University Southern California Trojans
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Lincoln Riley on USC Football in 2023: More Talent, More Size, More Strength, More Competition
March 25, 2023 | Football
Two weeks are now in the books for USC's 2023 Spring Camp. Head coach Lincoln Riley shared the latest news on Saturday (Mar. 25) following the team's sixth practice.
News and notes from Practice No. 6:
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Redshirt sophomore Ceyair Wright has made "substantial" improvement through the first portion of camp, head coach Lincoln Riley shared Saturday:
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"He's been one of the, to me, breakout players. It sounds weird to say a breakout player for a guy that I think started nine games for us last year. You don't typically say those things together," Riley said of Wright. "But his improvement and some of the playmaking that he's had has been substantial. The difference has been as substantial as anybody on our roster through six practices."
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"He had another interception today," Riley continued. "He's had multiple here early on on some great plays, playing more confidently. He's got stronger. It's what you hope would happen for a guy that got some phenomenal experience and game reps last year, but really been pleased with him."
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When asked what specifically has contributed to Wright's growth this offseason, Riley shared that the key is confidence:
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"It's amazing, you can take the same player, the same call, the same scheme, the same techniques, everything. And if he does all those things with confidence, the product can be two completely different things," Riley said. "And that's what we're starting to see out of him and several other guys on the defensive side of the ball. And then in turn you start putting that together and then the whole product has a chance to play really well."
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Competition at the cornerback position is heating up, according to Riley. The head coach shared how Domani Jackson and Jacobe Covington are practicing well at the start of camp. Overall, Riley noted a trend he sees with USC's defense:
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"There's more talent, there's more size, there's more strength, there's more competition on the field at every position right now and corner is no different," Riley said.
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Arizona transfer Christian Roland-Wallace twisted his ankle during USC's first practice of spring, but the injury is not significant, Riley shared on Saturday. The head coach praised the defensive back for his work ethic so far this spring.
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"He was really impressive in all of the offseason drills that we did," Riley said. "The conditioning drills, the strength testing and some of the competitive stuff, some of the on-the-field work. You notice him. I noticed him even quite a bit from the opposite sideline during the game last year. So excited to see him."
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Junior Korey Foreman is starting to gain some momentum with his work both on the field and off, Riley shared Saturday. The head coach noted how the defensive lineman has started to "stack good days on top of each other" which is fueling his growth.
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"He has improved and is such a better player right now than he was 12 months ago. It's not even close. It is not even close," Riley said emphatically. "And the kid is really, he's working hard. He's really taking some steps. He's been a more consistent playmaker six practices in."
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"If he closes spring strong, stays healthy, stays on the field, keeps getting reps, has a great summer; he ought to be primed to be a disruptive player for us this fall. No question about it," Riley said.
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Redshirt freshman safety Zion Branch dressed out for games last year to bond with his teammates, despite undergoing rehab for a season-ending injury at the time. Riley shared his reaction Saturday of when he first saw Branch in uniform last season:
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"[It was] like getting a Christmas present and knowing that you can't use it for a whole year," Riley said with a smile. "He fills out the uniform pretty well and he is such a great kid."
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Riley also shared the buzz that Branch had generated in player-run practices last summer, prior to his injury:
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"You always can tell some of the young guys that are going to have a chance to contribute early because the older guys start talking about them right when they get there," Riley explained. "There's a little bit of a buzz. And he had generated that among some of our older players."
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"So we were excited obviously last year for the impact he would've made for us. And he's handled the injury really well," Riley continued. "He's stayed really positive. He stayed really engaged, which is tough to do, especially for a young guy. He's been able to do everything this spring but the full contact."
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The head coach also shared some insight into his recruiting philosophy Saturday when asked whether he would recruit high-profile athletes in consecutive recruiting classes. Riley explained that the competitive nature on the recruiting trail can actually reveal a prospect's moxie prior to even stepping onto campus:
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"Have we occasionally run into guys that don't want to come because a high profile guy came in the year before? Absolutely we have," Riley said. "But I love knowing that on the front end, because that tells me the guy's scared to compete and if he's scared to compete, this ain't the room for him. And so that's been a great revealing factor for me."
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"So I think it's less about us strategizing to take one every year and it's more about we want to get a guy that's going to be a good enough player; and our standards are obviously pretty darn high in that room," Riley continued. "And he's also got to have the makeup knowing that he can come in and believe in himself and wants to come compete and do it at, in my opinion, one of the best places to play quarterback in the country. And so when it works out, it works out."
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Head coach Lincoln Riley's media availability:
