Caleb Williams scrambles with the ball during a game between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State in November. The highly touted transfer will be the center of attention during USC’s spring practices. (Sue Ogrocki / Associated Press)
Four months ago, as trumpets blared and Song Girls swayed and USC basked in the afterglow of its new coach’s stunning arrival, Lincoln Riley was asked amid the pomp and circumstance of his celebratory news conference how long it might actually take to set USC on a return path to prominence.
The coach answered confidently: “I think it can happen quickly. I do,” he said.
Riley has done everything in his power since to live up to that proclamation. He brought the most coveted transfer in college football to USC. He turned over pretty much all of USC’s staff, overhauled nearly half of its roster and completely upended its future on the recruiting trail.
The first glimpse of those changes comes Tuesday, when the Trojans will hold their first official practice of the Riley era.
Here are 10 players we’ll be watching closely during a crucial spring session for USC:
Caleb Williams, quarterback
Caleb Williams passes the ball during a game between Oklahoma and Kansas in October. (Charlie Riedel / Associated Press)
There’s no question who will command the spring’s brightest spotlight. All eyes will be on USC’s new signal caller — and for good reason. Caleb Williams has the dual threat talent to completely transform the Trojans offense, and early reports out of USC are that he has already effortlessly stepped into a leadership role.
Outside of a brief observation window at the start, practices this spring will be closed to the media. So we won’t get to watch much of Williams at the helm of USC’s offense until the spring game, which will be broadcast on ESPN.
But what we’ve already seen from…
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