The Trojans can’t stop talking about each other.
Sure, USC football is buzzing after its historic 73-13 win over Missouri State. The margin of victory was so great that a multitude of different Trojans got to check in and make big plays. In a way, everybody shone.
But nobody’s harping on their own success. For head coach Lincoln Riley’s group, it’s all about sharing the spotlight.
“Carson [Tabaracci] played really well,” redshirt senior tight end Lake McRee said after practice Tuesday. “He’s been through a lot medically, off the field and stuff like that… So [I] can’t say enough good stuff about Carson. Great guy, great teammate, great football player.”
McRee in particular can attest to the challenges of recovering from injury. He was sidelined with a lower body injury as a redshirt sophomore in 2023 but started nine key games for USC last year.
Along with Tabaracci, several other Trojans who might normally get less playing time made big impacts on Saturday. One of those was redshirt freshman running back King Miller, who burst out of the backfield for a 75-yard touchdown dash against Missouri State.
“[Miller] does it in practice every single day,” redshirt junior quarterback Jayden Maiava said. ”He stands out in practice. So you know, just seeing him out there on Saturdays against another team is super, super exciting.”
Praise also flowed from redshirt senior running back Eli Sanders, who received a crucial block from junior receiver Ja’Kobi Lane en route to his own 73-yard touchdown burst off a pass from Maiava.
“Man, without that [block], I don’t think I score,” Sanders said. “Thanks to Ja’Kobi… let’s do it again.”
Lane wasn’t the only one to get a shout-out from Sanders. The New Mexico transfer made sure to accredit his teammates for getting him the space to make a play.
“Credit to the O-line,” Sanders said. “The O-line is one of the best O-lines I’ve run behind.”
Positivity and praise were in the air for the Trojans, who will take on Georgia Southern on Saturday. One player, though, was decidedly cautious about letting the win lull him into complacency.
Junior running back Waymond Jordan garnered praise from Riley during fall camp for his tenacity. Viewers saw that tenacity unfold on the field in USC’s season opener, but Jordan keeps that mentality with him even outside of games.
“We made a few plays, but I think we still left a lot of yards on the field as a group,” Jordan said. “After the game, we just got to lock back in and try to find what we can do better.”
Jordan partially attributes his attitude to the persistence of Anthony Jones, Jr., USC’s running backs coach. According to Jordan, Jones warns the group about falling victim to the ‘perfume’ of winning one game.
“I mean, it’s like poison,” Jordan said. “You can sniff it, but don’t drink it.”
Going through the week with a healthy balance of excitement and steadiness may be exactly what the Trojans need as they prepare for a matchup against an Eagles team stewarded by former USC head coach Clay Helton. The head-to-head coaching battle kicks off Saturday at 4:30 p.m.