USC’s matchup with Indiana is going to turn on more than just the scoreboard. One of the biggest battles sits in the trenches, where the Trojans have to keep the Hoosiers from turning the game into a long, steady march down the field.
That’s where Turbo Richard comes in.
ESPN took a closer look at Indiana’s new running back, a transfer addition who gives the national champions another option after losing their two leading rushers from last season’s title team. Roman Hemby and Kaelon Black, who combined for 2,160 yards, are gone to the NFL. Indiana still has Khobie Martin and Lee Beebe Jr., but Richard brings fresh production into the mix from Boston College.
He’s a 5-8 back with a compact frame and a style built for contact. Richard didn’t draw many Power 4 offers out of high school, though one of the first programs to come in was James Madison when Cignetti was there. ESPN’s scouting report highlighted a runner who stays patient, reads blocks well and has enough balance and power to keep churning after first contact.
"Richard had a very productive season in 2025 with 749 yards on the ground. He has a compact build that helps him play with a low center of gravity and the ability to break tackles.
His running style is patient as he has a good feel to cut off the backside of blocks. He runs behind his pads and finishes runs with good demeanor.
As a receiver out of the backfield, he also provides a reliable checkdown option. Cignetti noted that he liked what Richard did this spring as he will have the opportunity to be impactful and a reliable option at running back for an Indiana team that is looking to repeat."
For USC, the assignment is clear. The Trojans can’t let Indiana string together those slow, grinding touchdown drives that eat clock and chew up field position. They need stops, they need three-and-outs, and they need to put the ball back in Jayden Maiava’s hands.
That makes USC’s run defense against Indiana’s ground game one of the defining matchups of the day, with Lincoln Riley and Curt Cignetti set to go head-to-head.
In Other News...
Notre Dame Just Turned Up Pressure On USC In A Crucial Fight
June brought a wave of commitment drama across the 2027 recruiting class, and Notre Dame emerged with one of the loudest hauls in the country. Marcus Freemans program, already sitting near the top of the national board, added enough high-end talent to keep the Irish in the thick of the future roster race, while USC spent much of its own 2027 work earlier in the spring and enters the summer with a class that still has real traction under Lincoln Riley.
For the Trojans, the bigger issue is not just where they stand now, but how the battle around them keeps shifting. USC has already built around notable blue-chip names across the 2026 and 2027 cycles, yet the Irish are making it clear they intend to stay aggressive in the same recruiting lanes. With the two programs not set to meet on the field for at least the next few seasons, the rivalry is going to be fought less in a stadium and more on the trail where every elite commitment matters. [Read more 🡒]
Chasen Johnson Just Gave USC Fans Real Hope At Corner
Chasen Johnsons road back has been one of the quieter but more encouraging storylines around USCs secondary this offseason. The redshirt sophomore cornerback, who spent much of last season working his way through a knee injury and surgery, has been getting steady support from position coach Trovon Reed while posting recovery clips that suggest the rehab is moving in the right direction. With fall camp approaching, that matters in a cornerback room where starting jobs are still very much up for grabs and Lincoln Riley has already pointed to improvement from other defenders such as Marcelles Williams.
Johnsons latest update gave Trojans fans a little extra reason to believe he can still factor into that competition. In the clip, he was moving heavy weight in the gym and doing it without a brace on the injured knee, a small but meaningful sign for a player whose trajectory was interrupted just as he was looking to push for a bigger role in the USC secondary. The real test, of course, will come once the pads come on and the competition turns from rehab progress videos to live reps. [Read more 🡒]
Eric Musselman Just Framed USCs Biggest Rebuild Gamble
Eric Musselman is making it clear that USCs rebuild is going to be built the hard way, with a little of everything. In a college basketball era defined by constant player movement, he said the Trojans have to keep key returners, bring in high-upside freshmen and still stay active in the transfer portal if they want to keep pace. Its the sort of balancing act that has become unavoidable, but for USC it also doubles as the blueprint for how quickly this next roster can turn into something real.
The good news for the Trojans is that there is a foundation to work with, anchored by a core group from last season and a highly regarded incoming class. Christian Collins gives USC a five-star headliner, and the Ratliff twins add more talent to a class that already has people around the program thinking big. Musselmans challenge now is less about explaining the plan and more about making sure the mix of retention and additions actually holds together once the season starts. [Read more 🡒]