Rise of the Trojans | USC Trojans Dynasty CFB25

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Riley Does It Again


Lincoln Riley will once again find himself coaching Caleb Williams in the fall after the Chicago Bears announced Riley as their newest Head Coach.

Los Angeles, CA. - Remember back in November of 2021 when Lincoln Riley infamously stated, “I’m not going to be the next head coach of LSU” less than 24 hours before hoping on a plane to Los Angeles and never looking back? Sooners faithful sure do.

When Riley seemingly doubled down on his commitment to USC football in February, stating he was “at the place he wanted to be”, many in Norman rolled their eyes.

“With Lincoln[Riley] you have to read between the lines. He’s a pro with the media,” said one anonymous Sooner staffer, “When he was here he never said he was committed to the Sooners, just that he wasn’t leaving for LSU.

"In his latest statement, he never shut down rumors of the Bears or his desire to continue to coach Caleb Williams. Simply stated he was where he wanted to be.

“Sounds awfully familiar if you ask me.”

Maybe the Trojans should have listened to the old adage, “If they cheat with you, they’ll cheat on you,” because Riley has done it again, announcing on Monday that he was leaving the USC football program to become the Chicago Bears next head coach.

With Riley and Heisman winning quarterback Caleb Williams packing their bags for Chicago, former Longhorns graduate coach Kyle Red will attempt to pick up the pieces of the once proud franchise.

“I’m grateful to the USC administration for giving me this opportunity and I intend to do my best to bring Trojan football back to the top of the collegiate landscape,” stated Coach Red at his introductory press conference.

The Trojans were already facing a difficult season with the departure of Caleb Wiliams for the NFL coupled with the schools move into the Big 10 conference for the 2024 season, but without Riley at the helm expectations for the Trojans have hit an all-time low for the once proud school.

USC and Coach Red will kick off the season on September 1st against the 13th ranked LSU Tigers at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

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2024

Spoiler

Heisman: Zachariah Branch

2025

Spoiler

Heisman: Zachariah Branch

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Season Results

2024
Record: 12-3
Conference: 7-2
Playoff Games: 2-1

2025
Record: 16-0
Conference: 9-0
Playoff Games: 3-0
2025 National Champions

Awards

2024
Heisman: Zachariah Branch
Biletnikoff: Zachariah Branch
Jim Thrope: Kamari Ramsey
Lineback of the Year: Braylan Shelby
Maxwell: Zachariah Branch
Walter Camp: Zachariah Branch

2025
Heisman: Zachariah Branch
Biletnikoff: Zachariah Branch
Bronko Nagurski: Bear Alexander
Chuck Bednarik: Bear Alexander
Doak Walker: Treyvion O'Neal
Jim Thrope: Zion Branch
John Mackey: Jack Velling
Linebackers of the Year: Braylan Shelby
Maxwell: Zachariah Branch
Walter Camp: Zachariah Branch

Record vs Rivals
Michigan: 1-2
Penn State: 1-1
Oregon: 1-0
UCLA: 2-0
Notre Dame: 2-0
Ohio State: 1-0

[redsox907]

Hey guys! Thanks for checking in. I used to be a chising regular over at DSS, long time ago. I've seen a few names that I recognize since re-signing up and getting things ready, so hi to those that may remember me. Same name, different site.

Haven't posted a chise in almost 15 years. Thought about doing it more than a few times, but with being a single dad with 2 kids didn't think I'd have the time or desire to keep it going. But with NCAA football finally rising from the ashes, I figured its as good a time as ever to dust off the ol' laptop and give it another go.

USC is definitely in an interesting spot in real life and my universe with the exit of Riley. Let's see if we can get the Trojans back to the top of the NCAA. Hopefully without any recruiting violations.

Once again, thanks to all who check in and those that decide to leave a comment!

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USC Trojans' 2024 Depth Chart & Schedule

USC Trojans Depth Chart - 2024
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	Duce Robinson (79)	Kyron Hudson (76)	Rashard Copeland (73)
TE	Lake McRee (84)	Carson Tabaracci (72)	Walter Matthews (71)
LT	Mason Murphy (81)	Derwin Nix (68)
LG	Emmanuel Pregnon (85)	Gino Quinones (72)
C	Jonah Monheim (92)	Kilian O'Connor (72)
RG	Kevin Poole (74)	Amos Talalele (72)
RT	Elijah Page (78)	Tobias Raymond (69)
WR	Zachariah Branch (87)	Kyle Ford (77)	Jaden Richardson (72)
QB	Miller Moss (85)	Cade Fox (77)	Jake Jensen (66)
HB	Treyvion O'Neal (80)	Quinten Joyner (80)	A'Marion Peterson (75)	Bryan Jackson II (67)

USC Trojans Depth Chart - 2024
Base 3-3-5 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	Nate Clifton (81)	Elijah Hughes (76)
NT	Bear Alexander (88)	Gavin Meyer (76)	Hunter Locklear (71)
RDE	Anthony Lucas (77)	Quentin Mitchell (73)
LOLB	Jamil Muhammad (84)	Treymond Bridges (77)
MLB	Easton Mascarenas-Arnold (80)	Mason Cobb (77)	Jadyn Walker (68)
ROLB	Braylan Shelby (74)	Raesjon Davis (74)
CB	John Humphrey (88)	Jacobe Covington (82)	Marcelles Williams (75)
SS	Akili Arnold (82)	Christian Pierce (73)
FS	Kamari Ramsey (85)	Jaylin Smith (79)	Anthony Beavers Jr (78)
SS	Zion Branch (77)	Jaylin Smith (79)
CB	DeCarlos Nicholson (86)	Prophet Brown (80)	Tye Jennings (71)

Los Angeles, CA.Despite losing 5 starters to the NFL Draft after the 2023 campaign, including Heisman winning quarterback Caleb Williams, no one in Los Angeles was worried about the future of the Trojan’s offense heading into 2024. Not with offensive savant Lincoln Riley at the helm, who hadn’t boasted an offense that finished outside of the Top 50 in the country since taking over as offensive coordinator at Oklahoma in 2015.

But after Riley left for Chicago almost as quickly as he arrived in Los Angeles two seasons ago, he took the identity of the Trojan’s offense with him.

The good news? Riley left behind plenty of talent, starting with junior redshirt quarterback Miller Moss who had his coming out party with six touchdowns in USC’s Holiday Bowl win last season. Joined by a duo of playmaking sophomores in Zachariah Brown and Duce Robinson, along with junior transfer Treyvion O’Neal and tight end Lake McRee, the Trojans’ have all the pieces in place to light up scoreboards this coming season.

The bad news comes two fold. The Trojans’ may need to light up the scoreboard on a weekly basis if the defense looks anything like the 2023 version. Top it off with a young and inexperienced offensive line and the Trojan’s might not be able to stay on their feet long enough to move the chains, let alone light up scoreboards.

Former UCLA defensive coordinator D’Anthony Lynn should help with the former, especially with the stable of defensive backs he brought with him from the Bruins. Safety Kamari Ramsey and corner John Humphrey both followed Lynn across the street and were joined by former Oregon State Beavers Akili Arnold and Easton Mascarenas-Arnold to provide a significant boost to the nations 105th ranked defense last season.

On paper the Trojans have all of the tools to hold their own during their inaugural season in the Big Ten. If they can put it all together remains to be seen, especially after the emotional heartbreak of losing Riley just two seasons after handing him the keys to the castle.

For what it is worth, Vegas has the Trojan’s penciled in at winning 8 games this seasons.

With only one cupcake on the schedule(Sorry Utah State), 4 Top 25 matchups, and tilts against upstart Nebraska and perennial rival Washington you would have to look at Kyle Red’s first season in the Coliseum as a success if the Trojans managed to scrape together an 8-4 season.

Schedule

USC Trojans 2024 Schedule
DATE	OPPONENT	RESULT
Sep 1	vs #13 LSU
Sep 7	vs Utah State
Sep 14	vs Open
Sep 21	at #9 Michigan
Sep 28	vs Wisconsin
Oct 5	at Minnesota
Oct 12	vs #7 Penn State
Oct 19	at Maryland
Oct 25	vs Rutgers
Nov 2	at Washington
Nov 9	vs Open
Nov 16	vs Nebraska
Nov 23	at UCLA
Nov 30	vs #8 Notre Dame

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Week One Preview


Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, Nevada

Matchup Preview *|* September 1, 2024
	@
#13 LSU Tigers (0-0, 0-0 Away)		#25 USC Trojans (0-0, 0-0 Home)
Offensive Stats Comparison 543.5 (1st) Total Yards 466.6 (11th) 338.9 (3rd) Passing Yards 333 (5th) 204.5 (11th) Rushing Yards 133.6(92nd) 45.5 (1st) Points Per Game 41.8 (3rd) Defensive Stats Comparison 408.8 (103rd) Total Yards Allowed 438.8 (121st) 245.4 (104th) Passing Yards Allowed 255.2 (116th) 163.4 (98th) Rushing Yards Allowed 183.7 (116th) 27.8 (88th) Points Per Game 34.9 (122nd) Game Notes Las Vegas, NV. - It was no secret back in 2021 that the LSU Tigers were hot on the trail of then Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley to fill their coaching vacancy after the dismissal of Ed Orgeron. After Riley ultimately spurned the Tigers in favor of the sunny shores of California the Tigers "settled" for Brian Kelly, the winningest coach in the storied history of Notre Dame. Now entering the 3rd year of Kelly's tenure in the bayou, one has to feel the Tigers ended up with the better match, following Riley's unceremonious departure for the NFL. Once you look past the extensive experience gap between the two head coaches, both teams are facing similar challenges heading into their perspective campaigns. Both LSU and USC are looking to replace Heisman winning quarterbacks, both ranked in the Top 5 offensively last season (#1 and #3 respectively), and both were utterly atrocious on defense last season (#110 and #114). Continuing the trend of similarities for the squads, they both swiped prized defensive coordinators from conference rivals, D'Anthony Lynn from UCLA for the Trojans' and former Mizzou coordinator Blake Baker for the Tigers. The glaring difference between the squads is the depth and experience along both lines, which favors LSU. The Tigers enter the 2024 season with the #2 ranked offensive line in the nation and is returning 4 of their 5 starters from last season. Look for the Tigers to pound the ball early and often, using that superior offensive line to wear down the Trojans smaller defensive front on their way to a dominant opening day victory.

Key Players

LSU Tigers

USC Trojans

QB Garrett Nussmeier

QB Miller Moss

TE Mason Taylor

WR Zachariah Brown

LB Harold Perkins Jr

DT Bear Alexander

LSU Tigers Depth Chart

LSU Tigers Depth Chart - 2024
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	CJ Daniels (86)	Chris HIlton Jr (79)	Kylan Billiot (72)
TE	Mason Taylor (90)	Mac Markway (78)	Ka'Morerun Pimpton (78)
LT	Will Campbell (96)	Weston Davis (75)
LG	Garrett Dellinger (86)	Kimo Makane'ole (76)
C	DJ Chester (81)	Khayree Lee Jr (68)
RG	Miles Frazier (86)	Coen Echols (74)
RT	Emery Jones Jr (90)	Tyree Adams (75)
WR	Kyren Lacey (87)	Zavion Thomas (80)	Shelton Sampson Jr (77)
QB	Garrett Nussmeier (85)	Rickie Collins (77)
HB	Josh Williams (83)	Kaleb Jackson (81)	Caden Durham (76)
Base 4-2-5 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	Da'Shawn Womack (82)	Bradyn Swinson (77)
LDT	Jacobian Guillory (81)	Jalen Lee (78)
RDT	Zeke Cables (80)	Ahmaad Towery (76)
RDE	Sai'von Jones (81)	Paris Shand (76)
SLB	Harold Perkins Jr (92)	Whit Weeks (79)
WLB	Greg Penn III (82)	Dylan Carpenter (75)
CB	Zy Alexander (80)	Jyaire Brown (78)	Ashton Stamps (78)
SS	Major Burns (82)	Jardin Gilbert (77)
FS	Jordan Allen (79)	Dashawn McBryde (76)
SS	Kylin Jackson (76)	Tylan Blaylock (69)
CB	Javien Toviano (80)	JK Johnson (77)	Ashton Stamps (78)
Special Teams
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
K	Damian Ramos (75)
P	Peyton Todd (66)
PR	Caden Durham (94)
KR	Caden Durham (95)	Khalil Engram (94)

[cookies00]

LSU right out of the gate is tough

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Quote: Originally Posted by cookies00

LSU right out of the gate is tough

definitely would have been nice to get a cupcake out the gate lol, but it also sets the bar high going into the season. If we can hang with LSU early, we should be able to hang with most other schools throughout the year.