The Pac-12 logo has graced the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 25-yard line for every USC home football game since the conference expanded to 12 teams in 2011. This logo is emblazoned on the front of the Trojans' football uniforms, just opposite the Nike logo. In the post-match interview, he appeared next to the “SC'' behind the coaches and players.
But that era is over as the last players and coaches left the Coliseum after Saturday's annual spring football game.
The next time the Trojans play at the Coliseum (Sept. 7 against Utah State), they will officially become a member of the Big Ten Conference. In three weeks, they will host their first Big Ten game against the Wisconsin Badgers at the Coliseum.
Saturday's spring game consisted of only an offensive and defensive scrimmage, with the Coliseum at about a quarter of its capacity, but it had a different atmosphere than previous years, with excitement, anxiety and nostalgia all rolled into one. . This game served as the end of one era for him and a journey into a new one. And for head coach Lincoln Riley, the different feeling in the air was welcome.
“What happens here in the future and over the next eight or nine months will determine whether we can say it's good or not, but it feels different,” Riley said. “I feel like this team is a little different than any team we’ve had before at this point, so I’m excited about that.”
USC Spring Football Game: Success in the Post-Caleb Williams Era
Unlike regular fall games, spring games follow a unique format. With the offense wearing Cardinal jerseys and the defense wearing white uniforms, the teams play his two 15-minute quarters, with the defense leading him 24-0. Offenses score points through traditional methods such as touchdowns, field goals, and extra points, while defenses score points through plays such as turnovers, fourth-down stops, defensive touchdowns, and safeties.
Perhaps the biggest absence was felt on offense, where Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Caleb Williams is no longer at the helm. The record-breaking leader of the Trojans' offense the past two seasons declared for the NFL Draft after the 2023 season and finished his collegiate career with nearly 10,000 passing yards and 120 total touchdowns.
When Williams announced he would miss the Holiday Bowl against Louisville in preparation for the NFL Draft, backup quarterback Miller Moss was given the start. The latter went on to throw for 372 yards and six touchdowns in the Holiday Bowl. On Saturday, Moss, like the entire offense, struggled to get going.
“That was probably the story of the day, the defense making the offense pay for their mistakes,” Riley said.
Three of the offense's first four drives ended with interceptions by three different quarterbacks. Jaden Maiava, a transfer from UNLV, had an interception on the second drive of the game, Moss threw an interception during the next drive, and backup Jake Jensen threw one to end the ensuing drive. Threw. The defense led 33-0 midway through the first quarter.
Moss is expected to be Williams' successor, but Riley said the quarterback competition is still on the table due to Maiava's development.
“We're definitely going to rely on the right people, and we have some players that we think can do that,” Riley said.
Newcomers join the sideline at the University of Southern California's spring football game.
Perhaps the biggest additions this season were to address one of last season's major weaknesses: defense. USC brought in UCLA defensive coordinator Danton Lin to help rebuild a struggling group. Saturday was a big confidence booster for a unit that gave up nearly 440 yards per game last year and finished 116th out of 130 in total defense.
“A good defense makes it difficult for the offense. A good defense preys on the offense's mistakes, and they did that,” Riley said.
Moss was able to shake off some early mistakes and throw a touchdown late in the game, but the offense still lost 43-28 to the defense. Frustrated by the mistake, all Moss could do was give credit to the defense.
“They're going to help us win this year, and I think that's going to help us improve offensively,” Moss said.
For senior defensive end Jamil Muhammad, he felt the difference the moment Lin met the defensive unit — and Saturday's performance was proof of that.
“It's night and day,” Muhammad said, comparing the feel of the defense today to how it felt at the end of last season. “But it seems like it wasn't enough today, because we're hungry for something more. Certainly, we're hungry for September 1st.” That's Troy. The Horses' season opener is against LSU.
One era ends and the next era begins
Turnout wasn't as high as previous spring games, but you hardly noticed it as you walked around the Coliseum. From the gates opening at 10:30 a.m. until kickoff shortly after noon, fans dressed in Cardinal and gold continued to enter the stadium. Lines still formed at food trucks and merchandise tables, and crowds gathered to take photos with travelers.
But perhaps one of the busiest booths Saturday afternoon belonged to the Big Ten Network, which handed out free cardinal and gold hats with the network's logo and held large cutouts of both USC and the Big Ten. They operated a photo booth for fans who could. conference logo.
Fans appeared to be enjoying the free hats and photo ops, but seeing a Trojans fan decked out in cardinals and gold and carrying the Big Ten Conference logo is a must-see for any college football fan. I would watch it twice. But this is the way the future is, and while it may have mixed feelings for other fans in USC's new conference, it's a future that nearly everyone in the Trojan family is excited about. For a player like defensive end Jamil Muhammad, that's all that matters.
“The whole 'too small' comment…we definitely take that with a grain of salt,” Muhammad said of the remark about USC's size compared to other Big Ten teams. “We took this as a challenge and chose to get better.”
