USC freshmen get surprising run in Week 0 against San Jose State

LOS ANGELES — By all conventional wisdom, one would have believed, Saturday’s Week 0 opener against San Jose State would’ve provided a cushy second-half battleground for the new kids to get some run. Trot out Caleb Williams and the veteran cast of receivers, let them bomb away and light up the scoreboard, and see what a talented group of freshmen could do in garbage-time, right?

Not so fast. Three true freshmen — linebacker Tackett Curtis, offensive lineman Alani Noa and receiver Zachariah Branch — started for USC on Saturday, all of whom had made a dynamic impression in camp but had to leapfrog significant depth to earn a surprising spot.

Curtis, who’s earned nicknames from “Captain America” to the Williams-dubbed “destroyer,” has been rising as the cream in the Trojans’ linebacker crop ever since he elected to enroll early and began turning heads in the spring. His start Saturday alongside human-homing-missile Mason Cobb came as no surprise with the praise he’s earned in camp, but outside of a nice tackle on a screen pass, he was quiet and seemed to lag slightly in pass coverage against San Jose State’s quick-hit attack.

Noa, however, was more of a game-week surprise, forcing his way into a seat in a wide-ranging game of offensive-line musical chairs. He was listed as an “OR” starter along with Wyoming transfer Emmanuel Pregnon on USC’s first depth chart, and based on head coach Lincoln Riley’s comments Thursday, it wasn’t hard to see why he beat out Pregnon to start at left guard against San Jose State:

“He’s a smart kid, he gets the game … just impressed with his consistency, his physicality, effort and kind of mentality he plays with,” Riley said.

Later in the first half, running back Quinten Joyner earned a couple carries, and defensive lineman Elijah Hughes — who safety Jaylin Smith labeled as “quick on his feet,” “elusive” and a “sleeper” in fall camp — had a few nice plays on the interior. But no freshman made a better first impression than Branch, regarded widely as the best receiver in the nation in the class of 2023 out of Bishop Gorman, who started in the slot amid a crowded Trojans receiver room and caught a couple first-half passes. He also flashed game-breaking quickness on a second-quarter punt return, teleporting around a couple defenders in a tantalizing display of potential.

USC honors Charles White, CR Roberts

After an outpouring of USC support for late Heisman Trophy winner Charles White at White’s funeral in February, the Trojans announced pregame Saturday they’d be wearing a no. 12 sticker on the back of their helmets to honor White, one of the great players in USC football history and still the school’s all-time-leading rusher.

A moment of silence was also held at the Coliseum Saturday for White and former USC fullback C.R. Roberts, who died in July.

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USC freshmen get surprising run in Week 0 against San Jose State – Daily News

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