How USC’s JuJu Watkins is improving amid her ‘summer of LA stardom’
Watkins is honing her left hand in workouts with trainer Phil Handy after having minor surgery on her right hand
USC women’s basketball player JuJu Watkins reacts after throwing out the ceremonial first pitch prior to a game between the Angels and Dodgers on June 22, 2024, at Dodger Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Luca Evans (OC Register) — LOS ANGELES — The festivities slowly cleared Thursday morning on the track at Hollywood High, and JuJu Watkins had begun to walk off from one Los Angeles engagement in the direction of another, pausing and turning as somebody cried her name.
The signal came from a gaggle of tweenage boys, peering through the other side of a fence back by the field. Watkins was just a few steps from the exit, a morning complete after making an appearance at a youth skills clinic and announcing a Gatorade-sponsored donation to the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks. But they caught her attention – “JuJu, can we get a picture?” – and the 18-year-old USC sophomore broke into a wide smile, waving the group over for a selfie.
She left a minute later, and the boys fell on one another in glee, clutching the lucky phone as if it was the Golden Idol.
That night, she’d head to the Dolby Theatre for an appearance at the ESPYS, nominated for “Best Breakthrough Athlete” off a year that captivated her hometown and tuned the world into a rising face of women’s basketball. She gifted Travis Scott a USC jersey in April, threw out the first pitch at Dodger Stadium in June, and sat courtside at a Sparks game on Tuesday. The local appearances have been a whirlwind, her brand expanding even as her center of gravity rests squarely in Los Angeles.
All well and good. She has smiled. She’s waved. She’s enjoyed the ability to “diversify herself,” as she told the Southern California News Group on Thursday. It just isn’t Watkins, head coach Lindsay Gottlieb emphasized, at her core.
“She’s always trying to get better,” Gottlieb said, “and she’s doing that even in the midst of the summer of L.A. stardom.”
Watkins broke into tears after USC’s season-ending loss to Connecticut in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament last spring, an opportunity she felt “slipped through her fingers,” as longtime trainer Phil Handy described. She picked up working with the former Lakers assistant coach as soon as the Lakers’ season ended in late April, trying to continue developing her handle and ability to read the floor.
Shortly into the offseason, though, plans were altered. Watkins underwent surgery on her right hand, Handy told the Southern California News Group. It was a minor procedure, simply to clean up a lingering issue that dated to her high school days. But the rising sophomore, for more a month, has been unable to use her right hand.
It wasn’t going to keep her out of the gym, as Gottlieb said. And ever since, she and Watkins have joked the surgery was – in a sense – a blessing.
“I was really eager to just work on my left (hand),” Watkins told the Southern California News Group on Thursday, sitting on a bench on Hollywood High’s field. “So throughout the whole process, I was just telling myself, like, ‘You need to work on your left anyways. So might as well take advantage of the situation.’”
For more than a month of individual workouts, yes, Watkins and Handy have exclusively worked on developing her left hand. Handy didn’t disclose details of the focus, or specific drills. But Watkins was well aware, after a freshman season putting up 27.1 points per game and seeing most every defense a college basketball team could throw at her, that teams would gear up to force her left. Her go-to-move in transition, a left-to-right crossover into a right-handed attack, didn’t quite shake as many defenders down the stretch; she shot 37% from the floor after the start of Pac-12 play on Dec. 30.
And she “opened up her palette” in the offseason, as Handy put it, to be elite with both hands. Part of the necessary development, Gottlieb said, was building confidence in her left hand – finishing, getting to a pull-up jumper, passing with her off-hand.
“The biggest thing is, it won’t matter where the defense tries to send her … ‘You try to send me left, send me right, doesn’t matter,’” Handy said. “‘I’ll be able to execute and dominate with both hands.’”
Watkins still hasn’t been fully cleared to use her right hand. She’s starting to get annoyed, she smiled Thursday, limited at the moment to standing with Gottlieb and watching team three-on-three workouts. But the procedure, Watkins, acknowledged, was a sign of sorts.
“We’ve joked, like, ‘Now when you have two hands again,’” Gottlieb said, “‘watch out.’”
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Kalen DeBoer (world’s bravest man to take on the ALA job in the immediate wake of Nick Saban) —
“We’re just going to focus on what we can control and right now the predictions really don’t matter. It’s what happens at the end of the season that really matters.”
I don’t think there is a fan among us who wasn’t disappointed in how things went off the rails last year. My opinion of Riley is not nearly as glowing as it was just last year. He certainly has a lot to prove this year, and every move he makes will be heavily scrutinized. But Finebaum’s rant was way over the top. Fire him last year? Really? He goes thru DC’s like mad? I wish that was true, because Grinch would have been kicked to the curb sooner. All his best players are jumping ship? So I guess SC is… Read more »
Watched some ESPN this morning with “Mad Dog Russo” and Paul Finebaum arguing about Lincoln Riley. What’s up with Paul…I know that Finebaum is a SEC hack but my, he seems to have a personal grudge against LR.
No doubt, per Paul Finebaum, Lincoln Riley is literally Public Enemy #1. Something must be going on behind all this overt animus and ill will. Just a few examples from various places for those who haven’t been exposed to Finebaum’s latest anti-Riley salvos: “Let’s go back three years. Oklahoma and Texas joining the SEC, it was announced at this moment in time, and what did Lincoln Riley do? He ran away. “He did not want to deal with the Southeastern Conference at OU, and he took what he thought was an easier course, so he goes out to Southern Cal,… Read more »
Finebaum is definitely SEC biased, who has his back as fans. But you notice most of his schoolboy mentality accusations/attacks are on ESPN which now is the SEC’s bag of money. ESPN is not doing as well financially & popularity wise and are no longer able to bully the industry as it used to. So like a Howard Stern whose schtick is to get people riled up, he is encouraged to sound off in getting attention in the social media World. The worst thing that could happen to Finebaulm is no one pays attention to him anymore. And that is… Read more »
With ears like Finebaum’s I wonder if it’s possible for him to recede into the background for any reason.
If Lincoln Riley proves him wrong, as some are assured, it’ll all just elevate him into the spotlight again.
He’s always got the SEC behind him, regardless of ESPN. Sure doesn’t seem like he needed much pushing from anyone. But clearly, he’s on an anti-Lincoln Riley rampage that goes deep.
I am re-posting what I said about this goof back in June Gentlemen please do not get your shorts in a knot over what Paul Finebaum says. He is an SEC honk who pledged loyalty to the dark lord, Nick Saban, years ago and has been his mouth piece for years. He went to school at Tennessee and yet if you look at his history (try Wikipedia) all of his big “success” has been writing about Alabama. Never says much about his alma mater. Seems telling to me. He hates anything not SEC. He has also said repeatedly that Ryan… Read more »
Actually, whatever Paul Finebaum says is pure entertainment for the CFB world IMO. I mean that in the best sense of the word. It’s all good. His comments bring eyeballs and ears to the sport, so his comically haughty yet sourpuss, self-important persona is something to laugh at for me. I couldn’t care less about some of his off-the-wall opinions, though he should be pretty damn well informed and clued-in about the SEC. But anybody who denies that Lane Kiffin has done anything less than a fantastic job at OLE MISS is either off his rocker or getting paid for… Read more »
Excellent points as always Allen. My final thought is how can you take anyone seriously who looks like a cartoon character who was put together with spare parts.
New USC DL coach Eric Henderson seems like a good bet here. Here’s what he looks for in a recruit or transfer: “A dog, straight up. Sometimes guys don’t always have the elite measurables or the tallest guy, the biggest guy, the strongest guy. But when you’ve got something in your chest that’s pumping louder than everybody else, I’m rocking with that. Because I trust my ability as a coach to get you better. There’s no one better in the game that has been there, to help you reach that level of competitiveness when you talk about defensive line play,… Read more »
Bears No. 1 draft pick Caleb Williams finally signs rookie deal; Rome Odunze also finalizes contract
According to CBS Sports lead NFL insider Jonathan Jones, Williams is signing a four-year, fully guaranteed contract worth $39 million. It includes a $25.5 million signing bonus, per ESPN.
Williams and Odunze had represented half of the remaining first-round picks that had yet to sign. Now, the only two unsigned first-round picks are Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy and Minnesota pass rusher Dallas Turner.
Georgia’s Kirby Smart Shades Oregon, Nike’s Phil Knight over NIL Donations Tyler Conway (X) — Smart threw a little shade at Oregon and Phil Knight over the Nike founder’s NIL donations during his SEC Media Day press conference on Tuesday. “I wish I could get some of that NIL money he’s giving Dan Lanning,” Smart told reporters. Georgia has its own robust NIL collective, Classic City, which is not likely the richest in the nation but has its fair share of boosters. It’s unlikely Smart is hurting very much for cash. There is also likely a little bit of tongue-in-cheek jabbing… Read more »
EA Sports College Football 25: Top 10 rated USC football players Chris Trevino (USCFootball.com) NO. 1 OL JONAH MONHEIM — Rating 92 Reaction: It’s not the sexiest boast to have your highest-rated player be an offensive lineman, but it’s not shocking to see the veteran Monheim take the No. 1 spot. Monheim has been USC’s best offensive lineman the last two seasons. T-NO. 2 DL BEAR ALEXANDER, 88 Reaction: Alexander, the one-time Georgia transfer, is one of the marquee names for USC’s defense and not just because he goes by the nickname Bear. USC’s defense was not very good in 2023, but… Read more »
I really like this new WR commit based on the tape I just saw.
Sometimes, it’s hard to get too excited by Trojan WR commits because with the well-acknowledged huge USC WR rep, we tend to take them for granted. Losing one is also easily correctable with another based on Trojan fan expectations.
If you’re interested in a deeper dive into Tanook Hines, take a look here
More On USC’s latest commit, Houston speedster Tanook Hines Marshall Levenson (Rivals.com) — Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans have come into Texas once again to grab a terrifically fast blue-chip prospect (10.45 100m; 20.71 200m). Tanook Hines chose USC over other top contenders in Texas, Notre Dame, and Arizona State. Hines holds over 40 offers in his recruitment. The Irish looked to be in command after Hines visited South Bend — “The visit was everything,” Hines told Irish Breakdown. “Seeing the stadium, the Golden Dome and Touchdown Jesus were probably my favorite things besides the people. They will definitely… Read more »
Four-star burner Tanook Hines (6-1, 185) commits to USC As expected, USC goes into Houston and picks up a commitment from one of the fastest players in the state, Dekaney WR Tanook Hines. Hines — “Seeing their receivers room, their coaches and their receiver. Seeing how they play there, how they’re a family and have a great education for business, I think it’s a good spot. They showed me how they would use me in their playbook and I can see how they throw the ball.” WHO ELSE WAS IN THE MIX? Up until recently, it was Notre Dame who was… Read more »
The Re-Evaluation of Lincoln Riley Antoni Morales (The Athletic) — To be honest, it might be time to re-evaluate what the recruiting ceiling is under Lincoln Riley. Oklahoma was a well-oiled machine during his time there — USC is still trying to lift off — and he never signed a top-five class while coaching the Sooners, who he led to three consecutive College Football Playoff appearances. One could easily say: “Well, yeah, but he didn’t have the Southern California talent hotbed in Oklahoma.” But that talent hotbed is negated because this staff doesn’t emphasize the region as much as the Trojans’… Read more »
All these 2nd & 3rd place finishes on 5 & 4 star athletes committing should be telling LR plainly if he has any chance of flipping some, even if it’s only July today but it still makes an impression in their heads, USC needs have a better than expected record by the end of November or LR may be forced to go back to the Portal more than he wants and keep delaying the rebuild. It just hurts our pride to see so many, so so many California athletes turn their noses up on the State flagship college football program.… Read more »
Hopefully, some USC people have told Lincoln Riley about WeAreSC’s Mark Kulkin’s excellent and humorous column comparing USC’s on-the-field gridiron performance to Kathy Ireland always wearing baggy sweatpants and a sweatshirt.
Chris, About 3 to 4 weeks ago, you replied to my post about LB’s for the 2025 class. I wrote Madden Faraimo was a ND strong lean. I came up with my statement going by 3 recruiting sites predictions. But, you replied Faraimo will be a Trojan 100%, guaranty. You’re a subscriber for a recruiting service right, how are you coming up with your prediction on Madden? Very curious and interested on your take… Cheers.
It was based on an interview I read. It sure seems like he really wants to stay home. We were super late to the game in his recruitment, no idea why? But now Entz is all over it. We dropped the ball big time, but have made up a bunch of ground. The longer the process goes, the better it is for us.
Chris, Thanxs for you reply and explanation. I still can’t understand how you predicted MF was 100%, guaranty to USC? Hmm, you seem positive on USC’s 2025 recruiting class. One major area is LB’s. So far USC got a good verbal in Matai Tagoai, but he is a project and needs to put on mucho weight and strength. I say MT needs 2 solid years of development before he gets to play. Calif. has these other top LB’s but failed to land them. Noah Mikhail = TxAM, Nasir Wyatt = Ducks, Marco Jones = TxAM and Madden Faraimo big lean to ND Plus, the out… Read more »
Sunday’s Takeaway: Don’t Get Mad, USC, Get Better (aka USC, the Supermodel in Rags) Mark Kulkin (WeAreSC) — USC football fans are mad. They’re tired of waiting for better results from a program that should be producing better on the field, as well as off the field with recruiting. Trojan fans are tired of feeling rejected and they are not sure why it’s happening or how to deal with it. Rejection is an emotion that’s hard to recover from. We’ve all experienced being told no in our lives many times. Whether it’s from co-workers and friends, or worse, that person… Read more »
I thought a little about Mark’s pick of Kathy Ireland too. I would say he chose very well and USC should be thrilled with Mark’s comparison.
She’s probably the most successful self-created post-runway/photo model turned businesswoman/philanthropist/author/etc in world history.
Born in Glendale during 1963, she’s now 61 years old, and has a net worth of $500 mil. In 2021 alone, her licensing company (Kathy Ireland Worldwide) generated retail sales of $3.1 billion.
Elite LB Madden Faraimo inching toward college choice Favorite Notre Dame leads Texas, USC and Washington for the four-star LB from San Juan Capistrano JSerra Catholic as Calif’s top remaining uncommitted player nears his decision. Blair Angulo (USCFootball.com) — HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — Top247 LB Madden Faraimo is nearing a college announcement. The four-star 6-3, 210-pounder from San Juan Capistrano (Calif.) JSerra Catholic was busy on the recruiting trail last month, taking official visits to Notre Dame, Texas and Washington. “I’m kind of just waiting until I finish summer school later this month and then I’ll be able to really sit down to make a… Read more »
Chris, About 3 to 4 weeks ago, you replied to my post about LB’s for the 2025 class. I wrote Madden Faraimo was a ND strong lean. I came up with my statement going by 3 recruiting sites predictions. But, you replied Faraimo will be a Trojan 100%, guaranty. You’re a subscriber for a recruiting service right, how are you coming up with your prediction on Madden? Very curious and interested on your take… Cheers.
USC Finishes Second Again for Another Top Target — but Could Win a Different Recruiting Battle Tomorrow Scott Schrader (WeAreSC). — The recruiting Dead Period began really strong for USC recruiting with a commitment from four-star St. Louis (MO) WR Corey Simms on June 30, but the Trojans have since missed two top targets from Texas. Elite LB Riley Pettijohn from McKinney (TX) announced his commitment to Ohio State on July 6 and four-star/top 100 prospect overall WR Daylan McCutcheon from Lucas (TX) announced his commitment to Florida State Saturday afternoon. “It was like last-second decision,” McCutcheon told WeAreSC about choosing Florida St. over… Read more »
I feel like the last positive fan left. I’m not feeling like the sky is falling. I think 2024 will be a really great year. I think we will finish top 10 in recruiting. I have reasons for both, not just blind faith.
Sounds great to me. I’ve always said I thought USC is headed to a very strong 2025, so no, the sky isn’t falling. It was all just so stupidly and preventably delayed.
Now about those reasons for 2024? Any scraps for the TDB?
Sure. coaching. Riley is elite offensive mind. He hired proven coaches across the board on D. Massive upgrade. we face no elite QB’s. I think miller Moss will be as good or better than any we face. schedule is tough but in our favor – Mich and UW breaking in new staff and lots of roster turnover. We get Penn state and ND at home. LSU lost Heisman QB, so we are on equal footing there. All other teams we should beat. If we can go 2-3 against those 5, it’s a good year (8-4 or 9-3) . If we… Read more »
Chris, I have not been posting for a while. I am really busy and candidly I find the Board has taken a really negative turn. I am also positive about next year. The entire media has turned against LR. They have SC at reasonable best case of 8-4 and a reasonable probably case at 6-6. I think I am reading the remnants of the Grinch Narrative. I doubt that LR has sudden forgot how to coach O and I think the his new D staff is really good. I am really looking forward to next year. For the first time… Read more »
I was in the positive camp with you, Chris, until lately. What has SC been sorely lacking the last two seasons? Elite units in the trenches (both sides) and really good LBs. Where are consistenly losing our recruiting battles? In these same areas. And with us heading to the conference of really big bodies, not just for a game or two, but for an entire season, I have doubts how well we will endure. Having said that, I have confidence that our new defensive coaching staff will find a way to do more with less. Overall, I want the Trojans… Read more »
Lincoln Riley makes Bold Claims Concerning Caleb Williams’ Departure from Trojans SportInfo2.com — Could the No. 1 QB prospect in the country leaving the Trojans actually turn out to be a positive? For someone other than UCLA or the rest of the Big Ten? USC HFC Lincoln Riley believes that the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner leaving can turn out to be a positive for the team, even though they are losing one of the best players in college football from the last two years. “It honestly can be a positive. Tennessee won their first championship here in the… Read more »
Actually, this statement from Lincoln Riley comparing USC with Caleb to the Peyton Manning situation strikes me as hilarious for numerous reasons. Of course, who can blame LR. He thinks of himself as a politician, says a lot without saying much, and with his back against the wall, he desperately needs to fire up his nervous base. First, all-SEC QB Tee Martin led a loaded, well-coached TENN Vol team to a NC the year right after Peyton split. That’s not happening here at USC. Vegas predicts 7.5 wins and most USC fans figure eight, maybe nine. Second, it wasn’t just… Read more »
Allen nice summary of the ills of LR and USC football. LR’s Manning/Tennessee analogy to Williams/USC is pretty far off. Going from one superstar QB to the next is nice but it won’t win NCs. I do see what he might be trying to say is, sometimes it seems a team relies too much on the superstar, not giving their all, coaches included . Everybody now has to give 110% for the team to have a chance without the star. Of course if the whole team is not giving 110% that is on the HC.
Allen you put things in a convincing fashion. LR just wasn’t going to bite the bullet in the first two years here and rebuild through HS recruitment. He didn’t have enough faith in the Trojan fanbase to understand what needed to be done to rescue a program that was sinking for 6 straight years. If he had told the press in the beginning, we need to start from scratch to rebuild this program the right way and accept the consequences until then LR would be more appreciated today. We knew what shape the football program was in. Give us a… Read more »
Reggie Bush hints at future documentary to expose what the NCAA ‘covered up’ in his story Matt Connelly (on3.com) — Details are still being ironed out, but a documentary on Reggie Bush and his battle with the NCAA will be released in the not-too-distant future. Bush spoke about the documentary recently on the “All The Smoke” podcast, stating that it will show how the NCAA treated him and USC unfairly. “I don’t have a six-part series yet, but it will be around there – four, six, eight – we’ll see. But there’s so much information that’s going to be in this documentary,” Reggie Bush… Read more »
USC Women’s Basketball Locks In Home-and-Home Series with Notre Dame Women of Troy will host the Fighting Irish on Nov. 23 at Galen Center. A storied rivalry hits the hard court this year with USC women’s basketball set up to begin a home-and-home series with Notre Dame. Both teams are anchored by returning All-American talent, with the Women of Troy lined up to host the Fighting Irish on Nov. 23, 2024 at Galen Center before returning the favor with a visit to South Bend in the 2025-26 season. “USC-Notre Dame has been a meaningful matchup in college sports for… Read more »
I just hope Sam breaks on top early on. The media is already touting JJ McCarthy as the eventual starter, but Sam can put the kibosh on that. Fight On Sam!
As of yesterday morning, only five first-round picks remain unsigned with two of them being QBs. 1 Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams (1st overall, training camp starts for rookies on July 16) 2 Chicago Bears WR Rome Odunze (9th overall) 3 Minnesota Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy (10th overall) 4 Minnesota Vikings EDGE Dallas Turner (17th overall) 5 Cincinnati Bengals OT Amarius Mims (18th overall) It is less than a week before some teams’ rookies report to training camp. McCarthy cannot practice without a contract during training camp, which for the Vikings starts July 21. He can during minicamp and OTAs… Read more »
At the SEC media days, Saban predicted that Georgia and Texas were the two best teams in the SEC and they would be playing for the SEC championship.
Kalen DeBoer (world’s bravest man to take on the ALA job in the immediate wake of Nick Saban) —
“We’re just going to focus on what we can control and right now the predictions really don’t matter. It’s what happens at the end of the season that really matters.”
I don’t think there is a fan among us who wasn’t disappointed in how things went off the rails last year. My opinion of Riley is not nearly as glowing as it was just last year. He certainly has a lot to prove this year, and every move he makes will be heavily scrutinized. But Finebaum’s rant was way over the top. Fire him last year? Really? He goes thru DC’s like mad? I wish that was true, because Grinch would have been kicked to the curb sooner. All his best players are jumping ship? So I guess SC is… Read more »
Misinformed or bias defender of the SEC. Fire Harbaugh 2 years ago, good for the SEC. Fire Riley and Day, good for the SEC.
Watched some ESPN this morning with “Mad Dog Russo” and Paul Finebaum arguing about Lincoln Riley. What’s up with Paul…I know that Finebaum is a SEC hack but my, he seems to have a personal grudge against LR.
No doubt, per Paul Finebaum, Lincoln Riley is literally Public Enemy #1. Something must be going on behind all this overt animus and ill will. Just a few examples from various places for those who haven’t been exposed to Finebaum’s latest anti-Riley salvos: “Let’s go back three years. Oklahoma and Texas joining the SEC, it was announced at this moment in time, and what did Lincoln Riley do? He ran away. “He did not want to deal with the Southeastern Conference at OU, and he took what he thought was an easier course, so he goes out to Southern Cal,… Read more »
Finebaum is definitely SEC biased, who has his back as fans. But you notice most of his schoolboy mentality accusations/attacks are on ESPN which now is the SEC’s bag of money. ESPN is not doing as well financially & popularity wise and are no longer able to bully the industry as it used to. So like a Howard Stern whose schtick is to get people riled up, he is encouraged to sound off in getting attention in the social media World. The worst thing that could happen to Finebaulm is no one pays attention to him anymore. And that is… Read more »
With ears like Finebaum’s I wonder if it’s possible for him to recede into the background for any reason.
If Lincoln Riley proves him wrong, as some are assured, it’ll all just elevate him into the spotlight again.
He’s always got the SEC behind him, regardless of ESPN. Sure doesn’t seem like he needed much pushing from anyone. But clearly, he’s on an anti-Lincoln Riley rampage that goes deep.
I am re-posting what I said about this goof back in June Gentlemen please do not get your shorts in a knot over what Paul Finebaum says. He is an SEC honk who pledged loyalty to the dark lord, Nick Saban, years ago and has been his mouth piece for years. He went to school at Tennessee and yet if you look at his history (try Wikipedia) all of his big “success” has been writing about Alabama. Never says much about his alma mater. Seems telling to me. He hates anything not SEC. He has also said repeatedly that Ryan… Read more »
Actually, whatever Paul Finebaum says is pure entertainment for the CFB world IMO. I mean that in the best sense of the word. It’s all good. His comments bring eyeballs and ears to the sport, so his comically haughty yet sourpuss, self-important persona is something to laugh at for me. I couldn’t care less about some of his off-the-wall opinions, though he should be pretty damn well informed and clued-in about the SEC. But anybody who denies that Lane Kiffin has done anything less than a fantastic job at OLE MISS is either off his rocker or getting paid for… Read more »
Excellent points as always Allen. My final thought is how can you take anyone seriously who looks like a cartoon character who was put together with spare parts.
Stick on the mustache, it’s Mr Potato Head! 😂
Not bad!
“Brings ears to the sport…”. That he does, and in a big way!
New USC DL coach Eric Henderson seems like a good bet here. Here’s what he looks for in a recruit or transfer: “A dog, straight up. Sometimes guys don’t always have the elite measurables or the tallest guy, the biggest guy, the strongest guy. But when you’ve got something in your chest that’s pumping louder than everybody else, I’m rocking with that. Because I trust my ability as a coach to get you better. There’s no one better in the game that has been there, to help you reach that level of competitiveness when you talk about defensive line play,… Read more »
That was a great interview. Excited to see Henny get to work.
Bears No. 1 draft pick Caleb Williams finally signs rookie deal; Rome Odunze also finalizes contract
According to CBS Sports lead NFL insider Jonathan Jones, Williams is signing a four-year, fully guaranteed contract worth $39 million. It includes a $25.5 million signing bonus, per ESPN.
Williams and Odunze had represented half of the remaining first-round picks that had yet to sign. Now, the only two unsigned first-round picks are Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy and Minnesota pass rusher Dallas Turner.
Bryan DeArdo/cbssports.com
Georgia’s Kirby Smart Shades Oregon, Nike’s Phil Knight over NIL Donations Tyler Conway (X) — Smart threw a little shade at Oregon and Phil Knight over the Nike founder’s NIL donations during his SEC Media Day press conference on Tuesday. “I wish I could get some of that NIL money he’s giving Dan Lanning,” Smart told reporters. Georgia has its own robust NIL collective, Classic City, which is not likely the richest in the nation but has its fair share of boosters. It’s unlikely Smart is hurting very much for cash. There is also likely a little bit of tongue-in-cheek jabbing… Read more »
EA Sports College Football 25: Top 10 rated USC football players Chris Trevino (USCFootball.com) NO. 1 OL JONAH MONHEIM — Rating 92 Reaction: It’s not the sexiest boast to have your highest-rated player be an offensive lineman, but it’s not shocking to see the veteran Monheim take the No. 1 spot. Monheim has been USC’s best offensive lineman the last two seasons. T-NO. 2 DL BEAR ALEXANDER, 88 Reaction: Alexander, the one-time Georgia transfer, is one of the marquee names for USC’s defense and not just because he goes by the nickname Bear. USC’s defense was not very good in 2023, but… Read more »
I really like this new WR commit based on the tape I just saw.
Sometimes, it’s hard to get too excited by Trojan WR commits because with the well-acknowledged huge USC WR rep, we tend to take them for granted. Losing one is also easily correctable with another based on Trojan fan expectations.
If you’re interested in a deeper dive into Tanook Hines, take a look here
https://youtu.be/CQO_4XLBX-Q
More On USC’s latest commit, Houston speedster Tanook Hines Marshall Levenson (Rivals.com) — Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans have come into Texas once again to grab a terrifically fast blue-chip prospect (10.45 100m; 20.71 200m). Tanook Hines chose USC over other top contenders in Texas, Notre Dame, and Arizona State. Hines holds over 40 offers in his recruitment. The Irish looked to be in command after Hines visited South Bend — “The visit was everything,” Hines told Irish Breakdown. “Seeing the stadium, the Golden Dome and Touchdown Jesus were probably my favorite things besides the people. They will definitely… Read more »
Four-star burner Tanook Hines (6-1, 185) commits to USC As expected, USC goes into Houston and picks up a commitment from one of the fastest players in the state, Dekaney WR Tanook Hines. Hines — “Seeing their receivers room, their coaches and their receiver. Seeing how they play there, how they’re a family and have a great education for business, I think it’s a good spot. They showed me how they would use me in their playbook and I can see how they throw the ball.” WHO ELSE WAS IN THE MIX? Up until recently, it was Notre Dame who was… Read more »
Speaking of all Gas, hoping we get good news later this week – Christian Gass is set to commit the 20th.
If the good news you want comes true, USC will again be venturing into Georgia, Land of the Dawgs, and the rest of the SEC.
Gass is a 6-2.5, 215 pound three-star LB from Covington Eastside, GA,
It seems the Trojans will have to hold off TENN and GA to win this battle at a position USC much needs to strengthen.
Christian Gass
The Re-Evaluation of Lincoln Riley Antoni Morales (The Athletic) — To be honest, it might be time to re-evaluate what the recruiting ceiling is under Lincoln Riley. Oklahoma was a well-oiled machine during his time there — USC is still trying to lift off — and he never signed a top-five class while coaching the Sooners, who he led to three consecutive College Football Playoff appearances. One could easily say: “Well, yeah, but he didn’t have the Southern California talent hotbed in Oklahoma.” But that talent hotbed is negated because this staff doesn’t emphasize the region as much as the Trojans’… Read more »
All these 2nd & 3rd place finishes on 5 & 4 star athletes committing should be telling LR plainly if he has any chance of flipping some, even if it’s only July today but it still makes an impression in their heads, USC needs have a better than expected record by the end of November or LR may be forced to go back to the Portal more than he wants and keep delaying the rebuild. It just hurts our pride to see so many, so so many California athletes turn their noses up on the State flagship college football program.… Read more »
Hopefully, some USC people have told Lincoln Riley about WeAreSC’s Mark Kulkin’s excellent and humorous column comparing USC’s on-the-field gridiron performance to Kathy Ireland always wearing baggy sweatpants and a sweatshirt.
I couldn’t agree more.
It hasn’t been fun but we will win some. Got one today!
Chris, About 3 to 4 weeks ago, you replied to my post about LB’s for the 2025 class. I wrote Madden Faraimo was a ND strong lean. I came up with my statement going by 3 recruiting sites predictions. But, you replied Faraimo will be a Trojan 100%, guaranty. You’re a subscriber for a recruiting service right, how are you coming up with your prediction on Madden? Very curious and interested on your take… Cheers.
It was based on an interview I read. It sure seems like he really wants to stay home. We were super late to the game in his recruitment, no idea why? But now Entz is all over it. We dropped the ball big time, but have made up a bunch of ground. The longer the process goes, the better it is for us.
Chris, Thanxs for you reply and explanation. I still can’t understand how you predicted MF was 100%, guaranty to USC? Hmm, you seem positive on USC’s 2025 recruiting class. One major area is LB’s. So far USC got a good verbal in Matai Tagoai, but he is a project and needs to put on mucho weight and strength. I say MT needs 2 solid years of development before he gets to play. Calif. has these other top LB’s but failed to land them. Noah Mikhail = TxAM, Nasir Wyatt = Ducks, Marco Jones = TxAM and Madden Faraimo big lean to ND Plus, the out… Read more »
Sunday’s Takeaway: Don’t Get Mad, USC, Get Better (aka USC, the Supermodel in Rags) Mark Kulkin (WeAreSC) — USC football fans are mad. They’re tired of waiting for better results from a program that should be producing better on the field, as well as off the field with recruiting. Trojan fans are tired of feeling rejected and they are not sure why it’s happening or how to deal with it. Rejection is an emotion that’s hard to recover from. We’ve all experienced being told no in our lives many times. Whether it’s from co-workers and friends, or worse, that person… Read more »
Mark unknowingly walks right into the narrative. Kathy Ireland was a super model 35 years ago.
I thought a little about Mark’s pick of Kathy Ireland too. I would say he chose very well and USC should be thrilled with Mark’s comparison.
She’s probably the most successful self-created post-runway/photo model turned businesswoman/philanthropist/author/etc in world history.
Born in Glendale during 1963, she’s now 61 years old, and has a net worth of $500 mil. In 2021 alone, her licensing company (Kathy Ireland Worldwide) generated retail sales of $3.1 billion.
Here she is circa 2011.
Was just saying that the rest of college football thinks we live in the past and Mark walks right into it.
Hah. I appreciated Mark Kulkin’s honest, creative, funny, but derogatory USC football column much more than you do. Big surprise!
I don’t care if she’s 61, I would take a run at Miss Kathy. Mmmmmm, resheads….
I think she’s hanging with a different crowd than you and I ATL D.D.S.
Here she is 10 years ago with Warren Buffett and Bill Gates at a Berkshire Hathaway Shareholders Meeting.
And for good measure…
Elite LB Madden Faraimo inching toward college choice Favorite Notre Dame leads Texas, USC and Washington for the four-star LB from San Juan Capistrano JSerra Catholic as Calif’s top remaining uncommitted player nears his decision. Blair Angulo (USCFootball.com) — HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — Top247 LB Madden Faraimo is nearing a college announcement. The four-star 6-3, 210-pounder from San Juan Capistrano (Calif.) JSerra Catholic was busy on the recruiting trail last month, taking official visits to Notre Dame, Texas and Washington. “I’m kind of just waiting until I finish summer school later this month and then I’ll be able to really sit down to make a… Read more »
Chris, About 3 to 4 weeks ago, you replied to my post about LB’s for the 2025 class. I wrote Madden Faraimo was a ND strong lean. I came up with my statement going by 3 recruiting sites predictions. But, you replied Faraimo will be a Trojan 100%, guaranty. You’re a subscriber for a recruiting service right, how are you coming up with your prediction on Madden? Very curious and interested on your take… Cheers.
USC Finishes Second Again for Another Top Target — but Could Win a Different Recruiting Battle Tomorrow Scott Schrader (WeAreSC). — The recruiting Dead Period began really strong for USC recruiting with a commitment from four-star St. Louis (MO) WR Corey Simms on June 30, but the Trojans have since missed two top targets from Texas. Elite LB Riley Pettijohn from McKinney (TX) announced his commitment to Ohio State on July 6 and four-star/top 100 prospect overall WR Daylan McCutcheon from Lucas (TX) announced his commitment to Florida State Saturday afternoon. “It was like last-second decision,” McCutcheon told WeAreSC about choosing Florida St. over… Read more »
I feel like the last positive fan left. I’m not feeling like the sky is falling. I think 2024 will be a really great year. I think we will finish top 10 in recruiting. I have reasons for both, not just blind faith.
Sounds great to me. I’ve always said I thought USC is headed to a very strong 2025, so no, the sky isn’t falling. It was all just so stupidly and preventably delayed.
Now about those reasons for 2024? Any scraps for the TDB?
Sure. coaching. Riley is elite offensive mind. He hired proven coaches across the board on D. Massive upgrade. we face no elite QB’s. I think miller Moss will be as good or better than any we face. schedule is tough but in our favor – Mich and UW breaking in new staff and lots of roster turnover. We get Penn state and ND at home. LSU lost Heisman QB, so we are on equal footing there. All other teams we should beat. If we can go 2-3 against those 5, it’s a good year (8-4 or 9-3) . If we… Read more »
Chris, I have not been posting for a while. I am really busy and candidly I find the Board has taken a really negative turn. I am also positive about next year. The entire media has turned against LR. They have SC at reasonable best case of 8-4 and a reasonable probably case at 6-6. I think I am reading the remnants of the Grinch Narrative. I doubt that LR has sudden forgot how to coach O and I think the his new D staff is really good. I am really looking forward to next year. For the first time… Read more »
I hope you and Chris are correct, RJJ.
I was in the positive camp with you, Chris, until lately. What has SC been sorely lacking the last two seasons? Elite units in the trenches (both sides) and really good LBs. Where are consistenly losing our recruiting battles? In these same areas. And with us heading to the conference of really big bodies, not just for a game or two, but for an entire season, I have doubts how well we will endure. Having said that, I have confidence that our new defensive coaching staff will find a way to do more with less. Overall, I want the Trojans… Read more »
Lincoln Riley makes Bold Claims Concerning Caleb Williams’ Departure from Trojans SportInfo2.com — Could the No. 1 QB prospect in the country leaving the Trojans actually turn out to be a positive? For someone other than UCLA or the rest of the Big Ten? USC HFC Lincoln Riley believes that the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner leaving can turn out to be a positive for the team, even though they are losing one of the best players in college football from the last two years. “It honestly can be a positive. Tennessee won their first championship here in the… Read more »
Actually, this statement from Lincoln Riley comparing USC with Caleb to the Peyton Manning situation strikes me as hilarious for numerous reasons. Of course, who can blame LR. He thinks of himself as a politician, says a lot without saying much, and with his back against the wall, he desperately needs to fire up his nervous base. First, all-SEC QB Tee Martin led a loaded, well-coached TENN Vol team to a NC the year right after Peyton split. That’s not happening here at USC. Vegas predicts 7.5 wins and most USC fans figure eight, maybe nine. Second, it wasn’t just… Read more »
LR is really becoming Uncle Huggs 2.0, if he isn’t there already. SMH.
That ’98 Tenn team was loaded on D and the O returned about everyone except Manning.
I’d love to see the ’24 Trojans do it, but aside from thelat tangential QB similarity, it’s a paper thin comparison.
You did well to debunk it.
Phillip Fulmer was also a CFB Hall of Fame coach.
Allen nice summary of the ills of LR and USC football. LR’s Manning/Tennessee analogy to Williams/USC is pretty far off. Going from one superstar QB to the next is nice but it won’t win NCs. I do see what he might be trying to say is, sometimes it seems a team relies too much on the superstar, not giving their all, coaches included . Everybody now has to give 110% for the team to have a chance without the star. Of course if the whole team is not giving 110% that is on the HC.
Allen you put things in a convincing fashion. LR just wasn’t going to bite the bullet in the first two years here and rebuild through HS recruitment. He didn’t have enough faith in the Trojan fanbase to understand what needed to be done to rescue a program that was sinking for 6 straight years. If he had told the press in the beginning, we need to start from scratch to rebuild this program the right way and accept the consequences until then LR would be more appreciated today. We knew what shape the football program was in. Give us a… Read more »
Reggie Bush hints at future documentary to expose what the NCAA ‘covered up’ in his story Matt Connelly (on3.com) — Details are still being ironed out, but a documentary on Reggie Bush and his battle with the NCAA will be released in the not-too-distant future. Bush spoke about the documentary recently on the “All The Smoke” podcast, stating that it will show how the NCAA treated him and USC unfairly. “I don’t have a six-part series yet, but it will be around there – four, six, eight – we’ll see. But there’s so much information that’s going to be in this documentary,” Reggie Bush… Read more »
If this is real evidence in his lawsuit with the NCAA it could be good. Or is it a legal ploy to pressure the NCAA to settle?
USC Women’s Basketball Locks In Home-and-Home Series with Notre Dame Women of Troy will host the Fighting Irish on Nov. 23 at Galen Center. A storied rivalry hits the hard court this year with USC women’s basketball set up to begin a home-and-home series with Notre Dame. Both teams are anchored by returning All-American talent, with the Women of Troy lined up to host the Fighting Irish on Nov. 23, 2024 at Galen Center before returning the favor with a visit to South Bend in the 2025-26 season. “USC-Notre Dame has been a meaningful matchup in college sports for… Read more »
Looking forward to a big year from this guy, one of my fave USC QBs all-time
I just hope Sam breaks on top early on. The media is already touting JJ McCarthy as the eventual starter, but Sam can put the kibosh on that. Fight On Sam!
As of yesterday morning, only five first-round picks remain unsigned with two of them being QBs. 1 Chicago Bears QB Caleb Williams (1st overall, training camp starts for rookies on July 16) 2 Chicago Bears WR Rome Odunze (9th overall) 3 Minnesota Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy (10th overall) 4 Minnesota Vikings EDGE Dallas Turner (17th overall) 5 Cincinnati Bengals OT Amarius Mims (18th overall) It is less than a week before some teams’ rookies report to training camp. McCarthy cannot practice without a contract during training camp, which for the Vikings starts July 21. He can during minicamp and OTAs… Read more »
Thank you for the update Allen!