Inside the Trojans' Huddle: USC hires RB coach Anthony Jones Jr.
In this episode of Inside the Trojans’ Huddle, the WeAreSC panel discusses new USC running backs coach Anthony Jones Jr., the performances of former Trojans at the 2024 NFL Combine and other topics.
In this episode:
First Quarter
Running backs coach Kiel McDonald left for the NFL and USC has hired former TCU running backs coach Anthony Jones Jr.
This episode was recorded before the official announcement, but the panel spoke about what the Trojans would be getting in Jones.
Second Quarter
What caught your eye with regard to the eight USC Trojans participating in the 2024 NFL Combine?
Halftime
A question from Trojan Forever, a premium WeAreSC member and a big fan of the show. (Editor’s note from Chris Arledge: I’m just making that up. He might hate it. But he did ask this question).
“With the all-star group of defensive coaches we have assembled, is there a risk that the whole is less than the sum of the parts? That is, will the coaches who are unfamiliar with each other be able to work as a smooth team? Lynn certainly sounds good, but many of the other coaches have more experience or higher level experience and may wish to have a strong influence on the overall defense.”
The panel discusses.
Third Quarter
You can’t win like Pete Carroll unless you have rosters like Pete Carroll. USC has a shiny new defensive staff, and the word is that USC has fully funded its NIL for this recruiting season so that it will not be at a major disadvantage in that department. So that takes care of both of the major reasons people have given for USC’s modest recruiting rankings. So when will we know whether USC recruiting is back on track?
Fourth Quarter: The Arbitrary, Unfair Arledge Quiz Show
1. If you could attend one non-USC college football game in the 2024 season, which one would you pick?
2. USC player that could and should have been a star but the stars just weren’t in alignment.
3. Your worst USC prediction ever.
4. Which is more likely to happen: Alabama’s program falling back to earth or Clemson’s program resurrecting back to its glory days of a few years ago?
5. You are in charge of designing alternative uniforms for the USC-LSU game. What do they look like?
6. How is Nicolas Cage a famous actor? Can somebody explain how that happened?
7. Greatest performance by a USC player in a losing effort?
8. Best active standup comic?
9. Is UCLA soft because they wear baby blue or do they wear baby blue because they’re soft? Support your answer.
10. You’re in charge of planning a rivalry prank the week of the USC-UCLA game. What’s the prank and how do you pull it off?
Overtime
You are offered a book deal to write a book about USC football. What’s the book you’re going to write?
