King Miller’s breakthrough against Louisiana gave USC a much-needed jolt, but the running back didn’t spend much time celebrating it.
The No. 12 Trojans got 128 yards and a touchdown from Miller on 18 carries in their Week 2 win, a stat line that finally looked more like the version of him USC has been waiting for. Still, Miller kept his own standard higher than the numbers.
“Not to my standard, but I feel like it was pretty a good game,” Miller said.
That honest assessment fits the arc of Miller’s season so far. He was one of college football’s biggest surprises in 2025, a walk-on back who helped fuel USC’s ground game after injuries ripped through the position group by early October.
The Calabasas native developed into one of the Big Ten’s top backs. But through the first two games of 2026, the production lagged behind the hype.
Against San José State and Fresno State, Miller handled 30 carries for 108 yards, a 3.6-yard average, and one touchdown. His longest run in those two games went for just 10 yards.
There has been a physical change, though. Miller added 15 pounds of muscle in the offseason and now checks in at 225, giving him more power and making him tougher to bring down. Even with that added strength, the pairing of Miller and Waymond Jordan hasn’t quite matched what people around the program expected.
Jordan called the film session after USC’s Week 0 win “brutal.” The tone didn’t soften much after Week 1, and running backs coach Anthony Jones brought the same edge coming off the field this past Saturday night. That approach, Miller said, is exactly what the room needs.
“I think it's what we need. Any good RB coach is gonna be rough on you,” Miller said.
“Every day he's like a father to us. Everything he instills in us, we need to put on tape and just go out there and try to do our best each and every day.
And if it's not to the standard, just gotta work on it once again. Every day it's another day to get better.”
Jones’ style clearly isn’t new territory for Miller. He said his own father still keeps him honest, too.
One of the more notable changes last week came up front, where Miller’s twin brother, Kaylon, got the start at left guard.
“He did pretty good,” Miller said with a big smile on his face. “He did.
He did his thing. Love seeing that guy out there just playing his tail off.”
Miller and Hayden Treter, who started the first two games, split the work at the spot. It remains the only position on USC’s offensive line without a returning starter from last season.
Now the Trojans turn the page to Big Ten play. Southern Cal opens conference action Saturday, Sept. 19, with a trip to New Jersey to face Rutgers. For Miller, the Louisiana game is already in the rearview mirror.
“It's a new game plan, new week, so a different scheme,” Miller said. “Just going back to the drawing board, back to practice, going to see what they do, the tendency. So another week to get better.”
In Other News...
USC Walks Into A Road Game That Could Get Awkward Fast
Rutgers is already in an uncomfortable spot before USC ever takes the field in this one. The Scarlet Knights have opened the season with back-to-back heavy losses, including a home defeat to UMass and another setback against Boston College, and the tone around the program has turned quickly as questions start to follow Greg Schiano into the week.
USC, meanwhile, walks into a road game where the opponents mood may be as much a factor as the matchup itself. The Trojans are getting Rutgers at a time when the Scarlet Knights are trying to steady a season that has already gone sideways, and if the noise around Schiano keeps building, this could become one of those trips where the football and the larger tension around the program are impossible to separate. [Read more 🡒]
USC Heads To Rutgers With A New Receiver Concern
USCs trip to Rutgers picked up a little more uncertainty when true freshman wide receiver Trent Mosley landed on the injury list and was ruled out for the game because of a knee ailment. Mosley has been part of the group the Trojans have leaned on for depth, and his absence comes at a point where the offense is trying to keep its receiver rotation steady heading into another road test.
Lincoln Riley said the timeline is still unclear, though the expectation is that it should not turn into a long-term issue. In the meantime, USC is looking at other options to absorb the snaps and production, with Zacharyus Williams and Terrell Anderson among the receivers who could be asked to take on more of the load. [Read more 🡒]
USC Fans Got The Jayden Maiava Shoulder Answer They Needed
Jayden Maiava gave USC plenty to feel good about in its win over Louisiana, piling up a career-high five touchdowns while also putting an end to the shoulder chatter that had lingered around him. The senior quarterback said he is healthy, and the way he played looked every bit like a passer operating without restriction, with freshman tight end Mark Bowman emerging as a major part of the offense with six catches and two scores.
For a Trojans team trying to build momentum, the timing mattered as much as the numbers. Maiava also spoke about getting ready for Rutgers and reflected on how far he has come over three seasons at Southern Cal, which adds another layer to a performance that was already important for the scoreboard and the injury conversation alike. [Read more 🡒]