On Saturday, USC football kicked off its season in style against Missouri State. The Trojans struck early and never looked back, cruising to a 73-13 victory.
Given that Missouri State is not a particularly formidable opponent, it was imperative that USC blow them out. The Trojans did just that, improving to 1-0 for the fourth time in four years under coach Lincoln Riley.
Following the game, Riley spoke to the media. Here is some of what he had to say:
On quarterbacks Jayden Maiava and Husan Longstreet
“I thought they were both really good,” Riley said. I thought Jayden laid the blueprint with how well he played in the first half. And Husan was pretty steady … a good start for him.”
On USC’s running backs
“I like the start and the mix of talent,” Riley said. “I think it’s maybe the most talented, well-rounded group that we’ve had. We’re going to need them all, no question, and we need them all to contribute to this team like they did tonight.”
On the explosive plays from the offense
“Anytime you have those explosive plays, that means people at all levels of the offense are executing and that’s what you saw,” Riley said.
On lots of different players contributing
“I think it shows the versatility of this team,” Riley said. “We scored on defense. We were able to get a lot of different guys involved, and so that was exciting to see.”
On moving forward after the dominant victory
“It’s a good start, Riley said. “It’s nothing more than that. It’s nothing less than that. It’s a really good start.
“It’s a great, great way to start the season. There’ll be a lot of excitement to get back to work.”
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: What Lincoln Riley had to say following USC football’s 73-13 victory over Missouri State
Reporting by Adam Bradford, Trojans Wire / Trojans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
