.
4:46
[SPEAKER_03]: all of this.
4:48
[SPEAKER_03]: And then you get two weeks into the season.
4:51
[SPEAKER_03]: And you're like, is that Tom Tom to put me that just came in there on on defense?
4:57
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, suddenly you're you're an expert.
4:59
[SPEAKER_01]: And it's good to it.
5:01
[SPEAKER_01]: I always love when I feel that level of confidence.
5:03
[SPEAKER_01]: And as of July 16th, which is today, I do not feel that level of confidence about this roster.
5:11
[SPEAKER_01]: So we
5:14
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, so hopefully today we can we can start to, you know, turn the curve on that.
5:21
[SPEAKER_03]: Let's turn on offense.
5:23
[SPEAKER_03]: Of course, we'll start at wide receiver.
5:28
[SPEAKER_03]: I think this is one of the big positions for the children's coming into the season.
5:33
[SPEAKER_03]: Of course, SC has three wide receiver spots that you can expect in a base 11 person now.
5:41
[SPEAKER_03]: Tenakines Trent Mosley, Terrell Anderson, probably the guys that you'd projected stars, at least for now, Alicia.
5:49
[SPEAKER_03]: But talk to me about the receiving corps.
5:53
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, the only sure thing in their receiving corps is Tenakines.
5:56
[SPEAKER_01]: We saw what he could do as a freshman.
5:58
[SPEAKER_01]: He comes in as the main man and U.S. he really needs him to make the same sophomore leap that the Mackay lemon took.
6:08
[SPEAKER_01]: rather confident that he can make that leap even if he never reaches the kylemen heights which is expectations that are significant for him but he's the main man other than him if it does feel wide open in terms of who by the end of the season
6:25
[SPEAKER_01]: are the the the the second and third options or even four options in this Trent Mosley had a a good spring.
6:32
[SPEAKER_01]: He really turned heads coming out the gate as a true freshman.
6:37
[SPEAKER_01]: Obviously it's it can be hard to gauge which of the true freshman are actually going to be contributors and
6:44
[SPEAKER_01]: who's ready for the task of settling in to life in college and then also getting up to speed.
6:51
[SPEAKER_01]: I wouldn't be surprised if Trent Mosley went wired a wire and proved himself immediately as a go-to guy, but at the same time like...
7:00
[SPEAKER_01]: would anyone be surprised if Kaden Dixon Wyatt or uh... or Luke weaver tron baker any of the other true freshman that are coming in uh... were the one that that came through that mantle and we haven't even gotten a look at blue feaster was one of the higher rated what uh... recruits in this incoming recruiting class who was not around for spring camp and so we don't
7:22
[SPEAKER_01]: we didn't necessarily get to hear about him settling in, he'll have to do that in fall camps, so he comes in slightly behind that doesn't mean he couldn't come in and immediately work his way into a contributor role.
7:34
[SPEAKER_01]: So this receiving core is
7:37
[SPEAKER_01]: like equal parts full of unknowns, because outside of Tinnokines, the next, you know, most established player is a transfer who we've never, Terrell Anderson, who we've really never seen.
7:53
[SPEAKER_01]: He was good for NC State, but we've seen other receivers who were sort of good at other programs coming and not make an impact at USC because other guys stepped up.
8:03
[SPEAKER_01]: So I'm not even willing to pencil in Terrell Anderson
8:08
[SPEAKER_01]: particularly firmly as like a definite starter because his job could just as easily be taken up by, you know, one of the freshmen or maybe course, of course, Sims or Decker Ice Williams or one of the red shirt freshmen like Ramirez and like starts to come through.
8:28
[SPEAKER_01]: So,
8:30
[SPEAKER_01]: I think it's very wide open, but in a good way, I think USC has had wide open receiver questions in the past where I wasn't, I wasn't as confident that somebody will rise up and take that, take that mantle.
8:46
[SPEAKER_01]: So in that sense, like, I'm not actually stressing why
8:54
[SPEAKER_03]: there just needs to be a reset of the expectations for the receiving core given that last year you literally had the belitton a cough winner in my guy lemon you had Jacobi Lane who could look at the bill in a cough winner on any given week and ton of kinds was the guy sprinkled in to be the happy surprise there and I I'm with you that there's a lot of pieces that someone is bound to to join ton of kinds as the guy as being the number
9:24
[SPEAKER_03]: Terrell Anderson is that guy hack if he's the number one I think that's a big victory in the transfer portal and and all of that stuff a lot of talent there I think
9:34
[SPEAKER_03]: where my concern is just that we haven't seen it from a lot of those guys, but that's just because they're young and experienced.
9:43
[SPEAKER_03]: It doesn't mean that they can't do it.
9:46
[SPEAKER_03]: This is not a for sure thing with the receiving core.
9:50
[SPEAKER_03]: Last year was at least comparatively, right?
9:53
[SPEAKER_03]: So,
9:54
[SPEAKER_03]: Um, I think it's going to be interesting there.
9:57
[SPEAKER_03]: Um, up the new faces, um, the freshman Trent Mosley, Cadenix and Wyatt, Sean Baker, Luke Weaver, any of those guys, uh, you're anticipating more to see more than anybody else.
10:13
[SPEAKER_01]: Ah, I mean, it's hard to look away from Trent Mosley considering he already did.
10:19
[SPEAKER_01]: he already impressed people in spring and I take that like a part of the especially for watch receivers the biggest challenges just how quickly you adapt to the college game and Trent mostly seems like he's already like there.
10:36
[SPEAKER_01]: So I would say that he's probably the leader in the clubhouse to have a real impact as a freshman.
10:44
[SPEAKER_01]: The rest of them, like I said, could be any of them, could be none of them, you know, but we feasts first definitely comes in with a ton of expectations.
10:55
[SPEAKER_01]: So he's the sort of secondary name, but he's also the one we know the least about because
11:04
[SPEAKER_01]: Rodrick to Zeno, who we haven't seen anything from because they weren't there in spring.
11:09
[SPEAKER_01]: The other guys at least got a got a leg up.
11:11
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, before we move on to Titans, I...
11:15
[SPEAKER_03]: I want to mention Zacharias Williams.
11:19
[SPEAKER_03]: I feel like we talked about him a lot last off season coming in from Utah.
11:25
[SPEAKER_03]: Had a big game, I think against UCF at the end of the season for the youth in 2024.
11:30
[SPEAKER_03]: And someone to keep an eye on.
11:31
[SPEAKER_03]: And then last year, he had injuries didn't get a lot of run.
11:37
[SPEAKER_03]: Is, would you be surprised at all if he was the guy to work himself into the starting lineup and sort of be the,
11:48
[SPEAKER_03]: Third or fourth option, along with Trent Mosley next to Heinz and Anderson, would you be surprised at all for that?
11:55
[SPEAKER_01]: I would feel better about that if there had been waves made at Spring Camp.
12:00
[SPEAKER_03]: Sure.
12:01
[SPEAKER_01]: But they're weren't.
12:02
[SPEAKER_01]: So it's like, well, you know, as he just...
12:09
[SPEAKER_01]: hit his level and and and it's going to be go down among those those wide receiver transfers that u.s. he's brought in that just sort of never never had it work for them it's going to be tough for him because you know there are so many shiny new toys and he he's his seniority in this group is not
12:30
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't think seniority is going to really play a role for anybody here except for maybe Terrell Anderson because he actually has two years of, you know, real playing experience.
12:40
[SPEAKER_01]: He had six hundred twenty nine yards for NC State last year, five touchdowns for NC State last year.
12:46
[SPEAKER_01]: outside its royal Anderson everybody else is and and obviously uh... to no kind everybody else is playing on a relatively even field because you know zegra is Williams didn't play a ton when he was uh... at you time and um... he had those big flashes but
13:06
[SPEAKER_01]: that's not necessarily going to carry you through in terms of a group where you need to show a certain amount of consistency.
13:11
[SPEAKER_01]: So, what is surprised me in ton?
13:13
[SPEAKER_01]: No, because I really, really liked what I saw from Zachary Oswelliams coming in.
13:17
[SPEAKER_01]: I think his skill set could be really fun, but he still needs to go out there and prove it and, you know, like I said, if there had been murmurings during spring,
13:33
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, maybe I'd be sitting here going like watch out for him.
13:35
[SPEAKER_01]: I just didn't see anything from him during spring.
13:39
[SPEAKER_01]: And it's hard because we don't get to see practices anymore.
13:41
[SPEAKER_01]: We don't get to like, nobody gets to see practices.
13:45
[SPEAKER_01]: So you don't know one, none of the other beat writers know a ton about what's going on in those specific moments.
13:56
[SPEAKER_01]: So we're in the dark a little bit there.
13:58
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, let's go to tight ends where I think all of the discussion is around Mark Bowman five star freshmen in from modern day.
14:10
[SPEAKER_03]: I don't know that there's been certainly there hasn't been a tight end with this much fanfare coming into SC in a couple of decades.
14:21
[SPEAKER_03]: I think the concern.
14:26
[SPEAKER_01]: is that the Blake Ailes PTSD is strong right there have been many many tyrants that have come in with a ton of hype not this much I don't know that's true
14:42
[SPEAKER_01]: No, the problem is is that Blake Ayles is probably the one with the most type and is not the only one of the guys that came in with Hype who did absolutely nothing you see or or didn't live up to the heights that that they have.
14:55
[SPEAKER_03]: Who's your favorite USC tight-ends of the future that never was?
15:01
[SPEAKER_03]: Bryce Dixon.
15:02
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, well Bryce Dixon, that one's great.
15:05
[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, Michael Trigg is a great call.
15:08
[SPEAKER_01]: Michael Trigg is a great call because I was really excited about Michael Trigg.
15:11
[SPEAKER_01]: Right six is just sad because of how that all went down.
15:15
[SPEAKER_01]: I feel like every year there's the side end of the video, so I don't know, I've honestly, I have tried very hard to
15:28
[SPEAKER_01]: to sort of steal my heart against falling too hard in love with Mark Bowman too quickly because of all that trauma around tight ends.
15:41
[SPEAKER_03]: Which is unfair to him.
15:42
[SPEAKER_01]: It is very unfair to him.
15:43
[SPEAKER_03]: Yes.
15:45
[SPEAKER_01]: I have had multiple people tell me.
15:47
[SPEAKER_01]: I think I've said this before.
15:50
[SPEAKER_01]: Multiple people have told me that he is the best tight end prospect that they've ever evaluated.
15:54
[SPEAKER_01]: And these are people that are not affiliated with each other.
15:57
[SPEAKER_01]: This is just completely separate.
15:59
[SPEAKER_01]: I've seen this in three different places from people.
16:02
[SPEAKER_01]: And again, this is completely meaningless, but in College of Old 27, he's an 82 right out of the wrapping,
16:15
[SPEAKER_01]: Oh my god.
16:16
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, yeah, I, I, I, you know, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I,
16:40
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't think that he is the, I don't mean there's any chance that he's the finished article as a true freshman because no one is the finished article as a true freshman, especially at the Titan position.
16:51
[SPEAKER_01]: It's hard to be an every down reliable starting Titan.
16:57
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
16:58
[SPEAKER_01]: And my worry from Mark Bowman is like, can he go in straight away and have impact as a Titan as a receiving Titan?
17:06
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes.
17:07
[SPEAKER_01]: Is there a possibility that USC ends up playing him because of that and then has a liability in the blocking tight end role?
17:20
[SPEAKER_01]: Because he's on the field and is not up to stuff yet for that.
17:25
[SPEAKER_01]: That's a worry I have to be to be quite honest, but I think there's a reason that they bring in the the Wisconsin trash transfer Tucker Ashcraft as the guy who basically replaces Lake McCree as like Titan one in the traditional Titan sense, yeah, and then you know you're just going to get the most snaps.
17:49
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes.
17:49
[SPEAKER_01]: And then you have Mark Bowman play your like, uh, uh, uh, you're going to be splittered.
17:57
[SPEAKER_01]: You're your Drake London, you know, inside receiver, tight end.
18:01
[SPEAKER_01]: Mm-hmm.
18:02
[SPEAKER_01]: Kind of, uh, kind of role, which if that's the way that if Mark Bowman is just Drake London, freshman season.
18:08
[SPEAKER_01]: Well, that's what I was going to say.
18:09
[SPEAKER_01]: Sign me up.
18:10
[SPEAKER_03]: You, I think you would take, you would take, freshman, Drake London, absolutely.
18:15
[SPEAKER_03]: I think the dream is that he's freshman
18:19
[SPEAKER_03]: I mean that's I think that's that's what you want but but also I think the good thing for a tight end is that production wise If if you told if if I offered you right now Mark Bowman 25 catches
18:37
[SPEAKER_03]: 400 yards four touchdowns you're taking that right yeah you know what i mean like yeah he doesn't need to come in here and have 90 catches in a thousand yards like um with the tight end like the the expectations aren't that high in terms of production so i think that that that makes things uh a little bit easier on boomin uh other guys to mention at uh tight end uh
19:06
[SPEAKER_03]: Is a Richard senior, I swear he is becoming one of those names like an ab marker with who I feel like is better on the roster for 19 million here.
19:15
[SPEAKER_01]: Well, he kind of has been though because didn't he go, he transferred it from you.
19:20
[SPEAKER_01]: He transferred in from Utah after doing after before doing a mission and then trance and then moved from linebacker to tight end and so yeah, he's had a long
19:31
[SPEAKER_01]: a long career.
19:32
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, or at least his name has been around for a long time.
19:35
[SPEAKER_01]: So he's been around forever.
19:37
[SPEAKER_01]: I think that with all due respect to Carson, however, actually, the less we see of him this season, the better.
19:45
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
19:45
[SPEAKER_01]: Because that means that someone like Nellotupoi or Walter Matthews,
19:52
[SPEAKER_01]: or the junior college transfer judge efferson that like one of those guys have stepped up Carson Tabarachi is like
20:03
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, one of those like vital guys that you need to have that provides you depth, and does the does the work do everything, right?
20:13
[SPEAKER_03]: Yes, because he was a linebacker at one point.
20:16
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, but he's also not somebody that you want to be relying on is like a starter or getting tons of snaps throughout the season.
20:24
[SPEAKER_01]: Like,
20:25
[SPEAKER_03]: Sure, we were just talking about it with Tucker Ashcraft that like you need a guy who's going to do all the dirty stuff at the tight end position and there's a lot of different requirements for tight end.
20:38
[SPEAKER_03]: So I think he's someone who can chip out there.
20:41
[SPEAKER_01]: My worry with Carson.
20:42
[SPEAKER_01]: He's just he's he's small for sure for for that.
20:48
[SPEAKER_01]: I you know it's just one of those things were like.
20:51
[SPEAKER_03]: My Michael index thing about Carson Tevarachi is number 24.
20:55
[SPEAKER_03]: Number 24 is a tie-dend, not feeling it.
20:58
[SPEAKER_03]: No, not feeling that.
21:00
[SPEAKER_03]: I like 19 for Mark Bowen.
21:02
[SPEAKER_01]: It's a good if for his position for the tie-dend who's a dangerous receiving target, 19's great.
21:11
[SPEAKER_03]: Wasn't that brought powers number, dude?
21:12
[SPEAKER_03]: Georgia.
21:14
[SPEAKER_03]: 2019.
21:15
[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, I think so.
21:17
[SPEAKER_03]: Let's talk offensive line.
21:20
[SPEAKER_03]: Lies your page is back.
21:22
[SPEAKER_03]: To buy his raven is back, killing him, Connor is back.
21:25
[SPEAKER_03]: Lonnie Noah is back.
21:27
[SPEAKER_03]: Justin, tell a new who is back.
21:30
[SPEAKER_03]: Lot of guys who had a lot of starts last year.
21:36
[SPEAKER_03]: We say all the time.
21:37
[SPEAKER_03]: This is not a video game.
21:39
[SPEAKER_03]: you can't expect everyone to take a step forward in terms of development just because they have gotten older.
21:47
[SPEAKER_03]: However, I think it's promising.
21:52
[SPEAKER_03]: There's a lot of guys.
21:54
[SPEAKER_03]: There's a lot of veteran experience dudes there.
21:58
[SPEAKER_03]: Junior Senior Senior Reds-Ritz Off-Boar right down that the projected starting five.
22:03
[SPEAKER_03]: And then you add in the guys like Kenai Pepe as a four star two freshman who comes in with a lot of accolades out of IMG.
22:17
[SPEAKER_03]: You got Hayden Treader, Willie Wassery, everyone's favorite.
22:23
[SPEAKER_03]: Gill and Miller who had a lot of run last year alongside his brother King Miller at running back.
22:28
[SPEAKER_03]: So, like, there's a lot of, there's a lot of names here that got time last year, and I think that that's, that's a good thing for Jade Mayabba who's going to need all the protection and can.
22:42
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, and I think we repeat every year every time we look at the roster that thing about it's not a video game.
22:49
[SPEAKER_01]: You don't just get experience points and then get to invest them into, you know, stat increases and all that kind of stuff.
22:55
[SPEAKER_01]: But if there were one position where the value of experience does,
23:02
[SPEAKER_01]: greatly increase your chances of being better as an individual and as a unit, it is offensive line.
23:10
[SPEAKER_01]: And this is something that my buddy, Hitler, has talked about specifically with this USC offensive line that you can expect a significant
23:23
[SPEAKER_01]: increase in their level of play simply by virtue of this many players returning with this experience in the same system coaching all of that kind of stuff.
23:38
[SPEAKER_01]: What I think is very interesting about this group is even though USC returns so many starters and for the first time in a long time
23:48
[SPEAKER_01]: like a two deep that feels like you're not panicking if those guys on the second string are start have to start, which has not been the case for years now.
24:00
[SPEAKER_01]: So finally, USC's USC's got a proper two deep and it'll be nice in a year when USC feels like they should have a proper three deep because finally they're doing a good job recruiting this position, but it's interesting because for all those returning
24:16
[SPEAKER_01]: They're still uncertain to you around the line and who's actually going to start.
24:21
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, one of the big narratives of spring camp was whether or not to buy his Raymond would overtake Killian O'Connor to start its at center.
24:30
[SPEAKER_01]: And if he does that, then that sets off a chain reaction of,
24:33
[SPEAKER_01]: If Tobias Raymond is starting at center instead of guard, then who is starting at left guard?
24:39
[SPEAKER_01]: Could it be Hayden Trader?
24:40
[SPEAKER_01]: Could it be Kaylon Miller?
24:43
[SPEAKER_01]: Does Elijah by Kona push Justin Tonu for that right tackle spot?
24:48
[SPEAKER_01]: Does Kinai Pepe get involved in that right tackle spot?
24:52
[SPEAKER_01]: This could be an offensive line that
24:55
[SPEAKER_01]: ends up having starters overtaken, but that not the a bad thing.
25:00
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
25:00
[SPEAKER_01]: Because for the first time in years, USC will have had proper legitimate starting battles.
25:09
[SPEAKER_03]: You know, the thing I like about the offensive line is little inside baseball.
25:13
[SPEAKER_03]: We have a spreadsheet where we're basically tracking the roster, right?
25:18
[SPEAKER_03]: And we've got starters, backups, depth
25:24
[SPEAKER_03]: I mean, I think about this for the offense as a whole, but especially the offensive line that like, if you were drawing up your ideal offensive line, strictly in terms of experience,
25:37
[SPEAKER_03]: This is it, you're guys who you're projecting to be your starters.
25:41
[SPEAKER_03]: A couple of seniors, a couple of juniors, and a rising sophomore.
25:44
[SPEAKER_03]: Your backups are all retrofreshment or retro sophomores who could take a big step forward that have gotten a little bit of season in.
25:53
[SPEAKER_03]: And your third string guys are all true freshmen who don't have any expectations to see the field this year.
26:01
[SPEAKER_03]: Like that is the ideal setup for what you want
26:06
[SPEAKER_03]: every year.
26:07
[SPEAKER_03]: And so this not being a year where you're going to have to, theoretically, not have to rely on a freshman to play in less it's key in a Pepe who forces his way in there, is a solid spot to be at.
26:23
[SPEAKER_01]: Or someone like Brett Colojay who was, um, who got a lot of positive reviews from Spring.
26:30
[SPEAKER_01]: And again, it's a freshman who is only involved in a starting battle because
26:39
[SPEAKER_01]: not out of necessity, because they've sort of forced that question.
26:45
[SPEAKER_01]: That's a luxury that USC really hasn't had in a while.
26:50
[SPEAKER_01]: And the battles that, it's funny because the battles, the last couple of years that have emerged in the offseason, have felt like giant red flags, like a Lonnie Noah being in that battle with Kale and Miller.
27:04
[SPEAKER_01]: to start last season like that was that was concerning at the time because alanino was not supposed to be the guy who was in danger of losing their starting job.
27:14
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, but the, uh, this time around, it's like, um, am I slightly concerned that alanino still seems to be the,
27:24
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, locked in starter at right guard.
27:27
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I'm going to be a little bit honest.
27:29
[SPEAKER_01]: I am slightly concerned that there doesn't seem to be any, at least as far as spring goes any questions about whether or not he is a starter USC and, you know, maybe he's able to sort of find a level of stability that he hasn't been able to or the last couple of years, but
27:48
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, you know, last season did not put a ton of confidence in my heart on that front, but at the very least, like if he is under performing this season, you do now look at Kaylon Miller as a legitimate.
28:02
[SPEAKER_01]: as somebody we've seen play and play relatively well.
28:05
[SPEAKER_01]: You do look at guys like Hayden Frieder and Brecology, who have gotten really strong reviews from spring and could push people at guard for playing time.
28:18
[SPEAKER_01]: And specifically at center where Killian O'Connor has been a great, you know, to get back into soccer terms a great servant of the club.
28:29
[SPEAKER_01]: That doesn't mean that it is in U.S.E's best interest for Killing O'Connor to be the starting center this year.
28:35
[SPEAKER_01]: And in that sense, like if the if the thing shake out where Tobias Raymond is capable of playing that center role and you now have
28:46
[SPEAKER_01]: incentive almost to say, okay, we can get away with Tobias being at center because the guy who will will slide into that slot is better in that five than Killian O'Connor would be at center with Raymond next to him at guard, like all of those machinations.
29:04
[SPEAKER_01]: are are are two u.s.s.
29:06
[SPEAKER_01]: benefit whereas in the past we would have been talking about like how well u.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s
29:21
[SPEAKER_01]: it's because he will have beaten out not just the concept of to buy a sermon playing center but also the concept of kill on miller playing center or a big general yeah exactly so like again it's it's the guys who will be starting will have one starting jobs over
29:42
[SPEAKER_01]: players who I look at and say this this person could legitimately start whereas last year it was like well I don't know I mean You're gonna throw their own life to the win Let's let's talk the running game because we note the offensive line is gonna be able to run block
29:57
[SPEAKER_03]: SC has been an elite offense in terms of run blocking ever since Lincoln Riley got here.
30:02
[SPEAKER_03]: The system just works for run blocking yards for carry opportunity rate all of that stuff.
30:08
[SPEAKER_03]: SC excels is number one or number two in the country and all of that stuff.
30:12
[SPEAKER_03]: And when you have a backfield,
30:15
[SPEAKER_03]: that is as exciting as the one that is returning.
30:19
[SPEAKER_03]: I think that is tasty.
30:22
[SPEAKER_03]: Raymond Jordan is back after his injury.
30:25
[SPEAKER_03]: I was partially thinking he could have made it run to the NFL, especially given how running backs have not
30:34
[SPEAKER_03]: big of a window in terms of their their pro career, but he's back returning from injury.
30:39
[SPEAKER_03]: He should be huge if he can be able to stay healthy.
30:43
[SPEAKER_03]: He had a great first half of the season last year.
30:45
[SPEAKER_03]: King Miller, the walk on revelation last year won't be a revelation this year.
30:50
[SPEAKER_03]: Changes numbers goes from 30 to 8.
30:53
[SPEAKER_03]: His esteemed digit man now alongside Wayman Jordan.
30:57
[SPEAKER_03]: He almost had a thousand yards last year expecting to sort of be the guy with women Jordan and having those two dudes be a two headed backfield is the dream situation.
31:11
[SPEAKER_03]: And then like we were saying with the offensive line, when you get into the depths pieces like Riley Wormley, it's great to not have those guys.
31:21
[SPEAKER_03]: being expected to be the superstar out of the gate.
31:24
[SPEAKER_03]: The flip side of this, and we said it's every single year, and last year was a prime example of how this was the gate.
31:31
[SPEAKER_03]: Running Max get hurt, running Max get hurt.
31:34
[SPEAKER_03]: You're going to need your depth pieces.
31:36
[SPEAKER_03]: So you've got Riley Wormley, you've got the Sean Rodo, you've got Sean Olston, those last two come in as freshmen.
31:45
[SPEAKER_03]: Those dudes are going to see the field this year by Hooker by Crook and either way, you hope it's a healthy year for the running back court because there's a lot of dudes.
31:58
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, availability is, availability is the best ability.
32:02
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think that was what set, I mean, aside from King Miller, just being a revelation as far as his running goes, his availability for USC would made him even more valuable than the breakout runs that he had.
32:18
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, not more valuable than that.
32:21
[SPEAKER_01]: But the fact that he was able to be on the field and get, you know, carry the ball 131 times,
32:27
[SPEAKER_01]: That is huge, and unfortunately, you know, Wayman Jordan wasn't able to, his body wasn't able to hold up that way.
32:35
[SPEAKER_01]: This year, if USC can just get a little bit more, USC has had some bad luck with the running back.
32:42
[SPEAKER_01]: So not undoubtedly bad luck last year with the Running Backs Losing Wayman Jordan.
32:46
[SPEAKER_01]: And why am I forgetting his name?
32:49
[SPEAKER_01]: The, the, the running back from,
32:54
[SPEAKER_01]: not Oklahoma state.
32:56
[SPEAKER_01]: Where was he from?
32:57
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, but from, sorry.
33:00
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, so everyone knows who I'm talking about, I apologize.
33:03
[SPEAKER_01]: I, losing both of them, the aback to back and having to go down to King Miller because, uh, because, you know, the freshman that USC did have that year were not available because of injury.
33:14
[SPEAKER_01]: Like that was bad luck.
33:16
[SPEAKER_01]: Hopefully USC gets a little bit better luck this season.
33:23
[SPEAKER_01]: You like Sanders.
33:24
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, sorry.
33:25
[SPEAKER_03]: I kept wanting to say I wasn't Jones.
33:28
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm like, I know it's not I kept wanting to say D something, but that's because of big brother No, yeah, Eli Sanders So women Jordan coming back is super exciting just because women he's such a talent
33:44
[SPEAKER_01]: And I just want to see that talent unleashed in this offense.
33:48
[SPEAKER_01]: I think we could see him have, you know, a season like Woody Marx had in 2024.
33:54
[SPEAKER_01]: If not, if not better than what Woody Marx or, you know, what Travis Dyer or Martian Lloyd, all players who had really, really strong seasons for USC, but were sort of hampered by
34:08
[SPEAKER_01]: the offences around them or injury or anything like that.
34:11
[SPEAKER_01]: Wayman Jordan could have, I genuinely has the ability to come out and have one of the best rushing seasons that USC has had in a long time in this offense where we know that the run scheme is so good.
34:23
[SPEAKER_01]: Do I think that Lincoln Riley will run the ball as much as he should this year?
34:27
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, at this point, the evidence is what it is and that is getting my hopes way too high.
34:32
[SPEAKER_03]: I still argue that like, I think the running game.
34:35
[SPEAKER_03]: is helped by not running more.
34:39
[SPEAKER_03]: As much, yes, I am.
34:40
[SPEAKER_03]: That's a big reason why they run into light boxes that helps the running game out.
34:45
[SPEAKER_03]: I'm not saying that that's what it should be.
34:46
[SPEAKER_03]: Like, yes, I think the absolutely could run more, but I'm just saying that they are helped from the fact that they don't run as much as they potentially could.
34:54
[SPEAKER_03]: Way of ensuring though, I agree.
34:56
[SPEAKER_03]: Like, S.E.S.
34:57
[SPEAKER_03]: has some fantastic transfer of running backs for years now, even before Lincoln Riley got here.
35:05
[SPEAKER_03]: Um, when you look at, uh, you know, all the dudes that that came in, but, uh, March on the way, and, and, um, Kishan, what's it, what was it, the guy from Taxi?
35:18
[SPEAKER_01]: He, he on Tangrum.
35:19
[SPEAKER_01]: He on Tangrum.
35:20
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
35:22
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
35:23
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
35:23
[SPEAKER_03]: And, and you, but I think that, of all those dudes, I think William Jordan has the highest ceiling in the sense of, uh,
35:31
[SPEAKER_03]: I don't think there has been a guy at running back who I could like squint and imagine a high-spin winning season since rojo.
35:39
[SPEAKER_01]: That's exactly what I was about to say to you.
35:42
[SPEAKER_03]: I could see it with women Jordan.
35:45
[SPEAKER_03]: I could see a world in which that happened.
35:48
[SPEAKER_03]: Um, I'm not going to sit here and predict that especially because I think Jordan and Miller should absolutely split Carries 50 50 if not 55 45 whatever it is because I think you want those guys to to be healthy you don't want either one of them to be a guy that has
36:07
[SPEAKER_03]: you know, 25 carries a game.
36:10
[SPEAKER_03]: I think that is a massive red flag that you don't want to have to be relying on that, especially when, you know, there were injury concerns last year with women Jordan, he missed half the season, right?
36:20
[SPEAKER_03]: So either way, he's got potential to be a damn good running man.
36:26
[SPEAKER_01]: I agree.
36:28
[SPEAKER_01]: I think that we have been very excited about other running backs that
36:38
[SPEAKER_01]: potential that Wayman Jordan has.
36:40
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
36:40
[SPEAKER_01]: Unfortunately, Wayman Jordan is playing for 2026 USC and not like 2005 USC.
36:46
[SPEAKER_03]: There's playing for 2005 on the 2005 team.
36:50
[SPEAKER_03]: I don't know if I don't know if I don't mind up in that.
36:55
[SPEAKER_01]: yes but you know i think my number one concern there is obviously availability he needs to stay healthy throughout the season um not saying he can't but you still do need to prove that uh but the nice thing is that you do have king miller behind him and you know again
37:14
[SPEAKER_01]: you never know what the running backs because a lot of times the running backs that are part of your depth get injured themselves during practice like happened to to the US last year so uh... you can't count your chickens where they hatch but the freshman to shonradou and shonolston i think are
37:31
[SPEAKER_01]: are two are two of the freshman running backs that USC has had in recent years because USC hasn't hasn't really hit it out of the park with freshman running backs quite as quite as much.
37:42
[SPEAKER_01]: But if there were going to be a freshman, a true freshman that was going to come in and have a little bit of an impact, I could see one of those guys doing it.
37:49
[SPEAKER_01]: So in that sense, it could be interesting to see if they force their way into this rotation.
37:56
[SPEAKER_01]: as well.
37:56
[SPEAKER_01]: And I'm not ruling out Riley warmly as a guy who is also part of that part of that situation.
38:02
[SPEAKER_01]: But again, like short of catastrophic injuries like USC had last year, which you have to realize is a real possibility.
38:14
[SPEAKER_01]: I feel really good about this running back room.
38:16
[SPEAKER_01]: I feel so good about it.
38:18
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I'm except for.
38:20
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't like number eight, I don't like number eight for King Miller.
38:25
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to be honest.
38:26
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't like it.
38:26
[SPEAKER_03]: I, I, not my favorite.
38:29
[SPEAKER_03]: So it's a receiver number heard.
38:30
[SPEAKER_03]: I didn't number for me, but I don't necessarily.
38:34
[SPEAKER_03]: It's a receiver for me, but yeah, I, I agree, but he's going to make it his own.
38:39
[SPEAKER_03]: He's going to make it his own.
38:41
[SPEAKER_03]: Well, we'll see how that goes.
38:42
[SPEAKER_03]: I think the only thing that I wish that
38:50
[SPEAKER_03]: the Romanian the chances we have the best for any back room in the country.
38:53
[SPEAKER_03]: I think that absolutely I think that you can feel like as he could put their hat in the ring there, the concern is number three.
39:02
[SPEAKER_03]: And that's not because of any doubt on Riley Wormley, as much as last year they lost their number two and the number one and had to go to the
39:15
[SPEAKER_03]: Freshman walk on in King Miller and like you don't want you don't want to have to keep going to that well You know what I mean?
39:21
[SPEAKER_03]: So all right, let's go to quarterback.
39:24
[SPEAKER_03]: I think this one's going to be brief because I don't think we need to discuss the roster much in terms of Jade and my avid.
39:30
[SPEAKER_03]: We know Jade and my avid is the starter.
39:32
[SPEAKER_03]: There's no question about that He returns after a Season last year when she was really good for most of it
39:40
[SPEAKER_03]: had his ups and downs.
39:42
[SPEAKER_03]: He had the Nebraska game.
39:43
[SPEAKER_03]: He had the Valerole mobile, but of course, he's back and he bounced back last year after a bad bull game to have a great start to 2025.
39:52
[SPEAKER_03]: So, uh, he's your starter, retro senior.
39:55
[SPEAKER_03]: This is it.
39:56
[SPEAKER_03]: This is your opportunity to be one of going into the season as one of the most valuable quarterbacks in the country.
40:05
[SPEAKER_03]: This is your opportunity to prove that you're the guy if you're to aid my Ava.
40:10
[SPEAKER_03]: If we're talking roster,
40:12
[SPEAKER_03]: Behind him, I think it's interesting because you got two dudes.
40:17
[SPEAKER_03]: Sam, you were at his back.
40:18
[SPEAKER_03]: S.E.S.
40:18
[SPEAKER_03]: favorite punter, of course.
40:21
[SPEAKER_03]: We're in the number seven.
40:24
[SPEAKER_03]: And Jonas Williams is there incoming true freshmen, forcedar.
40:30
[SPEAKER_03]: I, is this one of those scenarios where there is a QB2 temp and a QB2 long term.
40:41
[SPEAKER_01]: I was that that was very much my opinion and has been my opinion going in is that for all intents and purposes, if Jayden my ava, if it's helmet pops off, if it's helmet pops off in the middle of the game, I think Sam Howard comes in.
40:56
[SPEAKER_01]: If he gets injured and U.S. he needs like a quarterback to play, then Jonas Williams comes in.
41:03
[SPEAKER_01]: Having said that, Jonas Williams is pretty polished coming in, and so if somebody could make the argument to just be QB2 straight up, then it could be Jonas Williams.
41:18
[SPEAKER_01]: Also, in the era of like NIL and you know, red shirting not really being a thing for these high profile quarterbacks and all that kind of stuff like part of me things that maybe they're maybe you just don't even bother with it and just Jonas Williams is your is your second quarterback whether he's ready for it or not, but
41:39
[SPEAKER_01]: Because because for all intents and purposes, if USC needs a quarterback and Jade and my office unavailable, that quarterback will be Jonas Williams.
41:48
[SPEAKER_01]: It will not be.
41:48
[SPEAKER_03]: We so asked you that this song longs for that got run.
41:52
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, heck, there was a package for him.
41:54
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, we'll there be a package for Jonas Williams that I don't, I don't know.
41:57
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't know so much, but you never know.
42:00
[SPEAKER_01]: Sometimes you have to do things to keep these guys happy, and so that like, because I would have in the past, I would have said, well, if USC is in garbage time,
42:09
[SPEAKER_01]: My thought being is probably Sam Howard, but then at the same time like in today's day and age Like no, it's actually Jonas Williams because you want to be able to say that he learns a mixed Yes, you want to learn some ex-peaks actually, so Jos Williams wearing the iconic Carson Palmer number 15 So I can forward to that true freshman Carson Palmer.
42:33
[SPEAKER_03]: Let us see to assemble in 1998
42:44
[SPEAKER_03]: All right, let's move on, of course, to the defense.
42:51
[SPEAKER_03]: So many guys, we talked about the offense having a lot of dudes back, a lot of seniority across the offensive line.
43:01
[SPEAKER_03]: You've got returning, running backs, you've got a returning fifth year senior quarterback, all of those things on defense.
43:10
[SPEAKER_03]: completely different situation.
43:12
[SPEAKER_03]: Yes, on your defense events, you have some upper class been there.
43:17
[SPEAKER_03]: Braille and Shelby, Camp Crawford, Gda have a Siri comes in as a true junior at defensive tackle and probably the guy to watch on the defensive line as a returner.
43:30
[SPEAKER_03]: But,
43:31
[SPEAKER_03]: There's no Bishup Fitzgeralds here in the Second Dairy.
43:42
[SPEAKER_03]: John Tess Williams comes in at corner, the transfer from Iowa States.
43:49
[SPEAKER_03]: Linebacker continues to be a big question.
43:52
[SPEAKER_03]: So let's walk through this.
43:56
[SPEAKER_03]: defensive line.
43:57
[SPEAKER_03]: Your ends shall be in Crawford.
44:00
[SPEAKER_03]: You also have a Zerai Fisher from Penn State and Luke Wafel, the four star true freshman who's an 82 overall guy in cultural 27, which is wild.
44:13
[SPEAKER_03]: What do you think about the ends?
44:16
[SPEAKER_01]: the ends are so fascinating because we should be coming in here feeling confident in Shelby and Crawford to be the guys and yet I'm not because they were the unit as a whole not just I don't want to like call out individuals because
44:34
[SPEAKER_01]: it felt like it didn't matter who USC had out there and nobody was really getting to the quarterback the way that USC needed them to be.
44:40
[SPEAKER_01]: So it made me wonder if there was something going on with scheme or coaching or something like that.
44:46
[SPEAKER_01]: But you know this is a this is a make or break year for both of these guys shall be in particular but Crawford too like it's time to start living up to the to the hype.
44:57
[SPEAKER_01]: and sort of take that next step towards being not just a, well, he's got potential to being like, this is a critical player for USC.
45:05
[SPEAKER_01]: What I like about this group is that I think there are more options behind them than USC had last year.
45:12
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes.
45:12
[SPEAKER_01]: In terms of Zaryah Fisher has a ton of experience playing for Penn State.
45:18
[SPEAKER_01]: His efficiency numbers for Penn State were good even if
45:27
[SPEAKER_01]: It immense immense talent.
45:29
[SPEAKER_03]: He's the marked moment of the defense.
45:31
[SPEAKER_01]: He's the marked moment of the defense, yes.
45:33
[SPEAKER_01]: And if anybody, if any of the freshmen on defense, we're going to sort of force their way in and be instant impact guys.
45:40
[SPEAKER_01]: Luke Wafel is the one that you'd put your money behind.
45:45
[SPEAKER_01]: So between those four, I feel pretty good that can two of the four establish themselves
45:57
[SPEAKER_01]: an impact on games.
45:59
[SPEAKER_01]: I like my odds there that the two of the four, whether it's Crawford and Fisher, whether it's Shelby and Waffle, that it'll be some combination of those guys.
46:13
[SPEAKER_01]: The question still is, what is that level of impact?
46:19
[SPEAKER_01]: Is there somebody in coming off the edge who is capable of, you know, being the main man in terms of producing sacks, Cam Crawford had 5.5 last year, Braille and Shelby had 4.5, is there anybody on this roster who can think or dream about double digit sacks?
46:42
[SPEAKER_01]: Because having a double digit sack guy,
46:45
[SPEAKER_01]: is a huge, huge difference.
46:48
[SPEAKER_01]: The good, the, the, the lead defenses in college football have one of those guys is one of those is one of these guys that guy in 2026 maybe not that's that's my that's my question the hope is that waffles that dude.
47:01
[SPEAKER_03]: Yes.
47:02
[SPEAKER_03]: Um, but.
47:04
[SPEAKER_03]: I, personally, am way more interested in the defensive tackles because I'm going to say something that I, I think on the surface sounds, if you read this strictly in text with no context, would sound insane, I think this is the best interior line that SC has had on paper in a long time.
47:27
[SPEAKER_01]: I think you, and part of that, not to dim, dim this line with faint praise, part of that is because the depth of USC's new line, it's the depth, because so poor, but before I let you get back to this, I will say as I put together the step chart that we're referring to here.
47:45
[SPEAKER_01]: it was wild to me that I was sitting there and Floyd Bacard was third- yes yes was not it not even in the tops not even in the top four players that I had I mean he could be yes he certainly could be uh junior adversaries the guy that I'm super excited about I've really liked what I've seen from him the last two years um the true junior out of Minnesota um
48:13
[SPEAKER_03]: to keep stored.
48:14
[SPEAKER_03]: The guy that everybody was excited last year and who I'm still not sure is the defensive tackle.
48:19
[SPEAKER_03]: He might be a defensive end.
48:20
[SPEAKER_03]: He might be a defensive end.
48:21
[SPEAKER_03]: Whatever he is, he's going to move around there and he's going to give you a lot of flexibility in the gaps you put him in.
48:27
[SPEAKER_03]: Seven has tackles for lost last year as a true freshman.
48:32
[SPEAKER_03]: He showed his worth absolutely and the fact that I think that you could talk about him as someone
48:40
[SPEAKER_03]: behind GD Abysseries shows you how good both of those guys can be.
48:44
[SPEAKER_03]: Alex Vinson from Michigan State, he's your veteran input guy that's plugged in with a lot of experience, transfer from Michigan State, 19 run stops a year ago from the Spartans
49:01
[SPEAKER_03]: and then you got judge here who is gone from number zero to number ninety nine just complete one eighty of sorts in terms of numbers three tackles for loss a year ago sorry three tackles a year ago and a big pick six against Purdue so he's someone who has a lot of potential we we a lot of
49:27
[SPEAKER_03]: phrase last year going into the season him and and silver were guys that people were super excited about and Jared has a big play against Purdue but you don't really see a lot of him after that because of injuries and whatnot.
49:44
[SPEAKER_03]: And then, yeah, you get to Floyd Picard and he's absolutely showed a lot of life, particularly later on in the season as someone who can get some run in there.
49:54
[SPEAKER_03]: He had two tackles for last year, then you go deep down into the depths, you have Damian Will, windfield, Tom Tom to Pooey, cast Jacobson, Jake Johnson, Malik Brooks,
50:08
[SPEAKER_01]: cash a most there's a million news there you got to keep scrolling and we we were able to scroll like this I mean they're for most of the past five to maybe even ten years for U.S.E's defensive tackles if a player like Tom Tom to play to Puy or or Jamie and windfield was in the recruiting glass they would have been second string yeah
50:31
[SPEAKER_01]: And now we're having to scroll for them because guys like Floyd Bacarda that far back and Floyd Bacarda could play a ton He could start for a lot of teams.
50:39
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, I mean he could start for USC that's the reality is that right now I think we're penciling in
50:46
[SPEAKER_01]: I think GDA have a series locked in starter.
50:49
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm penciling in Alex van Semmerin because of the run because I mean the whole chat is all we got to stop the run better, we got to stop the run better and they are 100% right and Alex van Semmerin is that aunt is the answer to that and so I think situationally we might see a different combination like maybe maybe you don't see a lot of Alex van Semmerin on third
51:13
[SPEAKER_01]: third and, third and passing distances, um, which opens the door for somebody like John Jarrett or Jim Stewart to be, to be their beside Gdaibus area, if that's the way they want to roll with it.
51:25
[SPEAKER_01]: But I think he's your first and second down, uh, D.T.
51:30
[SPEAKER_01]: locked in there.
51:30
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, and then, and, and so that sort of just opens up a ton of competition for everybody else to, like, to, to prove that they deserve snaps and also for USC to keep guys fresh because you can,
51:43
[SPEAKER_01]: be rotating these guys in and out and not feel like you're at least hopefully not feel like you're falling off a cliff Jajar it's still very much needs to prove that he can be consistent but with that size on the inside if you have seen get something out of him not just as a past rusher but if he can start you know taking on double teams and and uh... or even just like jajarit and jakim steward and let defenses decide how they're going to deal with
52:10
[SPEAKER_01]: that combination of size and explosiveness, I think it puts you a see in a really good spot on the interior, if, if, if, if, if, if the run defense as a whole, aside from vencemarin is like your specialist, if they can all sort of like raise that level just a little bit, I like this grip a lot.
52:31
[SPEAKER_01]: I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I,
52:36
[SPEAKER_03]: I don't know if you'll get this reference.
52:38
[SPEAKER_03]: I don't even know if I'm using this reference correctly.
52:41
[SPEAKER_03]: But remember, like the 2016 Golden State Warriors, they had a death line up.
52:47
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes.
52:47
[SPEAKER_03]: And I want to say the death line up was Steph Thompson, Harrison Barnes, Iguadala and the guy that's not very good, but he thinks he's very good, what's his name?
53:01
[SPEAKER_03]: Mr. Constate Guy.
53:04
[SPEAKER_03]: Dremont.
53:05
[SPEAKER_03]: Dremont.
53:05
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, there you go.
53:07
[SPEAKER_01]: I want to say like that was the the death letter for death clay agodala, Dremont, and Harrison Barnes, and then it later became Kevin Durant.
53:15
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
53:15
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
53:16
[SPEAKER_03]: It's like that was their death line at both like these guys are in there and like they're going to take the game over and you know, go both the wall there.
53:33
[SPEAKER_03]: to came steward or adversary at the end.
53:36
[SPEAKER_03]: The other one inside, Luke Wafel at the other end, and Alex van Sumer and plug it up the middle.
53:44
[SPEAKER_03]: Like, spying me up for that.
53:48
[SPEAKER_03]: Trobob in the chat says you might teach EDA on the end as well.
53:51
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, I think the,
53:53
[SPEAKER_03]: adversary and to keep store to guys who could who could bounce outside depending on how you want to mix and match, depending on whether you want your your uh your ends to be in the sever the five or the whatever number you want them to be, right?
54:08
[SPEAKER_03]: So like there's a lot of flexibility that they can give um Patterson as a defensive coordinator.
54:13
[SPEAKER_01]: and it will be fun to see what Patterson does with this group of guys and what his front looks like depending on how he feels about this group and who he can trust and you know it's it's not a huge the schematically where there's not a huge transition from
54:38
[SPEAKER_01]: guys can get very creative with what that 425 actually looks like and what personnel looks like in that 425.
54:45
[SPEAKER_01]: So I'm very curious to see what combination was actually that Patterson gets comfortable with.
54:51
[SPEAKER_03]: Vince Zimmerman and John Jarrett are only going to ever play inside.
54:55
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, but like the other dudes could absolutely mix and match.
55:01
[SPEAKER_03]: Let's talk about linebacker, interesting position here.
55:06
[SPEAKER_03]: There's been Steven's had a can't throw out using freshman season, highlighted with the big interception against the Penn State.
55:16
[SPEAKER_03]: I think there was a lot of talk about him being someone who could really be intriguing.
55:24
[SPEAKER_03]: Ryan Rob Ryan raved about him and his intro press conference like, okay, he's the magic man.
55:33
[SPEAKER_03]: And then last season, the livemaker play at S.C. was just not there.
55:38
[SPEAKER_03]: It was not there.
55:40
[SPEAKER_03]: And now you've got a situation where it has been Stevens still projected as a start up, but you need to see more in year three, Devon Bryant transfers in from UW.
55:50
[SPEAKER_03]: You still got Chaden Walker, Tami Robinson, the transfer from Penn State.
55:56
[SPEAKER_03]: is an option there as well, and then you can keep going to the Deaf's guys, Elijah Newby, Telenoah Eely, John Scott, Tabo, Johnson, guys who have plugged in as a street freshman.
56:13
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, linebacker is the position on U.S.E's roster that I have the least confidence in.
56:23
[SPEAKER_01]: And I believe that is based in now years of just absolute futility.
56:32
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
56:35
[SPEAKER_01]: That just that makes me sad makes me very sad.
56:43
[SPEAKER_01]: transfer solution at this position was Devon Bryant a player that got benched at Washington.
56:53
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't know that I have a ton of confidence, but you never know, maybe he'll come in and prove me wrong.
56:59
[SPEAKER_01]: Desmond Stevens was, I think that too many coaches have looked at him and said that he has all of the traits that they want in a linebacker for me to say he doesn't have those traits.
57:10
[SPEAKER_01]: But what I do know is that he does not play with aggression, and he plays passively.
57:16
[SPEAKER_01]: He played, I think, at times.
57:20
[SPEAKER_01]: scared or slow in this past season and was a was a huge liability for U.S.C.
57:26
[SPEAKER_01]: in the middle there.
57:27
[SPEAKER_01]: And so my worry is that if you're just running it back, again, this is not college for both twenty seven.
57:34
[SPEAKER_01]: He didn't just get a bunch of experience points that he gets to plug in to play recognition or whatever.
57:41
[SPEAKER_01]: And suddenly we come a better player.
57:53
[SPEAKER_01]: So maybe third time's a charm, maybe this is different, maybe somebody unlocks something, but I also worry about the change over every year for him specifically about who's voices in his ear and whether or not that's helping him or hurting him as a player.
58:11
[SPEAKER_01]: And the thing that really frustrates me is that in my projected depth chart, I do have Desmond Stevens and Devin Bryant as starters at USC,
58:23
[SPEAKER_01]: who else would I put there to start.
58:25
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
58:26
[SPEAKER_01]: Tamor Robinson, what we saw from him last year was in Super Encouraging, Jane Walker.
58:31
[SPEAKER_01]: I would love to see him move forward and take hold of a starting job because there were some moments for him last year, but also it wasn't super encouraging either because there was not a single linebacker on the appeal for USC at any point last season who encouraged me.
58:49
[SPEAKER_01]: So, you know, you take what you can get
58:53
[SPEAKER_01]: made some plays and then and then you get into a guy like an Elijah Nubi who I just don't see where he plays and then you just end up with a bunch of true freshmen who if Talinoa Ely wants to come in and and announce himself as a number 25 is a number 55 he's wearing number 22 don't think I don't know what that is Talinoa um if he wants to come in and just announce himself as the next 55 by all means please god
59:19
[SPEAKER_03]: Give me that, but also, here it is.
59:23
[SPEAKER_03]: He makes a diving tackle on fourth and goal, Oregon trying to get it in the end zone.
59:31
[SPEAKER_03]: And he dives over the line, like Sam Bam County ham, but in reverse and flips over.
59:39
[SPEAKER_03]: And as he's flipped over, his 22 becomes 55.
59:44
[SPEAKER_01]: And that's the front page of the
59:48
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I'd I'd very love it at the same time like he is listed on USC's roster at 63225 Colour me skeptical that he is 225 obviously a whole off season to work out in the with the strangling edition coaches and and all that kind of stuff maybe he will show up for for fall camp and and be ready for the season
1:00:13
[SPEAKER_01]: at something that looks like 225, but I'm just I'm simply not banking on that.
1:00:18
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't think it's fair to Talon O'Elie to like to
1:00:23
[SPEAKER_01]: double him the savor of u.s. he's linebacker group right now same same for shunscott and table johnson like it's just it's not fair to these guys to look at them this isn't wide receiver this is linebacker right i don't there's a bit like into inside linebacker this isn't just get on the line pin your ears back and go chase the quarterback like like what you want from lukeful um... there's a lot of
1:00:46
[SPEAKER_01]: learning and and pressure and understanding that these guys have to do and I just don't want to rely on the freshman and if I'm not going to rely on on Teleno Ely to be my savior here.
1:00:58
[SPEAKER_01]: Then I guess you just have to hope that Desmond Stevens takes the set forward and then Devon Bryant is fine.
1:01:06
[SPEAKER_03]: We will see.
1:01:07
[SPEAKER_03]: We will see one of the biggest questions.
1:01:09
[SPEAKER_03]: Perhaps the biggest question on this entire roster for the Trojans going in 2020, six is talking about corner.
1:01:15
[SPEAKER_03]: John Ted's Williams comes in from Iowa States, the Cyclones.
1:01:20
[SPEAKER_03]: He knows what the uniform looks like.
1:01:22
[SPEAKER_03]: That's a perk.
1:01:24
[SPEAKER_03]: for him.
1:01:25
[SPEAKER_03]: Coming off of an injury last year missed most of last season, but he was buffo in 2020 for right for the Cyclones.
1:01:34
[SPEAKER_03]: You hope that he continues to be at that level.
1:01:39
[SPEAKER_03]: And the other corners, well, first of all, you hope that he's the McIe Blackman that SC had in 2022, as the
1:01:53
[SPEAKER_03]: Um, that you wanted to get from, uh, what was the kind from, uh, Saturday, state last year that DJ Harvey DJ Harvey, you wanted that from DJ Harvey, and you didn't get it.
1:02:04
[SPEAKER_03]: You hope you get it from John to his Williams.
1:02:06
[SPEAKER_03]: Other guys at corner, uh, Marcelo Williams, Jason Johnson, Treston Castro, uh, say a Rubin, uh, Brandon Lockhart's Rock Hill, uh, Josh Holland, uh, Carrington Pierce,
1:02:22
[SPEAKER_03]: all the way down deep to the true freshman.
1:02:24
[SPEAKER_01]: A lot of bodies, but this for me is very much a three-man race with
1:02:31
[SPEAKER_01]: Well, it's Judge Williams is lock-in starter, and then it's just a does Marcellus Williams or Trace in Johnson when that that job opposite Injuries are huge concern in the group huge Jantez Williams didn't wasn't available in spring because he was still rehabbing Trace in Johnson was also not available for spring Will Johnson's Williams be
1:02:59
[SPEAKER_01]: fully back confident in his knee, looking like the player that he was before that injury.
1:03:04
[SPEAKER_01]: U.S. needs him to be, but you just never know when it comes to coming back from these injuries.
1:03:10
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, our solo Williams has a ton of potential.
1:03:13
[SPEAKER_01]: I really hope that he can
1:03:15
[SPEAKER_01]: I take a step forward after after last season where he was a starter wasn't a great starter, but no one was, so again, it's like how much of that was scheme and coaching and how much will change under this new defensive regime.
1:03:32
[SPEAKER_01]: Jason Johnson.
1:03:33
[SPEAKER_01]: again, back from injury so we don't really know and then, you know, maybe one of the, maybe one of the younger guys throws their name into the, into the pool, Rock Hill certainly, as a recruit comes in fairly well, fairly well-hyped and could be interesting.
1:03:52
[SPEAKER_03]: But, you hear the name Rock Hill?
1:03:54
[SPEAKER_03]: What, what, what, what roster do you think he'd be on for SE?
1:03:58
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't think like nineteen fifty two and it comes rock it was a tackle in the backfield for the major out of the I was going to say nineteen fifty six but yes we're we're definitely uh... on the same page here but uh... yeah i wish i had more confidence in the corners i think there's a universe where u.s.s.
1:04:16
[SPEAKER_01]: very
1:04:18
[SPEAKER_01]: well taken care of with john to Williams and Marcellus Williams, um, as you're to like I think there's a universe where you're fine with those two guys and and you can roll the season with them.
1:04:30
[SPEAKER_01]: It's just that like a lot of a lot of it comes down to the injury stuff and the consistency stuff which.
1:04:38
[SPEAKER_01]: still pretty unproven but if you get jumped as Williams as he was that I was state you're you're it takes so much pressure off of the rest to uh to figure out where you're at because i mean we've seen that before with my Kai black men and with others just having that one guy makes a huge difference yeah
1:04:57
[SPEAKER_03]: Mr. Pukahed in the chat says I'm very interested who will play nickel Strong safety and free safety Let's get to the safety's Christian Pierce is back wearing the number six Alex Graham number seven profit brown number 16 those are probably the guys leader in the clubhouse to be the starters
1:05:19
[SPEAKER_03]: Marcus Cayagos, Kennedy Irlocker, RJ Sermons, provide some depth along with the D-Ritic Peyton Dyer, Madden Reardon, as you continue to go down into the depth all the way to the true fashion.
1:05:34
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I think the simplest answer to the to the question from Mr. Pugahed is Pierce Graham Brown Pearson Graham or your safety's Brown is your nickel and you call it a day.
1:05:48
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
1:05:49
[SPEAKER_01]: I, again, injuries are a huge part of this because Graham and Brown.
1:05:55
[SPEAKER_01]: have dealt with plenty of injuries that that didn't allow them to play the full season this past season, so who knows, but I think that I think that
1:06:09
[SPEAKER_01]: Alex Graham clearly is a baller and he will be on the field whether that is as a safety or a nickel I think is still up in the air and depends greatly on whether or not profit brown is able to sort of pick up where he left off and also depend on where somebody like profit brown figures into this new defensive scheme with this new defensive coaching staff and all and the pecking order there.
1:06:37
[SPEAKER_01]: because there is a universe where it's Christian Pierce and Kennedy Erlacker at safety and I'll excram at nickel.
1:06:43
[SPEAKER_01]: There is a universe where it's Christian Pierce and I'll excram with somebody over taking brown, like, you know, maybe it's Argyseurman's, maybe, maybe D. Rittick, Condere's Rittick is able to come in and show us a little bit more like what he showed us last year.
1:07:02
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, I think there's I think of the three if one of them wasn't starting this year my guess would be that it wouldn't be profit brown even though I'm penciling him in And I think that a lot of it comes down to where do they see Alex Graham being at his best because There is a universe where they decide that Alex Graham is best at nickel and if that's the case, then
1:07:26
[SPEAKER_01]: You're obvious, then your next obvious choice is Kennedy or Lacker.
1:07:30
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, Marky's guy goes, could make an interesting, I suppose.
1:07:32
[SPEAKER_03]: But my favorite thing about the safeties is that Kennedy or Lacker will be rock in the number nine love that.
1:07:42
[SPEAKER_03]: Because last year, he played to me a little like he was, he was very fun when he came on later in the season.
1:07:54
[SPEAKER_03]: I don't know, there's a little bit of Sammy Knight vibes for me.
1:07:56
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes.
1:07:57
[SPEAKER_03]: Like, linebacker, safety, like hybrid guy.
1:08:02
[SPEAKER_03]: Like, he could play a linebacker if you really needed him to.
1:08:06
[SPEAKER_03]: Safety, put him in the number nine, the Sammy Knight number nine.
1:08:12
[SPEAKER_03]: I dig it and erlicker and pairs, I think, are just two gamers that I think that you pair those with the guy with the high-end talent, like an Alex Graham, and I think that's an ideal situation from experience and, you know, cerebral play and all that kind of stuff for the second Derek.
1:08:33
[SPEAKER_03]: So we'll see how that goes.
1:08:34
[SPEAKER_03]: Let's wrap this up.
1:08:36
[SPEAKER_03]: With the kicker, Ryan's air is back, Caden Chinton is back.
1:08:41
[SPEAKER_03]: I think the biggest surprise for me on this entire roster is that Caden Chinton did not transfer.
1:08:46
[SPEAKER_03]: I, yep, shocking.
1:08:49
[SPEAKER_01]: I think it's actually going to be very interesting to see what this kicker battle holds.
1:08:57
[SPEAKER_01]: I think you do have some flexibility here now with Serian and Chintin in terms of who can be your kickoff specialist who can be your maybe short range or long range like all of that kind of stuff could get could get fun.
1:09:11
[SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, Chintin, Chintin coming back at all didn't see it coming.
1:09:18
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, he was the true freshman all American at UNLV.
1:09:23
[SPEAKER_03]: Um, two years ago, came to SC, you thought he was, you know, the, on paper, the highest acclaimed kicker that SC had had in a long, long time because SC doesn't really have kickers with accolades, just, just hasn't happened, right?
1:09:38
[SPEAKER_03]: There's no, there's, there's no, um, Rosa winner in, in, in USC's, um, at Heritage Hall, right?
1:09:47
[SPEAKER_03]: Uh, but, um,
1:09:49
[SPEAKER_03]: Uh, right in the airy steps in as the walk on true freshman that no one ever heard of, and it was awesome.
1:09:58
[SPEAKER_03]: Um, he had his moments towards the other season where he had a couple of misses.
1:10:04
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't care.
1:10:05
[SPEAKER_03]: I really don't care.
1:10:06
[SPEAKER_03]: He started off.
1:10:08
[SPEAKER_03]: just about everything.
1:10:10
[SPEAKER_03]: He was beyond the expectations of what you'd want from your kicker, especially as someone, as inexperienced as he was getting thrown into the fire last year.
1:10:21
[SPEAKER_03]: This is a great situation, I think, for SC's kicking game, because you either have, say, Eric, who you know what you got last year, and that was very good.
1:10:37
[SPEAKER_03]: All-American, the takes a step from where he was as a freshman all-American and continues to take a step forward.
1:10:45
[SPEAKER_03]: And then he's your rockstar, kicker, who looks like he could compete for the grows that are something.
1:10:51
[SPEAKER_03]: You know what I mean?
1:10:52
[SPEAKER_03]: Either one of those things, flip a coin, who cares what you land on.
1:10:57
[SPEAKER_03]: I think you feel good about it.
1:10:58
[SPEAKER_01]: I love competition.
1:10:59
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
1:11:00
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah.
1:11:01
[SPEAKER_03]: Um... Well, you see, you don't have a tonner in here.
1:11:03
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't have a tonner.
1:11:05
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm realizing that right now.
1:11:06
[SPEAKER_01]: No, tonner.
1:11:08
[SPEAKER_03]: It's because I see it's not going to punt.
1:11:11
[SPEAKER_01]: No punks this year.
1:11:12
[SPEAKER_01]: No punks.
1:11:13
[SPEAKER_03]: No punks.
1:11:13
[SPEAKER_01]: All right.
1:11:14
[SPEAKER_01]: On the roster, the punters are Locklin' Carrigan from Melbourne, Australia, transferred from Memphis, Ray Sanchez, and William White Sanchez.
1:11:26
[SPEAKER_01]: Ray Sanchez.
1:11:28
[SPEAKER_03]: The cup short stop?
1:11:30
[SPEAKER_01]: I do not think the Ray Sanchez, from Carson High School and Long Beach Community College, is the cup short size.
1:11:36
[SPEAKER_01]: It's a cold.
1:11:37
[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, but William Wiesberg went to Notre Dame, high school.
1:11:41
[SPEAKER_03]: I prefer the cold.
1:11:41
[SPEAKER_01]: Good, go Knights.
1:11:43
[SPEAKER_03]: Uh, yeah, I think, I think Lockelin, Carrigan, is the guy who's the, um, you, you don't listen to, um, shift F1 enough, but, uh, there's a guy, there's a Patreon guy who's one of their title sponsors, Lockelin the bad man.
1:12:02
[SPEAKER_03]: That's, that's his username on Patreon, and like, it's so good that like now I hear the name lock that I just think, lock in the madman.
1:12:09
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay, carry it.
1:12:12
[SPEAKER_01]: Sorry, uh, carry it is 6 300 pounds.
1:12:15
[SPEAKER_01]: He trained at Procake Australia and at Memphis last year, he averaged 43.4 yards on 46 punts, pinning 10 opponents inside the 20 yard line, had 7 punts for 50 plus yards while appearing in all 13 games as a freshman.
1:12:30
[SPEAKER_03]: All right.
1:12:32
[SPEAKER_01]: Good enough for me, folks.
1:12:36
[SPEAKER_01]: Oh my god, Ben Griffiths.
1:12:40
[SPEAKER_03]: That's the rest of that quote, yeah.
1:12:43
[SPEAKER_03]: All right guys.
1:12:44
[SPEAKER_03]: We'll be back next week.
1:12:46
[SPEAKER_03]: We got a week.
1:12:47
[SPEAKER_03]: We got a voicemail.
1:12:49
[SPEAKER_03]: We ran out of time.
1:12:50
[SPEAKER_03]: We'll play it next week and you can always add on to voicemails.
1:12:55
[SPEAKER_03]: 8 when 8 6 4 3 7 2 2 7 is the phone number dial in.
1:13:00
[SPEAKER_03]: We'll put together a mailback for next week next Thursday should be the plan.
1:13:05
[SPEAKER_03]: The 23rd 7 23.
1:13:07
[SPEAKER_01]: So yeah, we will see you then.
1:13:09
[SPEAKER_01]: We would do more marathon podcasts.
1:13:11
[SPEAKER_01]: But
1:13:13
[SPEAKER_01]: It's still hot, yeah.
1:13:15
[SPEAKER_01]: It's hot as hell.
1:13:17
[SPEAKER_03]: And we've been in a place in the right conditionaries.
1:13:19
[SPEAKER_03]: Oh yeah, yeah, it's not great.
1:13:21
[SPEAKER_03]: This is what the bridge is.
1:13:23
[SPEAKER_01]: You're not recommend, yeah.
1:13:24
[SPEAKER_01]: They were getting a taste of the British summer.
1:13:26
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, it's like, and it bings and toasts, and it's so hot.
1:13:31
[SPEAKER_03]: But it's only 82.
1:13:32
[SPEAKER_03]: But it's a hot 82.
1:13:35
[SPEAKER_01]: You don't understand our buildings trap heat.
1:13:37
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, blah blah.
1:13:40
[SPEAKER_03]: We'll be back next week, until then.