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Question of the Day
A lot of the immediate reaction to USC's new assistant coaching hires has concerned their impact on recruiting -- which is significant and proving out with each passing week. But let's turn the focus forward into the future and consider which new assistant coach we expect to make the biggest impact on their respective position group? For the purposes of this question, in considering Todd Orlando, we're talking only about the impact he'll make on the linebackers -- not his role as defensive coordinator.
The polls are in ...
In our final poll question of last week, we asked which USC basketball player beyond the obvious top three -- Ethan Anderson and the Mobley brothers -- is most important for the Trojans next season. Out of 20 votes, the winner was Santa Clara grad transfer G Tahj Eaddy with 7 votes. Sophomore F Max Agbonkpolo received 4 votes, while veteran SG Noah Baumann and grad transfer guard Isaiah White each received 2 votes, and incoming freshman C Boubacar Coulibaly and grad transfer F Chevez Goodwin each received 1 vote.
That speaks to the general unknown about this Trojans basketball team. I voted for Eaddy as well, because it's clear that USC's most pressing concern is point guard depth behind Anderson, with Kyle Sturdivant having transferred to Georgia Tech and Elijah Weaver now in the transfer portal as well. Eaddy isn't exactly a voluminous distributor of the basketball, averaging 2.1 assists (and 1.7 turnovers last season for Santa Clara), but he's the only one of the new additions to even crack 2 assists per game and would seem by default to be the secondary ball-handler behind Anderson unless another addition is still to come.
I can see the cases for some of the other guys, though. Agbonkpolo was the No. 58 national recruit coming in last year and has plenty of upside potential left in his game. He was in the precarious situation that many young players find themselves -- receiving limited minutes (7.3 per game) and perhaps not totally trusting himself/not wanting to make any mistakes during those scarce opportunities. He didn't look fully confident and assertive, and if that changes entering his second year in the program perhaps he emerges as a major contributor.
The guy I'm especially intrigued by, though, is Baumann, who transferred in last year from San Jose State and sat out last season. He started 27 games for SJSU in 2018-19, making a school-record 81 3s while connecting at a 45.5-percent clip. USC badly needs outside shooting with Jonah Mathews and Daniel Utomi no longer around, and there aren't many obvious sources for 3s with exception to Baumann and Eaddy (46 3s at 33.3 percent last year). (White, a 6-foot-7 guard, made just 17 3s at a 22.4-percent rate last season).
There are still scholarship spots to use on transfers or more incoming freshmen, but regardless, coach Andy Enfield has quite a puzzle to assemble.
Weekend links
-USC lands major commitment from 4-star WR Quaydarius Davis
-Commitment Analysis: What USC is getting in 4-star WR commit Quay Davis
Top tweets
USC RB commit Brandon Campbell teasing more good things on the way ...
This really is an impressive stat for QB Kedon Slovis ...
Amon-Ra St. Brown with a very to-the-point message ...
USC safeties coach Craig Naivar with a nice setup ...
Top Trojan Talk thread
We discuss USC's continuing recruiting momentum and the latest buzz here.
