Game Day — Loaded USC Needs To Prove It Can Play D

Allen Wallace

1 year ago

The Trojans expect to back up all the hype with a powerful season opener today

**Allen Wallace and Michael Briggs (Winners and Whiners)** — The San José State Spartans and the USC Trojans (-31.5) kick off their 2023 seasons on Saturday at L.A. Memorial Coliseum. Kickoff is at 5:00 p.m. PT.

San José State has an o/u of 5.5 wins this season. The Spartans will open their 2023 campaign with consecutive games against ranked opponents, as they will host #18 Oregon State after they take on the Trojans. They were 7-5 last year and won 24 games the past four seasons.

USC has an o/u of 10 wins in 2023. The Trojans, in their final season as a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, have four ranked squads on their schedule: Notre Dame, Utah, Washington, and Oregon. They were 11-3 last year but finished poorly, losing badly in the Pac-12 Championship and the Cotton Bowl.

The Spartans’ pass rush could take a step back in 2023, but their offense looks tough to defend

The Spartans have some holes to fix on both sides of the football, but they do benefit from the return of an experienced and very talented QB. Chevan Cordeiro (2) is back for his sixth season of college football, all of which have been spent in the Mountain West Conference.

The ex-Hawaii gunslinger passed for 3,251 yds and 23 TDs, and rushed for nine more scores last season for SJSU. Cordeiro needs to be pressured and has a way of shredding the best-laid defensive plans, extending plays, and thinning out a defense until it snaps. He’ll make some plays!

“You’re not rushing as many as you’d like to rush or you’re not putting as many guys in coverage, so it gives you major fits,” embattled Trojan DC Alex Grinch said, when asked this week about facing Cordeiro. “Always has, and always will.”

Cordeiro leads a Spartans offense that returns four starters on the offensive line but still needs to improve opening holes for the ground game. If they can, 5-7, 195-pound running back Kairee Robinson (157 carries for 752 yds and ten TDs) is capable of taking advantage, especially near the goal line.

The San José State passing game paced the Mountain West last year and should be very good again despite losing most of the team’s top receivers from last season. Some good tight ends and younger Spartan ball catchers are very talented. Keep your eye on true freshman walk-on Cooper Hoch, who starred at CDM last year.

The 3-4 defense lacks both talent and depth up front, as Cade Hall (7.5 sacks) and Viliami Fehoko (9.0 sacks) are out of eligibility. The best pass-rushing team in the MWC last season frankly looks to be severely lacking this season.

SJSU’s linebacking unit will be solid with Byrun Parham (74 tackles) leading the way and the secondary might be difficult to throw against. Try telling that to Caleb Williams however.

Safety Tre Jenkins (two INTs) and former under-rated, mentally tough USC safety Chase Williams (two INTs) are two players to watch in the defensive backfield.

Stats — last season, San José State scored 27.5 points per game (74th), averaging 264.0 passing yds (34th) and 92.6 rushing yds (125th). The defense surrendered 20.3 points per game (22nd) and 334.4 total yds (26th), including 210.4 passing yds (45th) and 124.0 rushing yds (29th).

Can Caleb Williams take USC to the promised land?

There are sky-high expectations this season in Los Angeles for the USC football team. Ex-Sooners HC Lincoln Riley has managed to immediately retool the Trojans roster, amassing a collection of portal, prep, and returning talent the program hasn’t featured since the days of Pete Carroll.

USC will go as far as 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams can take them. He needs to avoid another serious injury like his bad hamstring that derailed USC last season.

The junior signal-caller who is expected to be the #1 pick in the 2024 Draft passed for 4,537 yds and 42 touchdowns in 2022, adding 442 yds and six scores on the ground.

Hopefully, Miller Moss gets some serious second-half playing time.

To make the final four-team College Football Playoff, though, Williams will need to elevate some new players around him. The Trojans lost star wide receiver Jordan Addison to the NFL and athletic Kyle Ford transferred to rival UCLA, but there will be absolutely no shortage of weapons at Williams’ disposal.

Among the team’s notable incomers are versatile sledgehammer-like running back MarShawn Lloyd (0; 5.2 ypc with South Carolina) and elite receiver Dorian Singer (1,105 receiving yds with Arizona), who will bring playmaking experience to the 2023 USC squad.

Up-and-comer WRs Zachariah Branch and Raleek Brown are also dangerous, elusive speedsters, and tight end-turned-wide-out Duce Robinson (6-6, 225) is expected to be a giant talent in time.

They’ll play behind a portal-padded offensive line that was both retooled and reshuffled in the offseason. It’s a work in progress. Center Justin Dedich needs to stay healthy.

Surprising 17-year-old true freshman Alani Noa is challenging junior Emmanuel Pregnon from Wyoming to start at left guard. That’s either good or bad news, depending on how you look at it.

Nonetheless, expectations are that USC’s O-line could develop into a unit that’s improved over last season, though the jury remains out on that.

“That group is one of the more important ones on the field in terms of being cohesive, and so, it is a balance, and I think we’ve got some good competition,” Lincoln Riley said Thursday. “I think the most important thing is figuring out, eventually, who are the right five guys. I think some of the potential rotations here early on are for good reason. We’ve got several guys that we think could be that, and we want to give those guys a chance to go play. I think here, at some point, you would hope [and] expect that lineup will settle in, in a ways.”

The SC defense needs to make serious strides in 2023 after allowing 6.3 yds per play (119th-worst in the FBS) last year. The Trojans led the nation in turnover margin with an impressive 29 takeaways, but there are no assurances USC will somehow duplicate how the ball bounces.

USC’s defensive line and linebackers must make a big statement against San Jose State

The defensive line looks brand new, with Georgia transfer Bear Alexander, A&M transfer Anthony Lucas, and Kyon Barrs from Arizona (the so-called “Merchants of Muscle”) headlining the group of newcomers. The linebackers and secondary, however, return plenty of experience and playmaking ability.

Trojan names to watch include promising ‘backers Mason Cobb (above, former Oklahoma State tackling machine), prep phenom Tackett Curtis, leader Shane Lee (78 tackles), heavier Eric Gentry (71 tackles, missed spring ball recovering from ankle surgery), and safeties Max Williams (two INTs), and All-American candidate Calen Bullock (five INTs).

Stats — the USC offense averaged 500.5 total yds (5th) and 41.1 points per game (3rd) in 2022, including 325.7 passing yds (5th) and 174.3 rushing yds (51st). The defense allowed 415.1 total yds (101st) and 27.9 points per game (81st), including 266.5 passing yds (112th) and 148.6 rushing yds (62nd).

Best Bets for this Game

The Spartans are talented and experienced enough to cover the spread, especially in Week 0. SJSU’s top-flight passing attack can keep this game close for a while, attacking a USC defense that has a lot to prove in 2023.

The Trojan defense won’t have to win the game, obviously. They don’t need to be great this season, just good. Something like a top-50 scoring D should do just fine. With a litany of transfers wearing Cardinal and Gold for the first time and a defensive coordinator under the gun, there’s little sense predicting they will already be a truly accomplished unit against the Spartans.

But Grinch simply has to deliver the goods, or he should be gone. USC needs to get 3-and-outs instead of relying on unreliable turnovers like last season. It’s prove-it time in Trojanland. Put up, or shut up as they say.

The Spartans’ biggest defeat last year was 43-27 vs. San Diego State. They’ll be flying a little too under the radar in Week 0 and will be looking to hold the Trojans accountable.

USC may score early and often, giving its backups more playing time than expected, too. This combination of factors works in San José State bettors’ favor, and they just might barely beat the spread today, especially if USC takes its foot off the gas.

Prediction: Trojans (too much firepower at home) -31.5

winnersandwhiners.com

________

TrojanDailyBlog members — We always encourage you to add information, insight, divergent opinions, or new topics to the TDB that don’t necessarily pertain to any particular moderator post or member comment.

The Trojans expect to back up all the hype with a powerful season opener today

Allen Wallace and Michael Briggs (Winners and Whiners) — The San José State Spartans and the USC Trojans (-31.5) kick off their 2023 seasons on Saturday at L.A. Memorial Coliseum. Kickoff is at 5:00 p.m. PT.

San José State has an o/u of 5.5 wins this season. The Spartans will open their 2023 campaign with consecutive games against ranked opponents, as they will host #18 Oregon State after they take on the Trojans. They were 7-5 last year and won 24 games the past four seasons.

The Spartans’ pass rush could take a step back in 2023, but their offense looks tough to defend

The Spartans have some holes to fix on both sides of the football, but they do benefit from the return of an experienced and very talented QB. Chevan Cordeiro (2) is back for his sixth season of college football, all of which have been spent in the Mountain West Conference.

The ex-Hawaii gunslinger passed for 3,251 yds and 23 TDs, and rushed for nine more scores last season for SJSU. Cordeiro needs to be pressured and has a way of shredding the best-laid defensive plans, extending plays, and thinning out a defense until it snaps. He’ll make some plays!

“You’re not rushing as many as you’d like to rush or you’re not putting as many guys in coverage, so it gives you major fits,” embattled Trojan DC Alex Grinch said, when asked this week about facing Cordeiro. “Always has, and always will.”

The 3-4 defense lacks both talent and depth up front, as Cade Hall (7.5 sacks) and Viliami Fehoko (9.0 sacks) are out of eligibility. The best pass-rushing team in the MWC last season frankly looks to be severely lacking this season.

SJSU’s linebacking unit will be solid with Byrun Parham (74 tackles) leading the way and the secondary might be difficult to throw against. Try telling that to Caleb Williams however.

Safety Tre Jenkins (two INTs) and former under-rated, mentally tough USC safety Chase Williams (two INTs) are two players to watch in the defensive backfield.

Stats — last season, San José State scored 27.5 points per game (74th), averaging 264.0 passing yds (34th) and 92.6 rushing yds (125th). The defense surrendered 20.3 points per game (22nd) and 334.4 total yds (26th), including 210.4 passing yds (45th) and 124.0 rushing yds (29th).

Can Caleb Williams take USC to the promised land?

There are sky-high expectations this season in Los Angeles for the USC football team. Ex-Sooners HC Lincoln Riley has managed to immediately retool the Trojans roster, amassing a collection of portal, prep, and returning talent the program hasn’t featured since the days of Pete Carroll.

The junior signal-caller who is expected to be the #1 pick in the 2024 Draft passed for 4,537 yds and 42 touchdowns in 2022, adding 442 yds and six scores on the ground.

Hopefully, Miller Moss gets some serious second-half playing time.

Up-and-comer WRs Zachariah Branch and Raleek Brown are also dangerous, elusive speedsters, and tight end-turned-wide-out Duce Robinson (6-6, 225) is expected to be a giant talent in time.

They’ll play behind a portal-padded offensive line that was both retooled and reshuffled in the offseason. It’s a work in progress. Center Justin Dedich needs to stay healthy.

Surprising 17-year-old true freshman Alani Noa is challenging junior Emmanuel Pregnon from Wyoming to start at left guard. That’s either good or bad news, depending on how you look at it.

Nonetheless, expectations are that USC’s O-line could develop into a unit that’s improved over last season, though the jury remains out on that.

The SC defense needs to make serious strides in 2023 after allowing 6.3 yds per play (119th-worst in the FBS) last year. The Trojans led the nation in turnover margin with an impressive 29 takeaways, but there are no assurances USC will somehow duplicate how the ball bounces.

USC’s defensive line and linebackers must make a big statement against San Jose State

The defensive line looks brand new, with Georgia transfer Bear Alexander, A&M transfer Anthony Lucas, and Kyon Barrs from Arizona (the so-called “Merchants of Muscle”) headlining the group of newcomers. The linebackers and secondary, however, return plenty of experience and playmaking ability.

Best Bets for this Game

The Spartans are talented and experienced enough to cover the spread, especially in Week 0. SJSU’s top-flight passing attack can keep this game close for a while, attacking a USC defense that has a lot to prove in 2023.

But Grinch simply has to deliver the goods, or he should be gone. USC needs to get 3-and-outs instead of relying on unreliable turnovers like last season. It’s prove-it time in Trojanland. Put up, or shut up as they say.

The Spartans’ biggest defeat last year was 43-27 vs. San Diego State. They’ll be flying a little too under the radar in Week 0 and will be looking to hold the Trojans accountable.

USC may score early and often, giving its backups more playing time than expected, too. This combination of factors works in San José State bettors’ favor, and they just might barely beat the spread today, especially if USC takes its foot off the gas.

Prediction: Trojans (too much firepower at home) -31.5

winnersandwhiners.com

TrojanDailyBlog members — We always encourage you to add information, insight, divergent opinions, or new topics to the TDB that don’t necessarily pertain to any particular moderator post or member comment.

**Allen Wallace and Michael Briggs (Winners and Whiners)** — The San José State Spartans and the USC Trojans (-31.5) kick off their 2023 seasons on Saturday at L.A. Memorial Coliseum. Kickoff is at 5:00 p.m. PT.