USC put its fans on a roller coaster of emotions last season as their overpowering offense was negated by their anemic defense, but if the Spring Game was any indication things look like they are changing quickly for the Trojans. While most eyes were on quarterback Miller Moss to see how he would follow up his record-setting performance at last year’s Holiday Bowl, it was the Trojan defense that was receiving most of the buzz by day’s end. The USC Defensive Vibe Was Bad in 2023 Trojan fans became accustomed to an “oh no” energy every time the defense took…
Author: John Goldman
John Goldman
John Goldman is published author and professional writer who has covered various current events and sports topics. His work on the athletic scene includes over 15 years of covering college athletics. His work has led to numerous awards and he was recognized as one Authority Magazine's top writers in 2022.
This week the Sporting News came out with their Big 10 quarterback rankings and while some were spot on, other choices were raising eyebrows. The Big 10 will be adding four new schools, growing to 18, and these changes combined with extensive movement in the transfer portal have many wondering who is truly the quarterback to watch for the 2024-25 campaign. The Sporting News Has No Surprises At the Top It hardly came as a surprise that Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel grabbed the top spot in the Big 10 quarterback rankings. The field general who transferred in from Oklahoma threw for…
Ohio State may be losing many players to the transfer portal, but the Buckeyes are experiencing a net gain in talent with a highly-rated transfer class. Early on, with many uncertainties surrounding efforts to revamp their offense, the Buckeyes hemorrhaged players, having 22 departures in all. But with their offensive staff now solidified under new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, they have turned their fortunes around have garnered the number one spot in the Big 10 in the transfer portal ratings according to The Athletic. Ohio State Had Early Concerns At times, the Buckeyes had an anemic offense, and many knew…
Realignment has had a major impact on the recruiting cycle and the early returns find Ohio State and Big 10 newcomer USC at the top of the early 2025 conference recruiting rankings. Currently, the Buckeyes are ranked first in the nation ahead of the surprising Notre Dame class thanks to a pair of big commits over the Spring Game weekend. USC is not far behind at number four, just behind SEC power, LSU. In all, three teams from the conference cracked the top 10 with Penn State currently sitting at number seven. Ohio State Lands 5-Star Commits Of the top…
One of the annual rights of spring is listening to SEC fans going on their traditional rants of how tough their conference is and how it is their divine right to have multiple College Football Playoffs spots reserved for them at season’s end. But now, that claim no longer holds water. For the first time in years, the SEC cannot rightfully hold that title, having to relinquish that accolade to the Big 10. SEC Claims Now Have Holes The SEC’s claims to being the toughest conference were always predicated on two main factors, championships and depth as was pointed out…
Several polls pick the USC Trojans as having the toughest schedule in the Big 10, and after looking at it more closely, you may have to extend that to the most brutal set of games of any college team in the country. For years, there have been arguments over which conference provides the hardest schedule day in and day out, but this year, the Big 10 has a legitimate case and USC is at the top of that list. The SEC Is Brutal, But….. The SEC has boasted that they are the toughest conference that provided the toughest schedules, and…
Ohio State was just named “best on paper” by ESPN’s Greg McElroy but that is not necessarily a good omen. The college football analyst made the proclamation on his Always College Football podcast as was reported by the Sporting News, where he clarified his opinion on the Big 10 juggernaut. For years, the Buckeyes have had one of the premiere programs in the nation, and along with their consistent 11 win seasons, their teams have been highlighted by All-Americans and Heisman candidates, but that has failed to translate into a national title in the last decade. McElroy Clarifies His Opinion…
If the last few years have proven anything for USC it is having depth at quarterback is critical, and the Trojans ensured they would meet that need as they have added three-star quarterback Jack Stupin onto their roster. What makes this even more impressive and speaks to the momentum behind the program is that Stupin will be joining the USC roster as a walk-on. Stupin Has Some Impressive Credentials Hailing from Tustin High School in Orange County, California, the six-foot-two quarterback led his team to a 10-1 record. In total, he threw for over 1,700 yards and 22 touchdowns against…
Coming off a 10-4 season may lead many Iowa fans to have high expectations for 2024 but there are doubters that the Hawkeyes will be able to make an impact when they have the ball, and now its new offensive coordinator Tim Lester’s job to turn those skeptics into believers. For years, Iowa has held the reputation of being tough on defense and “hold your breath ” on offense, and last year did nothing to disprove that, as the Hawkeyes were ranked 132nd out of 133 teams in total offense. Yet, Lester may be the right individual to make Iowa…
There has been a lot of talk about some big-time high school recruits making their commitments, but Purdue has made quite a bit of noise in the Transfer Portal as well with some high-profile acquisitions. Ohio State, Michigan, and incoming Big Ten power USC have been getting the majority of the press, but the Boilermakers have put together an impressive transfer class that has flown under the radar and could make waves in the upcoming year. Purdue’s Transfers Indicate A Complete Overhaul When the Transfer Portal started many programs took aim at it for some quick fixes. Lincoln Riley of…
