Lincoln Riley didn’t need a long explanation after USC’s season opener to make his point about Gary Patterson. One sentence did the job.
Following the Trojans’ 42-26 win over San Jose State on Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Riley pointed to the new defensive coordinator’s edge as the biggest early difference. USC’s defense spent three quarters setting the tone in a game the No. 14-ranked Trojans controlled from the jump, and Riley said Patterson’s presence shows up in the smallest moments.
"There's just a burning desire to be great, and you feel it every single play."
That was the message from Riley in a video shared by USC on BTN on X, formerly Twitter, after the opener. It was less about Xs and Os than the standard Patterson is trying to install.
USC led 28-0 at halftime and stretched that advantage to 35-3 after three quarters. San Jose State didn’t find the end zone until the fourth, when the Trojans’ reserves were on the field and the Spartans tacked on 23 points. The late scoring made the final look closer than the game actually was, because USC’s starting defense had already taken control.
The Trojans’ first unit kept San Jose State from building anything consistent and held the Spartans to just three points through the first three quarters. That was the kind of start USC needed from a defense that has often capped the program’s ceiling during Riley’s tenure, even while the offense has done plenty of heavy lifting.
Patterson arrived in January after D’Anton Lynn left for Penn State, giving Riley a veteran coordinator with real credibility and a long track record. The Hall of Fame coach spent more than two decades turning TCU into a national factor, and his defenses were often the calling card. Riley also knows exactly what Patterson can do after years of facing those Horned Frogs teams in the Big 12.
Saturday wasn’t a final answer to USC’s defensive questions. The fourth quarter made that clear.
But it did offer a first look at the attitude Patterson wants his group to carry, and the starters delivered it. They kept the shutout alive through halftime, protected the lead and gave the offense room to build a margin that was never in danger.
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Billy Edwards Jr. has been named the starting quarterback, giving the Tar Heels a clear place to begin on offense, while Jordan Shipp is expected to be one of the primary passing targets. On the other side of the ball, Melkart Abou Jaoude anchors the defense as a Preseason All-American, which only adds to the intrigue for TCU as it prepares for an early test against a roster with some recognizable pieces and a lot to prove. The result in Dublin will not settle anything about either program, but it should tell a lot about where each team stands right away. [Read more 🡒]