Times Of Troy: To Unlock Usc's Full Potential On Offense, Lincoln Riley Must Lean On The Run

Welcome backmost to nan Times of Troy newsletter, wherever summertime break is over, USC’s preseason campy is underway and we are officially backmost successful your inbox pinch news, notes and study connected nan Trojans each Monday greeting from now done shot play and beyond. I dream you had a lovely, serene summer. Because this fall, nan stakes will person ne'er been higher for Lincoln Riley, who’s entering his 5th and astir consequential play yet arsenic USC’s shot coach, 1 that could determine nan guidance of nan Trojan shot programme for years to come.

We’ve sewage a batch planned for nan Times of Troy this season, including a very breathtaking announcement to travel later this month. But complete nan adjacent 4 weeks, earlier USC kicks disconnected nan 2026 season, we’ll return a adjacent look astatine nan squad and play ahead.

This week, we commencement pinch nan Trojans’ offense, which, successful 4 years pinch Riley arsenic coach, has consistently remained among nan champion successful nan sport. Say what you will astir Riley arsenic a play-caller aliases an wide CEO type, but only 1 squad successful assemblage shot ranks amended successful mean opponent-adjusted ratio (FEI) connected discourtesy complete nan people of Riley’s tenure (sorry, it’s Oregon). And only once, successful 4 seasons pinch Riley, has USC fallen retired of nan apical 7 nationally successful that ratio rate.

USC vanished third successful nan federation successful violative FEI past season. And there’s a morganatic lawsuit to beryllium made that nan discourtesy should beryllium moreover amended successful 2026. Two cases, really.

The first way is astir apt evident and will nary uncertainty beryllium nan root of each preseason TV conception astir USC. The roadworthy to occurrence for Riley has ever tally done nan quarterback. And Jayden Maiava has each nan devices basal to beryllium that guy. He took a immense measurement guardant past offseason, and if he continues that trajectory, he should beryllium 1 of nan champion quarterbacks successful nan state this season.

But Maiava has besides been surrounded by seasoned receivers nan past 2 seasons, including 1 who conscionable sewage picked successful nan first information of nan NFL draft. His apical returning receiver, Tanook Hines, is sitting retired pinch an wounded to commencement camp, while nan remainder of nan pass-catcher two-deep is made up of either freshmen aliases transfers. We don’t cognize really agelong Hines will person to beryllium out, but immoderate magnitude of clip isn’t ideal. It’ll beryllium connected Maiava to build chemistry successful nan room and make it each activity connected nan fly.

I fishy he’ll do conscionable good successful that regard. But if USC is really going to scope its violative imaginable this season, I judge it’ll beryllium nan tally crippled that gets them there.

Riley earned his estimation arsenic a passing savant astatine Oklahoma for bully reason. He had 2 Heisman Trophy-winning passers and 1 runner-up successful his first 3 seasons pinch nan Sooners, and each 3 are now starting NFL quarterbacks. There’s nary assemblage coach pinch a resume moreover adjacent to comparable erstwhile it comes to passing. But what’s often mislaid astir those Riley teams is that Oklahoma besides had a stellar rushing attack, 1 that had to beryllium accounted for astatine each times, and, successful turn, made nan passing onslaught each nan much explosive.

USC’s tally crippled hasn’t been bad since Riley took over, not by immoderate stretch. In fact, successful position of expected points added per unreserved play, nan Trojans person classed among nan 15 astir businesslike tally games successful assemblage shot successful each of Riley’s 4 seasons. They conscionable haven’t tally nan shot astir arsenic overmuch arsenic that ratio suggests they would.

This play would beryllium a awesome clip to displacement that ratio. Because this is nan champion backfield Riley has had astatine USC.

Before he sewage wounded past season, Waymond Jordan was connected his measurement to being seen arsenic 1 of nan champion backs successful nan Big Ten, if not nan country. He averaged 6.55 yards per carry, which classed 15th among qualifying moving backs successful nan country, but amended yet, he picked up much yards connected mean after contact (5.15) than each but 1 different moving backmost successful nan nation.

Assuming he’s afloat healed from his ankle wounded past October, Jordan should instantly punctual everyone that he’s bound for stardom. And his backfield mate whitethorn not beryllium that acold behind.

King Miller scores connected a 41-yard tally against UCLA past season.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

King Miller didn’t get regular carries until Week 6 past season, aft Jordan went down. But he ended up busting 26 rushes of 10 yards aliases much anyway. That’s erstwhile each six carries. That’s bonkers, moreover earlier you see that Miller is formerly a walk-on.

The pairing of those 2 backs, positive nan threat of Maiava’s legs, gives USC a varied backfield tin of breaking a large play astatine immoderate moment. Better yet, successful nan Big Ten, it gives Riley and his discourtesy nan expertise to widen drives and deterioration down opposing defenses. That’s excessively often been missing from USC’s discourtesy since coming to nan Big Ten.

But there’s nary excuse not to thin much connected nan tally this season. Throw successful nan truth that USC is deeper and much talented connected nan violative statement than astatine immoderate different constituent successful Riley’s tenure, and it’s not difficult to envision a Trojan discourtesy move capable to predominate teams connected nan crushed and done nan air.

Offense has ne'er been a problem for Riley astatine USC. But we besides haven’t seen Riley’s discourtesy astatine nan afloat grade of its powers conscionable yet. And if USC is going to make nan Playoff for nan first clip nether Riley, that’s going to person to alteration this season.

Preseason MVP prime (non-QB): Waymond Jordan … Back from injury, I’m betting Jordan is amended than ever.

Breakout pick: Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, freshman wide receiver … Take your prime of apical prospects astatine nan receiver position, but I deliberation Dixon-Wyatt could beryllium nan big-play threat USC needs alongside Hines.

Biggest mobility mark: Wide receiver/tight extremity … So overmuch talent, but truthful small of it is proven. Don’t beryllium amazed if personification you’re not expecting breaks retired astatine nan position.

Bold prediction: Freshman tight extremity Mark Bowman leads nan squad successful touchdown catches.

—USC‘s apical projected cornerbacks are some cleared up of camp. We didn’t spot Jontez Williams each spring, and we haven’t really seen Chasen Johnson astatine each since he was injured almost a twelvemonth ago. So it’s easy to hide really touted some cornerbacks were coming retired of nan transportation portal. I’m peculiarly precocious connected Williams, who was intelligibly nan team’s apical target successful nan portal this offseason. I expect some will commencement connected nan outside, unless Marcelles Williams makes a superior push to play location successful camp.

—Riley is powerfully successful favour of nan 24-team College Football Playoff. That’s been nan charismatic Big Ten Conference stance for months, truthful it’s nary astonishment to perceive Riley echo those feelings. “This is thing that’s not going to diminish nan crippled successful immoderate way,” Riley said. “Having much teams successful a tourney to find a champion is not going to make it worse.” Of course, Riley’s interest isn’t nan wide wellness of nan game, but alternatively nan truth that much playoff spots mean much chances for him to cheque that box. I don’t blasted immoderate coach for emotion that way. But there’s a logic why they shouldn’t beryllium successful complaint of these decisions.

—Some weight fluctuations … The biggest alteration since outpouring belonged to violative tackle Elijah Vaikona, who mislaid 25 pounds to unfastened nan autumn astatine 360, while 2 players, tight extremity Walter Matthews (now 305) and protect backmost Carrington Pierce (now 185) each added 20 pounds to their frames. A mates different notable changes: Veteran protect lineman Jide Abasiri is down to 280 and could play much connected nan extracurricular this season, while young separator rusher Jadyn Ramos bulked up to 250, aft joining USC astatine (generously) 220 pounds past spring. Freshman five-star tight extremity Mark Bowman is besides up to 245, which should thief support him connected nan field.

—Grant Govel spurned nan Pittsburgh Pirates to return arsenic USC’s ace. The Trojans were 1 of nan large winners of nan MLB draught deadline, arsenic their No. 2 starter will now return to return complete nan apical of nan rotation. Govel had a 2.87 ERA and an force batting mean of .203, which made him 1 of nan amended pitchers successful nan Big Ten. But Mason Edwards’ astonishing twelvemonth overshadowed, successful immoderate regard, nan occurrence Govel was having. That won’t beryllium nan lawsuit successful 2026-27.

—Bloom Football Performance Center is having its expansive opening this week. The shot squad already moved successful a mates weeks ago, but nan caller state-of-the-art installation will get its close-up later this week. The media will beryllium doing a circuit Thursday, truthful beryllium judge to travel on connected societal media for photos and videos from wrong nan facility.

The Best Thing I Watched This Summer

Anne Hathaway and Tom Holland successful “The Odyssey.”

(Melinda Sue Gordon / Universal Pictures)

It’s not precisely an original return to singing nan praises of a movie that’s go a world phenomenon. But “The Odyssey,” much than immoderate blockbuster successful caller memory, is worthy of piling on. I caught nan movie successful its intended 70mm IMAX format, and I tin confidently opportunity it was nan astir astonishing cinematic acquisition I’ve ever had.

The sheer standard of nan movie is thing to behold, moreover earlier you see conscionable really difficult it is to accommodate an ancient epic poem into an absorbing movie script. And connected some counts, Christopher Nolan does not disappoint. The performances are outstanding, nan people is beautiful, and nan themes that Nolan pulls from nan poem someway negociate to springiness a caller return connected a 3,000-year-old story.

I look guardant to watching it again, arsenic soon arsenic I can, successful IMAX 70mm. Though, judging by nan existent summons situation, that mightiness person to beryllium astatine 3 a.m. connected a Tuesday.

In lawsuit you missed it

New facility, caller receivers springiness Lincoln Riley caller dream arsenic USC opens autumn camp

Lincoln Riley says Trojans are ‘well-equipped’ to triumph consistently

Big Ten commissioner pushes backmost connected talk of breaking distant from NCAA pinch SEC

Long disappointment philanthropist Brian Kennedy sues USC complete believe section naming rights

‘Athlete of nan century’ LeBron James pays tribute to USC unit members who saved Bronny 3 years ago

USC and Nike work together to widen apparel woody for 10 years

Until adjacent clip ...

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you person immoderate feedback, ideas for betterment aliases things you’d for illustration to see, email maine astatine ryan.kartje@latimes.com, and travel maine connected X astatine @Ryan_Kartje. To get this newsletter successful your inbox, click here.