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USC Football: 3 storylines to follow for the Trojans this spring

By Chris Peterson

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 01: Head football coach Lincoln Riley of the USC attends the game between the USC Trojans and the Arizona Wildcats at Galen Center on March 1, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 01: Head football coach Lincoln Riley of the USC attends the game between the USC Trojans and the Arizona Wildcats at Galen Center on March 1, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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USC football has undergone a dramatic shift since the end of the 2022 season and here are three storylines to follow this spring for the Trojans. 

During the Clay Helton era, there USC football was marred by inconsistency and disappointment. There were some great moments, sure, but not enough for Helton to keep his job.

Now, USC football seems all-in on finally getting back. The hiring of Lincoln Riley made that abundantly clear. Riley said he was going to turn USC back into a powerhouse and the Trojans have the potential to build another dynasty.

But what is USC football going to look like in 2022? Can Lincoln Riley live up to the hype? What about five-star QB transfer Caleb Williams? And also what about the defense?

And with all that in mind, here are three storylines for USC football this spring.

Can Lincoln Riley cause a quick turnaround?

Every USC football fan seems excited about the hire of Lincoln Riley. But are the Trojans going to turn things around quickly?

USC had one of the top recruiting hauls in the transfer portal this offseason and that includes Williams, a five-star quarterback many believe could be a future No. 1 pick.

Having an elite quarterback helps a lot and with the additions of Mario Williams, Travis Dye, Brenden Rice, and others, the offense should be much better next season.

But winning the Pac-12 conference is going to require more than a flashy offense. We’ve seen Riley deliver that for Oklahoma and will add the pieces brought in, which includes five-star freshman running back Raleek Brown, that shouldn’t be an issue.

The bigger issue when it comes to a turnaround is the defense. Riley and Williams alone should lead to a three or four-win improvement, which leads to our next storyline.

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