The Trojans’ last go-round in the PAC-12 is less than a month away, a non-conference contest vs. San Jose State on August 26, 8p., in the venerable LA Memorial Coliseum.
Talented wide receivers Tahj Washington (50 receptions, 785 yards, and 6 TDs) and Mario Williams (40 receptions, 631 yards, and 5 TDs) could carry Caleb Williams beyond last year’s productivity (4,537 yards, 42 TDs). That performance won him a trifecta of post-season awards–the Heisman, Walter Camp, and Maxwell.
The question mark is who will replace Jordan Addison, a first-round NFL pick, who will suit it up for the Vikings this season. The Pitt transfer lit it up for USC in 2022, accounting for nearly 1,000 yards receiving and rushing. Waiting to show what he can do is Dorian Singer, an Arizona transfer.
Addison’s loss will put more pressure on RB Austin Jones. The workhorse (135 carries) rambled for over 700 yards with a 5+ yards per carry average. He also caught passes for nearly three hundred more yards. The staff ensured Jones would have help, signing tailback MarShawn Lloyd, a transfer from “the other USC,” the University of South Carolina.
With an offense like that, it is no wonder pundits rank USC high in pre-season polls. The Trojans are #7 nationally in the ESPN Power Index, projected to finish the year at 10-2. The big question is whether high expectations will translate into a CFP berth. We’ll know a lot more in October when the Trojans play Notre Dame and Utah back to back, October 14 and 21.
