Four major takeaways from USC spring football – Orange County Register

LOS ANGELES – Sitting in his office in late March, looking for a way to somehow quantify the physical leaps made by the giant 6-foot-4 ball of energy in his vast reception room, the eyes of Lincoln Riley turned to the objects. on his desk.

Ja’Kobi Lane, Riley described during a Zoom call with the media, was “thin” when USC started recruiting him a few years ago. Then Riley picked up a black plastic fork from his desk, grabbing it by the tines with his right hand. It looked like this fork, Riley said. The front.

“Now it looks like that water bottle,” Riley said, picking up a plastic bottle in his other hand. The after.

In a moment of true poetry, this bottle had only a few sips of water at the bottom – about 5% full, to represent a player who had only reached a small portion of his potential. Lane arrived in the fall for USC weighing 180 pounds. He now weighs 195 years old. The combination of size and body control jumped off the page in December’s Holiday Bowl, where Lane, then a freshman, threw for two touchdowns, including one where he simply too small two Louisville defenders in the back of the end zone.

And in USC’s spring game Saturday, Lane appeared again, following a spring camp where he continued to rise as perhaps USC’s top outside threat heading into the autumn. On a first down on USC’s second series, UNLV transfer quarterback Jayden Maiava hesitated in the pocket, faked a few throws before whistling a rope to Lane on a deep crossing route – at about an arm’s length behind him.

As if simply stretching, Lane reached behind his body and snatched the throw with one hand.

He finished with three catches for 36 yards on the day. His continued development working with starter Miller Moss – in a room of young receivers – could lead to a major campaign this fall.

Including Lane’s ascendancy, here are four other things the Southern California News Group has learned about an intriguing USC program after a month of spring football and a spring showcase Saturday.

1. Miller Moss is USC’s starting QB, but watch out for Jayden Maiava

Let’s be realistic. Moss threw six touchdowns in the Holiday Bowl; a true QB1 competition never really existed around USC this spring. After months of dancing around the subject, Riley confirmed it Saturday after USC’s spring game: If they played football today, Moss would start.

“Obviously, it’s not a surprise considering how many snaps he’s had in this system,” Riley said of the junior Moss.

And after a few iffy practices to start, Moss had been “off” for the rest of spring ball, Riley said. But he didn’t look as particularly dynamic as he did in December’s Holiday Bowl, and UNLV transfer Maiava showed a level of touch and playfulness in his snaps Saturday — along with some game looks heavyweights – who matched or exceeded Moss.

Maiava threw for 3,085 yards as a true freshman at UNLV last year, and Riley complimented his composure throughout the spring. Even though Moss is the de facto No. 1, expect Maiava to be nipping at his heels in the fall.

2. Marcelles Williams, Kameryn Fountain and Elijah Newby could make a difference defensively immediately as true freshmen

USC has targeted defensive depth in its 2024 class and is paying immediate dividends.

Williams might take the cake as the most hyped player in spring camp, with St. John corner Bosco landing a very impressive pick in USC’s spring game. The 6-foot-6 Fountain has already gained about 20 pounds since arriving at USC and wreaked havoc in Saturday’s exit running game. Newby primarily slots in as an inside linebacker, but showed tremendous quickness in pursuing and hounding USC quarterback Jake Jensen out of the pocket on a play Saturday; Riley hinted that he could end up playing in different places in his career with the Trojans.

All three could earn significant snaps for USC this fall after standout springs, although Newby and Fountain undoubtedly need more years of development.

3. USC has improved its size, but still needs more depth up front on both ends

Earlier this spring, Texas A&M transfer defensive tackle Isaiah Raikes told the media that he knew USC needed defensive linemen and was looking for a situation in the portal where he could “do the difference right away.”

That need in the middle is even more evident now, after Raikes hit the portal again for the second time in a few months. Bear Alexander established himself as a key returner at nose tackle after much talk of possibly transferring, but he was recovering from an injury for much of spring camp. USC’s best bets alongside him at the moment are sophomore Elijah Hughes, freshman Jide Abasiri and Vanderbilt transfer Nate Clifton, who could play more on the outside.

And after an offseason of significant bulking, Riley said Saturday that USC’s offensive line is “starting to look more like what you think USC’s O-line should look like.” But coach Josh Henson still relies heavily on the underclassmen for the majority of the Trojans’ depth. USC has a clear commitment to playing more physical football entering the Big Ten, but needs a few more pieces and continued development in fall camp to realize Riley’s vision.

At first glance, early in the spring, USC’s running back group appeared thin: Only one member of the room, Mississippi State transfer Jo’Quavious “Woody” Marks, had legitimate experience primary defender.

But weeks later, it’s clear the mix runs deeper. Scorers can play a variety of roles as running backs, pass catchers, and blockers. Sophomores Quinten Joyner and A’Marion Peterson appear poised for expanded roles, and freshman Bryan Jackson got the most reps Saturday, although he struggled with efficiency ( 13 yards in 10 carries).

And USC’s most notable group Saturday was the secondary, which after two years of inconsistency is suddenly emerging as one of USC’s biggest strengths under new defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn and defensive backs coach Doug Belk.

Mississippi State transfer DeCarlos Nicholson, UCLA transfer John Humphrey and returning Prophet Brown and Jacobe Covington all look like starting corners. UCLA transfer Kamari Ramsey and Oregon State transfer Akili Arnold are plug-and-play immediate starters at veteran safety. And all that’s without counting the return of Holiday Bowl star Jaylin Smith, who was out for much of the spring due to injury.

“You have two of the best guys in the business coaching these guys,” Riley said Saturday. “And when you have that, you see the results.”