USC is starting to look good in the offseason, and many attribute it to head coach Lincoln Riley. Despite all the good news happening over at USC right now, not all are impressed with all the improvements happening with the Trojans right now, and one of them is former NFL star-turned-analyst Greg McElroy.
In his Pre-season 25 list for ESPN, the former Alabama standout explained that USC lacked a few things with some attributes of the game, most notably in the number of possible starters the team has added so far.
“What concerns me is the continued improvement defensively last year was amazing. What Danton Lynn did in year number one, to cut 10 points per game off their previous year, to cut 60 yards per game off their previous year, to allow far fewer explosive plays, to be a much better tackling unit, to be far more sound defensively,” McElroy explained.
“But now you got to replace eight starters off last year’s team, and I do like some of the portal additions, Keyshawn Silva, for example, from Kentucky. I think he has a chance to be a difference maker there at David’s attack like Jamal Jared, who’s big and physical can plug some holes in the front of Georgia, but this group that finished 58th and scoring, 77th, and total 87th in yards per play situationally though, there was a lot of growth and improvement,” the analyst added.
USC has improved much on both ends and has done well on recruiting and the transfer portal. With Jayden Maiava as USC’s starter, the team has a good outlook coming into the new season as well.
Lincoln Riley Gets Big 2026 Commitment for USC
With USC doing well in the offseason so far, Lincoln Riley also had a huge win, this time on the recruiting end, as Breck Kolojay, a four-star offensive lineman from IMG Academy in Florida, chose USC over powerhouse Georgia. Here is Kolojay explaining his decision:
“I believe in what they (USC) are building right now, and I trust all of those guys, Coach (Lincoln) Riley and Coach (Zach) Hanson,” he said. It’s something special, and you can see all of the opportunities in LA, and they are on the rise right now. I think the opportunity for me was really hard to say no to.”
Kolojay is now the 32nd commitment for USC, and he is expected to further beef up the Trojans’ improving roster next year.
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