New "Inside the Trojans Huddle" (July 19): Oddsmakers speak, trap games, uniform tweaks, Big Ten physicality challenge, recruiting, "Musings with Arledge", and more...

On this week’s “Inside the Trojans’ Huddle”, panelists Marc Kulkin, Kevin Bruce, and Greg Katz – along with Chris Arledge’s “Musings with Arledge” – discuss the latest USC overall record and schedule odds, according to Las Vegas; potential trap games; possible uniform tweaks; the need for physicality heading into the Big Ten, Riley’s Air Raid offense and O-line recruiting; and viewer questions and panel answers.   

In the first quarter of ITTH, the panel gives their opinions regarding the recently released Las Vegas odds for the Trojans overall 2022 regular season as it pertains to both a wins total, as well as dissecting specific odds that have been released for games with Stanford, Colorado, Utah, UCLA, and Notre Dame. Can you guess which game(s) surprised the panel with odds not only favoring the Trojans but by the amount of the point spread?  

In the second quarter, the panel looks at potential 2022 regular season trap games, which include non-conference and conference games. There seemed to be some consensus on trap games until one panelist brought up one non-conference opponent that could present a major challenge under its new coach.   

For the halftime segment, the panel addresses potential changes in the USC uniform jersey tops. Based off a USC Football tweet from the athletic department, two different uniforms jerseys are pictured and compared. One photo is of the current jersey top and the other is the jersey top used by John McKay’s teams beginning in 1972. The panel gives their thoughts on the potential jersey tweaks. There was a lot of discussion on this topic and other related uniform issues, and there seemed to be some discussion on the school colors and potential uniforms that are not USC colors. 

In the third quarter, the panel is asked about the 2024 schedule that includes non-conference games with LSU and Notre Dame and the new Big Ten schedule. Are there concerns that the Trojans won’t be physical enough to handle the challenge and are there indications that the needs of the 2023 recruiting class is lacking in linemen physicality? There was definitely some concern over the timeline the Trojans will need to be ready for 2024. Will the Trojans need the transfer portal to give the cardinal and gold the depth they will need after the weekly physical play in the Big Ten? Kevin Bruce speaks from experience.

For the lighting of the traditional “Chris Arledge Coliseum Torch” between the third and fourth quarter, Chris’s “Musings with Arledge” does what Arledge does, but this time he does it from “across the pond.” Musings takes a look at the Big Ten and some of its teams.

In the fourth quarter, the panel is asked whether Lincoln Riley’s version of the Air Raid offense brings on negative recruiting and is hurting current offensive line recruiting efforts. There is much discussion on why unjustly Lincoln Riley’s offense is being compared to the USC Air Raid offenses of Clay Helton and Graham Harrell. However, as the panel points out, much of it is negative recruiting and in his first season as the USC head coach, Lincoln Riley will have more than his share of opportunities to show his offense is not the Graham Harrell offense.

And in Overtime, the panel answers viewer questions regarding helping with NIL “Collective” donations, D-1 football cutting ties with the NCAA, whether there will be more transfers entering before the start of training camp, and the fate and options for Notre Dame.