USC football to finish disappointing season in Holiday Bowl with eye toward future
USC hasn’t played a game in nearly six weeks, but the time has been far from restful.
Since losing to UCLA in a demoralizing regular-season finale on Nov. 18, the Trojans have overhauled the defensive coaching staff, lost 17 players to transfers with more to sit out because of NFL draft preparations, and added the next wave of players during a busy early signing period. Transfers are already starting to trickle in for next season.
For a program working to put a disappointing season in the rear-view mirror, Wednesday’s Holiday Bowl at 5 p.m. in Petco Park against No. 15 Louisville feels more like an inconvenient chore than an opportunity for a silver lining.
“It’s unique now,” USC coach Lincoln Riley said last week, “because part of you feels like, it’s almost like you’re halfway into this year and halfway into next year.”
The Trojans (7-5) are already passing the torch at quarterback, where Caleb Williams’ USC career is unceremoniously over as he will not play in the game. While the Heisman Trophy winner has not formally announced his intention to pursue an NFL career, he said last month it would be unlikely that he would skip the bowl game while returning to college. In Williams’ place, Miller Moss will get his first start as just one of the players hoping to finish this season with a strong audition for next year.
“He understands the opportunity that’s here,” Riley said Tuesday during the pre-bowl news conference. “You could argue he’s been waiting for three years for an opportunity like this. He’s very ready to play and guys are ready to play around him.”
USC will piece together an offense around Moss without some of its top skill players.
Leading rusher MarShawn Lloyd, who ran for 845 yards and nine touchdowns, opted for the pros and left redshirt senior Austin Jones to lead freshmen Quinten Joyner and A’Marion Peterson. Freshman receivers Ja’Kobi Lane and Duce Robinson earned rave reviews from teammates during bowl practices while stepping up for Mario Williams, who is set to transfer for the second time in his college career, and NFL-bound Brenden Rice. Top tight end Lake McRee sustained an injury in practice last week and with backup Jude Wolfe in the portal, redshirt freshman Carson Tabaracci is set to make his college debut.
Starting cornerback Domani Jackson entering the portal and All-American safety Calen Bullock beginning his draft preparation will leave holes in USC’s secondary. But redshirt senior safety Max Williams said he can’t wait to see cornerback Tre’Quon Fegans (nine tackles, five games) and safety Anthony Beavers Jr. (13 tackles, nine games) get their opportunities.
Safety Max Williams says the Holiday Bowl will be his final game for USC as Lincoln Riley and D’Anton Lynn work on overhauling their defense for 2024.
Williams, too, could have abdicated his spot as he intends to declare for the draft, but the Gardena Serra alumnus wants to play for his childhood dream school a final time before pursuing an NFL career. Receiver Tahj Washington already accepted an invitation to the East-West Shrine Game, a premier scouting event for NFL hopefuls, but has plans for one final addition to his college game tape.
Even with the program in flux, there is still motivation to finish the year right.
“I love this program. I love football,” Washington said, “and any time I get the opportunity to play, I’m going to play.”
USC hasn’t won a bowl game since the thrilling Sam Darnold-led Rose Bowl in 2017. Last season’s loss to Tulane in the Cotton Bowl cast a dark cloud over the program as a 15-point, fourth-quarter collapse sent the Trojans into the offseason with two consecutive losses. This year’s late-season swoon could be even worse as USC lost five of its last six regular-season games.
“I know those guys, that loss from Tulane was on their mind all offseason,” said edge rusher Jamil Muhammad, who will return next season. “So I definitely don’t want to go through that with them again. It’s all about finishing strong and going off to the offseason.”
Louisville (10-3) is trying to finish a standout season under first-year coach Jeff Brohm that included the program’s first appearance in the ACC championship game and first 10-win season since 2013. The Cardinals will do it without starting running back Jawhar Jordan and leading receiver Jamari Thrash, who are both heading to the NFL. Jordan, who rushed for 1,128 yards and 13 touchdowns, was Louisville’s first 1,000-yard rusher since 2019. Thrash had 63 catches for 858 yards and six touchdowns.
Defensive back Derrick Edwards, who appeared in 11 games , is one of 11 Louisville players who entered the portal.
USC didn’t make a big splash on early signing day, but Lincoln Riley was pleased most commitments didn’t waver and the Trojans landed big linemen.
The half-in, half-out nature of college football in December is “a weird position to be in,” USC center Justin Dedich said. For the last five years, he could take solace in knowing he would be returning. Not anymore.
It’s why, to the two-time team captain, this game is especially important.
“I’m doing this to make sure that the tone is set for the beginning of next year,” Dedich said. “I’ve taken pride in that … leaving that legacy on a high note for this team going into the 2024 year.”
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