Big Ten Daily (Aug. 29): Lincoln Riley 'Excited' for USC's Week 1 Challenge vs. LSU
Lincoln Riley isn't afraid of playing great competition in the opening week of the college football season. On Sunday, No. 23 USC will play No. 13 LSU at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas — a matchup with plenty of implications.
Some coaches might prefer playing an opponent from the FCS or Group of Five ranks in Week 1, just to work off some of the rust. But Riley says he loves the challenges of playing a talented team in the first weekend of the year.
"These games are fun. I've been in a couple of these early in the season," Riley said. "They're great because you look forward to it all offseason. It's a great way to start the season. I think it's a positive.
"First games, there's always a sense of new excitement. You're kind of waiting to see what you really are and what the opponent really is. But I like it. I like playing a marquee game early, I like playing a really good opponent early. I think there's a ton of positives."
USC's 2023 campaign was a bit of a disappointment, finishing the year 8-5. The Trojans are going through some changes, ushering in Miller Moss as the next starting quarterback and hiring D'Anton Lynn away from UCLA to be the defensive coordinator.
There are a lot of questions hovering around Riley's team entering the season. The positive about playing a really good opponent in Week 1? We're going to find out quite a bit about where USC stands from a talent perspective.
Locksley not naming quarterback publicly
Maryland has a starting quarterback ... coach Mike Locksley just isn't going to tell anyone who it is until Saturday's game against UConn.
This week, Locksley confirmed that the Terrapins have made a decision regarding the quarterback situation. In fall camp, junior Billy Edwards Jr. and sophomores MJ Morris and Cam Edge battled for the No. 1 spot on the depth chart.
"It gives us no competitive advantage to name [the starting quarterback] publicly," said Locksley. "[The players] know who it is. There is no doubt in my mind that I can win with all three."
Whoever takes the snaps on Saturday will have some giant shoes to fill. Maryland is moving on from Taulia Tagovailoa, who was the starter in Locksley's offense for four years. He helped redefine success in College Park.
Locksley in confident in the abilities of all three guys who competed throughout fall camp.
"They all competed. We got better collectively and I’m excited with the starter, our team is going to get behind the starter, rally behind that guy," he said.
Franklin sees receiver improvement
Penn State may have lost its top wide receiver from a season ago, but coach James Franklin is liking what he's seen from that position group in fall camp. He said it's an area that has made significant improvement since spring practice.
During his weekly presser, Franklin was asked which position group has made the greatest strides in the offseason. The longtime coach mentioned a few, but receiver was the position that stood out most.
"I'd probably say wide receiver," Franklin said. He also acknowledged that the team has made improvements at quarterback and along the offensive line.
The Nittany Lions added former Ohio State receiver Julian Fleming to the roster in the offseason. There's also some big expectations for Trey Wallace and Liam Clifford entering the 2024 campaign.
Penn State's receiving corps was an area of concern last season and needed improvement. Franklin believes the team has made big strides in that area, especially with the addition of Fleming.
“He's very intentional about what he has to do to be successful,” Franklin said. “I think he’s been really good for our receiver room.”
How much has the group grown over the last year? We'll find out on Saturday when Penn State travels to Morgantown to play West Virginia.
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DUSTIN SCHUTTE