Lincoln Riley encouraged by USC’s back-and-forth camp
After the defense won the first week of camp, according to Riley, the offense responded with a stronger overall performance during Monday’s scrimmage, he says…
Adam Grosbard (OC Register) — LOS ANGELES — Neither side of the ball has been able to gain much long-term traction during the USC football team’s training camp this month. One or two days the defense looks like the dominant unit, only for the offense to come back and take control.
After the defense won the first week of camp, according to Lincoln Riley, the Trojans had their first scrimmage of camp on Monday. Riley was eager to see the team in its first live-tackling situations, and how players responded in the open field in 11-on-11.
And in that simulated game, it was the offense that responded with the stronger overall day, the head coach said.
“Offensively, we came out with a lot of energy, a lot of juice and we made plays happen. We got the ball to playmakers and good things happened,” center Brett Neilon said. “And the defense came up when they needed to, that good, competitive back-and-forth.”
“The day before, the defense got on us and we just came back and did a pretty good job as a whole,” receiver Jordan Addison added. “The offensive line, the running backs hitting their holes, the receivers blocking, the quarterbacks doing what they gotta do. So I just feel like we just bounced back.”
Riley was sure to point out that he was happy with things the defense did on Monday, too. Linebacker Eric Gentry and defensive back Prophet Brown both came away with interceptions, and Riley was pleased with the way the team tackled in the open field.
But for Addison, the thing that has stood out about the USC defense is how it has put pressure on the quarterbacks.
“Out there at receiver, that’s who we’re racing, we’re racing that pass rush,” Addison said. “So they’ve just been doing a pretty good job and their DBs have been doing a pretty good job of their technique as well.”
ADDISON LEARNING OFFENSE
Addison is now about two weeks into official practices with USC after his late-spring transfer from Pitt. After several practices and a few scrimmages, the Biletnikoff Award winner is feeling comfortable in his new offense.
“I feel like I’ve picked it up pretty quickly, just coming in in the offseason every day with Coach (Dennis) Simmons and just learning certain routes, backside what I gotta do, the different hand signals, tempos,” Addison said. “You gotta have high energy; it’s a fast-paced offense, a lot of tempo. And you just gotta stay locked in every play.”
Addison admitted he still had more to learn, but quarterback Caleb Williams has helped alongside the coaching staff in bringing Addison along in the offense.
The new QB-WR combination is also developing chemistry together in 11-on-11 after some offseason workouts.
“His mindset and everything has been really good and him teaching me what I gotta do throughout certain routes,” Addison said. “So I think our connection and our communication is getting better every day.”
BRIEFLY
Edge rusher Korey Foreman, defensive back Domani Jackson, receiver Kyle Ford and tight end Josh Falo were all sidelined by injuries on Tuesday. Edge rusher Romello Height was limited, in a yellow non-contact jersey.
Linebacker Shane Lee was a full participant after missing Friday’s practice. Receiver Gary Bryant was back as a full participant in the portion of practice open to media after being limited during the first full week of camp.
ocregister.com
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Do you guys still think 🤔 t was the right decision? I would think so.
https://www.elevenwarriors.com/the-big-ten/2022/08/132289/big-ten-announces-new-tv-deal-with-fox-cbs-and-nbc-to-begin-in-2023#comments
I am elated. I remember espn calling USC the clown school. I never forgot that. Now it appears who the woke clowns really are, espn. Thankfully we will have access to almost all the games on Fox,CBS,and NBC. That Peacock thing has me concerned, might have to stream some games.
I had long forgotten about ESPN’s infamous “clown school” reference to USC.
Thanks for pointing that out. Makes me even happier this B1G deal has gone the way it has with ESPN no longer aligned in any way with USC football going forward. Well, not totally … “Not so fast” … Any coverage on GameDay I’ll take.✌
ESPN goes from the Big10 to SEC, CBS goes from SEC to Big10, and now Fox is the major broadcast for Big10. As a stockholder of Walt Disney, I am elated. Disney owns Fox and ESPN both so I am a winner.
Almost $72 million per school per year. Allen reported yesterday Notre Dame wanted $75 million but will get $60 million in 2025. If ND and another join the Big10 the payout drops to $64 million per school. Maybe ND brings more money from the networks by joining. Either way, seems to benefit ND to join the Big10 in 2025.
Looks like I need to get a BTN subscription.
Scioto, Thanks for the post. It was clearly the right choice both for SC and the B1G. Look forward to playing your Buckeyes on a regular basis.
Right decision for sure. But what happened to $100 million/year?
It is the escalator clauses. See the article Allen just posted. The contracts start in 2023 before SC and UCLA join. If the viewers are there, the contract may be as much as $200 million a school. SC had to leave. The B1G and the SEC are going to take all the Saturday viewers. The remaining Pac schools (except when playing B1G and SEC teams or top rated ACC teams) are going to get the Saturday “After Dark” slot on ESPN starting at 10:30 am in the Eastern time zone. Look for the Pac to play a lot of games… Read more »
Well okay, then.
If Fox is only taking the noon slot, I guess that means there won’t be any SC home games on Fox.
Absolutely. P12 affiliation was a dead end.
I’m all in, but it sure won’t be easy IMO.
I’m enjoying watching this all play out today in the media with the big contract now finalized. Such a huge event that only the future can judge.
I wonder how George Kliavkoff takes this news today?
Like a substitute Principal at a school that may close
Poor guy.
USC, to its credit, bombed out on the guy in exchange for our best future in CFB.
ESPN’s Top 100 CFB Players For 2022 9. Jordan Addison, JR USC WR — Notable 2021 stats: 1,593 yds, 17 TDs; Last year’s ranking: NR Addison was the addition who seemed to swing USC from being dangerous this coming season to potentially being a problem for teams beyond the Pac-12. Can a WR add that much value? It’s hard to argue that he can’t, given he was the best wideout in the country and is about to play in a better offense and with a better QB. One thing USC hasn’t lacked even during its down years is elite WR talent… Read more »
When Grinch was at WSU he had Hercules Matafa on the D line. That guy was undersized but a nightmare. Grinch moved him around and that guy was in the backfield constantly. Hoping Grinch can give us that with someone to pair with Tuli.
I hope Lincoln Riley doesn’t get faced with a lot of early comparison to PC. Carroll wasn’t expected to created a monster program when he started like Riley is. So give him a few years to build his program on both sides of the ball as PC did. Then we can start comparing. I really am anticipating what the USC football program will hopefully look like in 2-3 years. Carrol called the defensive plays but had Norm Chow mastermind the offensive calls. No question LR is a mastermind on offense. Just hoping Grinch is up to that level on the… Read more »
I think LR is having to pay the price for such a large salary, the amazing portal advantage, plus the fact that he’s by far the most popular hire in USC sports history.
I try not to expect too much from this Lubbock, Texas-bred Trojan football savior, but he’s not making it easy because he has already upgraded USC’s talent, coaching and “culture” so massively.
Trojan OL/DL Maximus Gibbs (6-6, 390) has finally entered the transfer portal.
(Erik McKinney/WeAreSC)
Lincoln Riley talks about practice………..
https://youtu.be/aYRWMl8KFYM?t=1
CFP Talks Breaking Out of NCAA Presidents and chancellors discussed removing college football from NCAA governance (ESPN) B/R — The future of the NCAA as the governing body of college football is being discussed by the College Football Playoff’s Board of Managers. Per ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the 11 members who make up the Board of Managers recently met via Zoom and “briefly discussed the possibility of restructuring how college football is governed, with the idea presented of major college football potentially being governed outside of the NCAA.” According to Thamel, the talks are in “such early stages that it could be… Read more »
Especially with academia involved. It could possibly never happen at the speed they move.
Notre Dame’s Next Media Deal Expected to Fetch $60M Annually “Notre Dame should reportedly expect around $60 million annually for its next media rights contract — more than doubling its current deal that’s worth roughly $25 million per year. ‘Outlets reported in July that Notre Dame was seeking $75 million annually from NBC, which drew speculation due to the school’s lower-than-expected ratings. The non-conference school negotiates its football media rights deals independently. “A report from November 2021 revealed viewership for Notre Dame’s football games was down 48% year-over-year, with an average of 2.5 million viewers. The team did, however, bring in a record-streaming audience during the season. “In 2020, Notre Dame produced… Read more »
2020 was the Covid season, nobody could go to games and everybody was stuck at home. Makes sense viewers was high. 2019 was 2.1, 2021 was 2.5, they did better than prepandemic, up 19%. USC is expected to get $100 million in the BIG right? What is the incentive for ND to stay independent.
Until super rich and powerful ND becomes convinced they will have a more difficult road to that ever-elusive next NC for them, they will continue to hold out for better and better deals, while maintaining 100% control.
They are the only school every conference wants and would bend over to get, like the financially strung-out ACC already did. They are the pursued. Money just isn’t their problem. It benefits them now to just watch and see how these realignments work out.
Nobody gives ND deadlines, at least as I see it.
If that is all they will get, no chance they stay independent. They can go to Big10 today and get significantly more money. That domino should fall pretty quickly.
I don’t think ND will make a move to any conference until 2025 (when their NBC contract expires), even if then.
They LOVE beyond belief their singularly elite independent status, and already have plenty of money to do whatever they want with their football program until they milk CFB for all its worth.
There is always going to be someone injured, that is a given. But Foreman is at a point where he can’t miss much more without being left off the starting lineup. Wonder what is up with that kid.
Aside from talent, the ability to withstand injury is key to making it in the next level. Some of the Helton holdovers may be finding that out now that practice is hard.
Foreman May end up in the transfer portal sooner than one would expect.
That would be a bummer. From your info, do you believe this is more likely than not?
I bet this is a real minority viewpoint, but I applaud LR’s decision to limit our ability to see his practices.
I would much rather the CFB world be majorly surprised by how USC looks in early Sept.
Were I a CFB program trying to prepare for USC right now, frankly, I’d be very concerned about pretending to predict anything close to what the Trojans will look like.
Enjoying the mystery, that’s me.
I really like it. I could never get PC letting everyone in for his practices.
Pete Carroll was one of a kind at USC. I don’t know if I’ve ever been around a more popular USC person. In his prime, he ruled the CFB world with a panache that even our biggest rivals had to admire, yet also fear.
When PC had the players to execute his offense & defense, he wasn’t afraid to play anyone. Rather, after beating all the then top programs (minus Texas in 05) and even at their home fields Mr. Saban, who was he going to be afraid of in watching his practices?
I think Carroll having open practices was like Satchel Paige (supposedly) telling batters what was coming and then blowing it by them anyway.
It seems that Coach Riley and his staff are having high intensity and fast paced
practices. And having so many new players learning a new system the pace is faster.
As a result there seems to be more injuries than usual.
It is the complete opposite to what it was before.
It would seem Coach Riley should put his system in more slowly as
it seems his method can be complex and intense.
Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Perhaps in 2022 it can be. Riley is pushing these players like they have not been pushed before. The ones that can handle it will be the best players to put in a game. I hope these practices are harder than a game would be. That would really be something new at USC.
USC50, I am with Steveg and Allen on this one. We had soft practices to prevent injuries under Helton and we saw the result. LR went 55-10 for a reason. His practices are tougher than games. Injuries are a risk, but it is risk that must be run. It appears the injuries are for the most part on the D, which means the O is learning to be physical. The D had best learn to handle a physical O during practice. I think the kids who played for Helton are having a rude awakening. Some will thrive (it appears Tui,… Read more »
I hate to pick on Korey Foreman, but he has to be the most inconsequential Trojan footballer in camp because I’ve yet to read that he’s even taken the field. And if he has, there was nothing to report.
He’s hurt, or injured, I get it. But sooner or later, he’s got to prove he can play at USC under LR, who must be insanely frustrated.
But that’s LR for you. He seemingly has the capacity to deal with a great deal of uncertainty on a constant basis. Maybe that’s a key to success, especially in today’s CFB world.
Nothing good comes out of soft practices. While they may limit the number of injuries sustained in practices, they don’t keep guys healthy for the long run and I believe the lack of conditioning just increases the risk of injury when its game time. Anyone think Helton’s teams were relatively injury-free? Along the same lines, I don’t get why MLB teams baby their pitchers by limiting their innings. Seems to me like there are more Tommy John surgeries now, on pitchers with low innings, than there were when Billy Martin was working his starters like rented mules and “conditioning” for… Read more »
Baker Mayfield is starting to get even more traction in the thinking that Sam Darnold is headed for a back-up role.
Apparently, Mayfield’s pretty smart, whatever you think of his overall package.
Just another good talking point for Lincoln Riley and his QB developer rep.