Lincoln Riley shares first impressions of Nevada

USC fans, look no further. Head coach Lincoln Riley just delivered a comprehensive scouting report on the Trojans’ Week 2 opponent, Nevada.

“It’s a little unique that [we’re] playing the second team in a row here that it’s their first game and also obviously your evaluation is going to be a lot based on kind of what you have at your disposal,” Riley said. “They’ve obviously got some new pieces on that roster, similar to the roster last week, and everybody [does].

“That’s just part of the deal. It’ll certainly be interesting to see how they utilize the pieces. The quarterback is a good player, athletic player. We’ve been able to study him well and know about him coming out of high school but [he’s a] good player.”

A challenge for USC’s secondary

That player’s name is Brendon Lewis. The redshirt sophomore transferred to Nevada this offseason. Lewis started in just one game last season for Colorado after falling 38-13 to TCU in the season opener. Nonetheless, the contest isn’t Lewis’ only experience.

Lewis started all 12 games for the Buffaloes in 2021, boasting 149-of-257 passing for 1,540 yards and 10 touchdowns with just three interceptions. USC’s secondary must be alert against the talented threat. The unit certainly wasn’t perfect in USC’s win last week.

The Trojans gave up 198 passing yards and three touchdowns to San Jose State QB Chevan Cordeiro. They can’t afford to make the same mistake. Nevada’s quarterback isn’t the only weapon in the Wolf Pack.

Lincoln Riley knows Nevada’s staff

“Defensively, [Nevada] returned some guys and brought in some guys I think that have a chance to be some impact transfers with them,” Riley said. “First games are so different, man, and again, in this world with the portal and all these rosters changing, it’s like kind of first game all over again from an opponent study standpoint.

“We know a lot of guys on that staff man, they do a really, really nice job. A lot of crossover. A lot of us have coached with them or known some of these guys for a while, so [we have] a lot of respect for them, and it should be a fun game.”

Ken Wilson enters his second season at the helm of Nevada football. His first campaign behind the steering wheel was anything but a success. In 2022, Nevada went 2-10, losing all eight conference contests. Nonetheless, Riley isn’t overlooking the Wolf Pack.

USC and Nevada will face off on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. PT. The game will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Network.