USC Football: How Trojans Plan to Deal with Physicality of Big Ten

Lincoln Riley seems optimistic about the Trojans' chances.

Dec 27, 2023; San Diego, CA, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Miller Moss (7) throws a pass during the second half against the Louisville Cardinals at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports / Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

During his Big Ten Media Day presser, USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley appeared optimistic that the Cardinal and Gold could handle the physicality of the program's new conference.

When asked how the Trojans intend to handle formidable Big Ten defenses this season after luxuriating in the more offense-heavy Pac-12 for eons, Riley offered up a concise initial response.

Lincoln Riley speaks on the common perception that West Coast football teams can’t match the physicality of other elite programs: pic.twitter.com/JUvxFYX2bc

— LA Sports Report (@LA_SportsReport) July 24, 2024

"The answer is a little bit of everything, right?" Riley said. "Coaching a little bit better, scheming a little bit better, developing a little bit better, recruiting a little bit better. And some of it for us is just letting take hold what we've been doing the last few years, like you saw in the [Holiday Bowl] game [last year against Louisville]. When you continue to recruit, you continue to bring in high level people, you get facilities right, you got a list of things that... you have to do well to be at this level and there's just like a list that you just try to keep checking boxes and you keep checking those and those things keep taking hold."

"Eventually you'll be right there where you want to be the Big Ten guys who are incumbents have said, 'West Coast teams, they enjoy the sun too much,;" Riley ruminated. " 'They can't play in the pools, they don't run the ball or defend the run like you defend the run.'"

When asked why he believes Big Ten squads have that point of view regarding his teams, Riley was surprisingly honest.

"I don't know," Riley began. "I really don't care. "We'll find out the fall."

Despite fielding a roster that included gifted offensive talents like eventual No. 1 draft pick Caleb Williams, running back MarShawn Lloyd (selected with the No. 88 pick by the Green Bay Packers this year), offensive lineman Jarrett Kingston, wide receivers Brenden Rice and Tahj Washington, the club struggled especially to contain anyone at the other end. Riley was compelled to fire his longtime defensive coordinator, Alex Grinch, midway through the season. USC recovered, somewhat, to finish 8-5 (5-4 in the Pac-12 Conference) — a still-middling result for the follow-up to an 11-3 run and a Cotton Bowl berth during Riley's first season with the program in 2022, when Williams claimed the Heisman.

Williams' backup, Miller Moss, is expected to lead the club during its first season in the Big Ten. Hopefully, USC is looking at another 10-plus win run.

More USC: Star Transfer Previews Playing Style for Trojans