USC has placed a premium this off-season on adding + developing length in the secondary.

On Saturday, in USC’s spring game, that new-and-improved group showed out, with four picks in two quarters.

“That’s the standard:”

ocregister.com/2024/04/20/usc…

Miller Moss with some high praise for USC’s RB room. Gave Woody Marks props for his ability in pass protection/as a pass-catcher, + said Bryan Jackson has been “one of the most impressive freshmen.”

USC's Zachariah Branch said postgame he'd hit 23 mph on a Catapult with the track team this spring, a top-speed he'd never reached before

Don’t have final attendance # but looked like most of lower section on press-box side of field was full by mid-game, seemed like other sections were just closed off

Asked Miller Moss about Lincoln Riley’s comments that he’d be USC’s starter if USC played today. Very humble response.

Part of reply: “I don’t think my mentality, or approach, has been based on … Coach Riley saying I’m the starting QB or not. My job is to lead this team.”

Lincoln Riley on USC’s RB room (didn’t catch in this clip, but praised Woody Marks a few seconds before this).

“We feel like we can play with all four guys” — Marks, Quinten Joyner, A’Marion Peterson, Bryan Jackson.

Lincoln Riley on USC's secondary today: 'You got two of the best guys in the business that are coaching those guys, and when you have that, you see the results of it.'

Asked Lincoln Riley postgame what he felt USC’s spring game showcased about the program’s trajectory defensively.

Part of his response: “Good defenses make things tough on offenses. Good defenses prey on offensive mistakes, and they did that.”

Whole lotta USC spring-game content -- story, interviews, quotes -- coming soon, stay tuned :)

Lincoln Riley with a positive-vibe check on USC’s program this spring: “This team feels a little different than any of the teams that we’ve had, right now, at this point.”

#FightOn ✌️

Lincoln Riley said, on a postgame question from Ryan Kartje, that if USC had to name a starting QB today, it’d be Miller Moss. Said Jayden Maiava was “improving rapidly” but Moss is “certainly ahead right now.”

Lincoln Riley on USC’s front: “We’re starting to look more like, it feels like the O-line at USC ought to look like.”

A’Marion Peterson scores a final TD for USC. Final score — defense 43, offense 28. Great performance by USC’s secondary, containment on the D-line today — more thoughts coming later

Really nice grab here by Tufts transfer WR Jaden Richardson from Jayden Maiava

Second TD of the day for USC freshman RB Bryan Jackson, one through the air + one on the ground — he’s gotten a ton of looks today

Can't take away/overreact to a ton off a spring game. That being said: this USC defense's simple execution, length in the secondary + ability to limit big plays defensively looks completely different from what we saw for much of last year.

Really nice open-field tackle by Anthony Beavers Jr. on a dump-off to A'Marion Peterson -- USC defense's ability to wrap up on tackles has stood out today, not a lot of misses

Jayden Maiava with a really nice ball on a crossing route to Duce Robinson -- Maiava is 9/11 for 122 yards, a TD, a pick, has been USC's best QB today

Great to have Amon-Ra back at the Coliseum ✌️