The USC Trojans kicked off the season with a commanding 42-26 victory versus their first non-conference opponent. There was, for sure, rust that needed to be shaken off in the beginning, and a young Trojans defense visibly at times showed its age. This will be a real concern going forward. You can see the potential of the whole roster, but the youthfulness at a lot of positions was exposed in the fourth quarter of this game. USC has to be concerned about its overall depth, but there's no question the prime freshmen look like strong producers.
Offensively, it is clear that Lincoln Riley plans to use just about every talented player he has at his disposal. 10 different players caught a pass today, and 6 of them were true freshmen in their debut.
That same trend continued with the run game, as 5 different backs got a carry in this game. The Trojans' offense is full of talent, and it was on full display how many different playmakers they have.
Jayden Maiava took full control of this game, and he was cool, calm, and collected. He helped the young guys get involved and gain confidence. He did everything you would expect a guy who will potentially be in contention for the Heisman to do. He finished the game 25-29, with 3 touchdowns total and nearly 300 yards through the air.
The big surprise for the game was how good Trent Mosley already is. He looked like the best player on the field. He will be a game-changer in the return game and a player who will be a big reason the Trojans' offense is explosive again.
The Trojans' defense looked promising, but at times they gave up a lot more than they should have. If the game ended in the first half, you would be excited about the defense and their complete shutout. In the 3rd quarter, they let quarterback Luke Weaver get confident, and he made them pay. The talent gap was huge in this game, but USC allowed the Spartans to hang in the ring too much.
The Trojans overall look like a team full of potential this season, and there is great reason to be excited this season. There still will be a lot that needs to be cleaned up before this schedule gets ugly. It is encouraging, however, that this team looked dominant without a lot of key pivotal guys.
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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC football key question after one game: Was it rust or inadequacy?
