USC Recruiting Roundup with WeAreSC's Scott Schrader & Dylan Brashier
Each week me and our impressive intern from USC’s Anneneberg School of Communications hop on Zoom to record our USC Recruiting Roundup. At that time we recap some of the interesting USC storylines of the week for our YouTube audience.
Our primary focus is on recruiting, but we’ll also touch on other topics each week.
In this USC Recruiting Roundup, WeAreSC’s Scott Schrader and Dylan Brashier discuss:
D’Anton Lynn announced as USC’s new DC
The reaction to D’Anton Lynn being named USC’s defensive coordinator is being met with some reservations because he’s not the big-name hire. However, Pete Carroll wasn’t everyone’s first choice either.
In hindsight, the decision to bring in Coach Carroll’s defensive mindset worked out pretty well.
After years of mediocrity since the Caroll era, and just one conference championship, Lincoln Riley was announced as USC’s head coach.
It was the sexy splashy hire Trojan fans not only wanted but needed for self-confidence.
It was the kind of hire that required a press conference at the top of the Coliseum with USC’s marching band playing with the downtown skyline in the backdrop.
Trojans are headed to the Holiday Bowl
The USC Trojans (7-5, 5-4) are heading to San Diego for the holidays as they’ll take on the No. 15 Louisville Cardinals (10-3, 7-1) in the 2023 DIRECTV Holiday Bowl.
The game will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 27 at 5 pm PT at Petco Park in San Diego. The game will air live on FOX and will be the first time these programs have ever met.
The Trojans will head into the contest on a three-game losing streak, as well as a three-game bowl losing streak. The biggest question for USC is whether quarterback Caleb Williams will participate. The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner hasn’t yet stated whether he will declare for the 2024 NFL Draft and/or opt out of the Trojans’ bowl game. He said during the regular season that if he did indeed elect to return to USC, he didn’t see a reason why he wouldn’t play in the bowl game. Though at this point, the feeling still is that Williams will move on to the NFL.
What other players are available for USC will be something to watch as well.
Caleb Williams won’t play in the Holiday Bowl
USC head coach Lincoln Riley said Monday that standout quarterback Caleb Williams will not play for the Trojans in the DIRECTV Holiday Bowl against the No. 15 Louisville Cardinals.
Williams has been widely expected to declare early for the 2024 NFL Draft and this would seemingly be the first step in that process. Nothing has been stated to that effect, but Williams said previously that if he is remaining at USC in 2024, he didn’t see any reason why he wouldn’t play in the Trojans’ bowl game.
The USC quarterback was outstanding for the Trojans in his two seasons in Los Angeles. Williams completed 66.6% of his passes for a USC single-season record 4,537 yards and 42 touchdowns against five interceptions on his way to the 2022 Heisman Trophy.
This fall, Williams threw for 3,633 yards and 30 touchdowns, while running for another 11 scores.
Williams finished the regular season ranked No. 4 in the nation in points responsible for (250) and points responsible for per game (20.8), No. 6 in the nation in passing TDs (30) and passing yards (3,633), No. 7 in the nation in passing efficiency (170.1) and passing yards per game (302.8), No. 8 in the nation in total offense (314.6) and No. 10 in the nation in yards per pass attempt (9.36). He is the first FBS player in the last 25 years to throw for 6 passing TDs in a game for multiple schools.
With Williams out, USC is likely to turn to quarterback Miller Moss against the Cardinals. USC missed an opportunity to get Moss more time on the field this season because they couldn’t put enough teams away early enough. But he did see time in the first three games of the year. Overall, he completed 71.9% of his passes for 309 yards and one score. He also added a 15-yard rushing touchdown against Stanford.
Lincoln Riley meets with Kansas State’s Will Howard
Lincoln Riley has already begun his recruiting work in the transfer portal. On3’s K-State Online insider Derek Young has reported Riley traveled to Manhattan, Kansas, Saturday morning to meet with former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard.
WeAreSC can confirm the visit took place Saturday morning.
Young provided details to WeAreSC in what he says was a brief visit saying Riley was “in and out”.
Young also says Howard met with Miami and Wisconsin earlier in the week.
Howard entered the transfer portal on Monday, November 27 as a graduate transfer. He has one season of eligibility remaining.
In four seasons with the Wildcats, Howard completed 59 percent of his passes while throwing for close to 5,800 yards and 48 touchdowns. He served as a part-time starter in 2022 and took over as the Wildcats’ QB1 in 2023, leading them to an 8-4 record.
