Lincoln Riley Starts 5 True Freshmen for USC Season Opener

The Trojans will start five true freshmen in Week 1, marking a significant gamble for Lincoln Riley. This includes five-star edge rusher Luke Wafle, tight end Mark Bowman, cornerback Elbert Hill, and wide receivers Trent Mosley and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt. USC becomes the first Power Four program to start five true freshmen since Colorado in 2021.

Bowman reclassified to enroll early and is expected to be the most impactful, while Wafle brings elite defensive stats to new coordinator Gary Patterson. Riley has a history of developing young talent like CeeDee Lamb, and the integration of these players into the offense with quarterback Jayden Maiava sets a high bar for the Trojans' season. sport-ipl.my