The USC Trojans had a record crowd of more than 34,000 come watch their spring game on Saturday. Sophomore quarterback Caleb Williams and coach Lincoln Riley led the team to victory in front of an enthusiastic group as they looked ahead towards next season.
The “usc football schedule” is a record crowd for the spring game that was held on Saturday. The Trojans’ Lincoln Riley, QB Caleb Williams drew more than 10,000 people to watch the game.
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Uggetti, PaoloESPN
With a record, the Lincoln Riley era at USC started. The Los Angeles Coliseum was packed with 33,427 people on Saturday to witness Riley and his teammates infuse some much-needed vitality into the program.
It’s the largest turnout for a Trojans spring game since the school began keeping track in the 1990s.
“You’re not paying attention if you’re in the city and don’t sense the momentum surrounding this program,” Riley said after the victory. “I’d be lying if I claimed I wasn’t anticipating when the place is completely crowded.”
The stunning hire of Riley away from Oklahoma may have been the catalyst for the fresh optimism, but it was Caleb Williams’ arrival from Norman through the transfer link in February that sparked even more buzz around the team, which finished 4-8 previous season.
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Williams flashed plenty of sparks in his first public presentation as USC’s next quarterback on Saturday, demonstrating why he’s attracting so much attention and why the Trojans’ immediate future seems to be as bright as Riley’s long-term vision.
Williams completed 10 of his 12 throws for 98 yards and two touchdowns in two 15-minute halves as he swapped off drives with backup Miller Moss. He also had two lengthy runs with the ball. But it was the way he appeared, from his composure to his control in and out of the pocket to the ease with which he went about his business, that made me optimistic about USC’s chances.
When questioned about his first USC appearance, Williams laughed and stated, “I don’t really feel worried.” “It was fantastic… We’re not even close to becoming what we’ll be.”
Since Riley’s arrival, transfers have been a huge part of the tale, and they were a big part of the spring showcase. Travis Dye, a former Oregon running back, seemed to have a good grip on the lead back position, while Washington transfer Terrell Bynum topped all receivers with 34 yards.
During his first two drives as a Trojan, Williams went 9-for-9 for 90 yards and two touchdowns. Both were highlighted by his connection with fellow Oklahoma transfer Mario Williams, who he found twice in the end zone.
Williams, whose official licensed clothing was on sale in the Coliseum concourse courtesy to a NIL deal, appeared just as composed in and out of the pocket as he did during the game’s television interviews.
“It was a smooth day,” Williams added, “but we have to improve on a number of things.” “In the first half, we came out fire, and the defense reacted, so that’s a positive indication.”
Tuli Tuipulotu, a defensive lineman, was a star on the defensive side of the ball, recording two tackles for loss and often getting into the backfield. Romello Height, an Auburn transfer, also recorded a sack, and the USC defense was able to put pressure on Williams as the game progressed. Shane Lee, an Alabama transfer who has already stepped into a leadership position on defense, said he was happy with the foundation the Trojans laid in the spring.
After the game, players praised Riley for instilling a culture in the program over the last several months.
“He’s not afraid to hurt people’s emotions or make them responsible,” offensive guard Andrew Vorhees, who spent last season at USC, said.
Moss, who was also at USC last season, said, “I don’t believe we lacked the athletes and personalities inside the locker room to have excellent leadership.” “I simply believe there wasn’t a platform that cultivated leadership,” she says. “[Under Riley], we’ve been given a blueprint on how to accomplish it.”
Given the mix of returning, leaving, and transfer players, Riley has been insistent that this is the most unusual squad that not just USC has ever had, but that he has ever assembled. He’s also said that he expects to utilize the portal less often in the future. Despite this, it’s evident that with Williams at USC for another two seasons, there’s a lot of pressure to capitalize on the success window he provides.
Riley added, “The players out here, we could win a lot of games here,” before reiterating that USC would be active in the transfer portal this month. “All we need is a little bit here and there.”
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