USC’s countdown to kickoff has turned to a safety whose biggest Trojan moment came with the season on the line, even though it arrived in the Rose Bowl after his final college snap. With 22 days left before the Trojans open their 2026 season against San Jose State at the Coliseum on August 29, the spotlight lands on Leon McQuay III.
McQuay wore a USC uniform from 2013 through 2016 and spent his first three seasons carving out steady playing time at safety before becoming a full-time starter as a senior. In 2016, he put together the best statistical season of his college career, finishing with 50 total tackles, six passes defended, two interceptions and a sack.
But his signature Trojan play came in his last game. In the 2017 Rose Bowl, with less than a minute to play and USC tied with Penn State at 49, McQuay jumped a Trace McSorley pass and took it back 32 yards. That interception set up the Trojans’ game-winning field goal and sealed an instant classic.
The Kansas City Chiefs picked McQuay in the sixth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He spent two years with the team, moving between the active roster and the practice squad, and appeared in one regular season game. In that appearance, he had three tackles and one pass defended.
McQuay also comes from a football family. He is the grandson of Leon McQuay, who played running back in the NFL and the Canadian Football League during the 1970s.
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Madden Riordan Is Giving USC A New Reason For Safety Optimism
Madden Riordan arrived at USC with the kind of profile that tends to make coaches lean in, and he has only strengthened that buzz since getting on campus. The freshman safety has added weight and muscle since enrolling, and his play throughout spring and fall camps has matched the physical progress. Inside a secondary that always needs answers, Riordan has stood out for the kind of football IQ and instincts that can help a young defender find his footing quickly.
USC does not need him to be an immediate starter for him to matter, which is part of what makes his ascent worth watching. Riordan is already earning trust from coaches and teammates, and that sort of early credibility can matter as much as raw talent in a safety room. The Trojans are still sorting out the shape of the group, but Riordan has given the staff a new reason to feel better about the position going into the season. [Read more 🡒]
USC's Running Back Room Could Be A Real Big Ten Strength
USCs backfield enters the Big Ten era with a kind of depth that has become easy to overlook when the conversation starts with the Trojans passing game. King Miller and Waymond Jordan both showed they can bring real production to the offense last season, and they are part of a running back room that looks more varied than top-heavy. Riley Wormley, Deshonne Redeaux, Shahn Alston and Kayne Miller give the Trojans a mix of backgrounds and skill sets that should help keep the group from feeling one-dimensional.
The bigger question is how much of that promise turns into a true weekly edge once the schedule stiffens in conference play. Depth only matters if it shows up when bodies start wearing down and game plans get more demanding, and USC appears to have enough options to make opponents prepare for different styles on the same night. If that versatility translates the way the staff hopes, this could be one of the quieter reasons the Trojans are better equipped for the Big Ten grind than many expect. [Read more 🡒]