Football | March 07, 2023
Lincoln Riley arrived at USC ready to awaken the sleeping giant. He was the catalyst for the Trojans’ resurgence to the top of the college football landscape. And in his first year, he did just that. Going 11-3, Riley tied John Robinson’s 1976 record for most victories by a first-year head coach, which also ties the Pac-12 Conference record. The 2022 Trojans equaled the biggest one-season victory turnaround (+7 victories) in USC history. USC’s 1962 national champs also won 11 games after winning just 4 in 1961.
Riley also produced another Heisman Trophy winner, 2 Unanimous All-Americans, 5 First Team All-Americans, 6 broken team records and a multitude of other superlatives in his inaugural year.
The 2022 Trojans almost made the College Football Playoff. While finishing the season with a tough loss in the Cotton Bowl, the expectations for 2023 team are at an all-time high.
As Coach Riley said before the 2022 season, “We didn’t come here to play for second place. We came here to win championships.”
Coach Riley and the Trojans are locked in on winning a national championship and bringing more hardware back to Heritage Hall this fall. And the preparation begins this spring. The job’s not finished.
ROSTER OVERVIEW
The Trojans return 82 players from the 2022 squad, including 54 who saw action. Six starters are back on the offensive side of the ball and eight on defense.
The returnees will be joined by an impressive recruiting class which includes 11 transfers and 10 early-enrollee freshmen, including the No. 1 high school recruit in the nation, who are on campus and participating in spring ball. Ten more freshmen who will arrive in the summer complete USC’s 2023 signing class.
USC also returns the entire coaching staff for the 2023 season.
PLAYER DEPARTURES
The Trojan offense will be feeling the effects of losing three impactful linemen up front. Brett Neilon and Andrew Vorhees, both First Team All-Americans and four and five-year starters, respectively, were instrumental in USC’s offensive success last season. Their outstanding play in the trenches allowed Caleb Williams to lead the offense to have a record-setting season. In…
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