Lincoln Riley spent his Labor Day Monday talking about a USC team that looks sharper, tougher and a little more settled after two weeks of football.
The Trojans are 2-0, and the early story has been familiar in one spot and newly encouraging in another. Quarterback Jayden Maiava and USC’s deep group of receivers are still driving the offense, but the defense - now led by Hall of Fame coordinator and former TCU head coach Gary Patterson - has been the eye-opener. That side of the ball just helped deliver a rare shutout of Fresno State, and Riley made it clear on Trojans Live that he saw real growth in Week 1.
“I thought our consistency level across the board, especially defensively, was better.”
That consistency showed up in more than one way. Riley said USC did a better job of staying locked in regardless of how the game was unfolding, and he credited the team for sticking to its standard instead of drifting. He also pointed to the younger players who got into the game, saying they looked more prepared this time around.
“I thought we did a nice job with not getting too wrapped up with how the game was going and just playing to the standard throughout the game. I thought the guys handled it very well.”
“I also thought the young guys who got to play were a little more ready this time. I thought we also handled that better. There was a lot of bright spots and thought we were more impactful on the defensive front, and sharper in coverage.”
Even with the shutout, Riley didn’t pretend the performance was spotless. He mentioned penalties, missed chances on special teams and some offensive opportunities that slipped away. Still, the overall tone was that USC was better - and that the shutout mattered.
“We still had a couple of penalties we would love to have back and missed opportunities on special teams and offensively. But we were a better team.
The guys took it [the challenge] and it was better on the field. Shutouts are a big deal, because they're hard to do especially in the modern game today.
It was cool to see the team that invested in that moment.”
A big reason for that defensive jump, Riley said, was the play of a force on the line who kept drawing extra attention.
“He was a force. People continue to try to double team him.”
“Not only is he chewing those up, he's impacting the game still the way he is.”
Riley praised the player’s all-around game, calling him complete and emphasizing that he’s affecting plays in multiple ways.
“He's turned himself into a complete player. He can rush the passer, tough in the run game, has nice lateral movements at the line of scrimmage.
So he;s got quickness and he can take on those double teams. He can split them and doesn't get pushed back.
He's playing complete ball for us right now and he's opening up opportunities.”
There was also a strong moment inside the locker room, where the player received a game ball and drew a visible response from teammates.
“You could see the reactions from the guys on the sidelines. He also got a game ball inside the locker room.”
“The reaction was different. The people who have been around Prophet know the backstory of this kid and what he's had to overcome. It's a lot.”
Riley said there’s a reason for that reaction. In his view, the player’s path has been marked by injuries and a lack of opportunities, and now he’s become one of the team’s leaders.
“People were doubting him with his injuries and he wasn't getting opportunities. But here he is now as one of our team leaders and he's playing very well and playing with confidence. His impact on this program is big.”
Maiava, meanwhile, is benefiting from a system that fits him and from a supporting cast that’s doing its part. Riley said the quarterback’s comfort level with USC’s approach has been a major factor in his development.
“It’s a combination of a lot of things. He's comfortable with how we want to attack people and understands our schemes/concepts. A majority of the time, he knows where the ball should go.”
“Guys are making plays for him and we've protected him very well. In terms of his arm talents, he's always been an accurate guy but the thing about him, he actually doesn't need that much space to throw.”
“His arm is talented enough to where he doesn't need to step and put his entire body into the throws. He can throw from a confined space and make a variety of throws.”
Riley added that Maiava’s growth has mattered to the whole team.
“His development has been really important for our team.”
On defense, Riley also highlighted another veteran presence, pointing to the edge he brings from experience and physical play.
“He's in his third different defensive system. But being in that plus playing for two different schools (previously at Notre Dame) puts him at an advantage.”
“He's played a good amount of football. He's one of our most violent, physical players.
His competitive juice and physicality is always up. Now you add the experience and that's important for us because he's one of the guys we rely on for experience.”
USC’s next test comes against Louisiana, and Riley made sure to note that the opponent has plenty of pedigree and talent. He said the program has a history of strong teams and NFL players, and he also has some familiarity with the matchup from his time at East Carolina.
“It’s a program that's had some historically strong teams with what they've put together. They've put quite a few guys into the NFL.”
“I remember playing a few games against them when I was at East Carolina. So this is a good group. They had some really good players last year and got some really good ones back.”
Riley described Louisiana as having a quarterback who drives the offense and a defense that can create problems schematically.
“They have a dynamic quarterback who's the focal point of their offense and their team. They certainly do some things schematically on defense that will become a challenge for us. It'll be a fun challenge for us.”
The late kickoff gives USC a little more time to prepare, and Riley said that extra window should help the Trojans recover and get ready.
“It’s also good for our guys to sleep in and catch up on rest. But it also gets you more time to prep [with the late kickoff] and get ready to go. It'll be a good challenge for us.”
In Other News...
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The larger question now is how much of that first impression turns into a bigger role as the season settles in. For a Trojans team that wants depth to matter in a long year, the encouraging part is not just that these freshmen played, but that a few of them already looked like they belonged in bigger moments. The next step is proving that Week 1 was the start of something more than a one-game boost. [Read more 🡒]
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USC is hardly alone in chasing him, though, and that is what makes this one worth watching. Miami, Ohio State, Oregon and Indiana are all among the programs still involved, turning the pursuit into a cross-country fight for one of the classs marquee pass catchers. For the Trojans, landing Clark would not just be another recruiting win, it would be a clear statement about how far their national reach still extends. [Read more 🡒]
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For a team trying to establish an identity early, the encouraging part is how many first- and second-year contributors are already shaping games in different ways. Not every young Trojan had the same kind of impact, with Boobie Feaster and Tanook Hines quieter than some of their classmates, but the bigger picture is hard to miss: USC is getting faster development around Maiava, and that kind of balance can matter long before the schedule gets serious. [Read more 🡒]