Two years under Lincoln Riley and USC is facing a major reset once again
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Paolo Uggetti, ESPN
LOS ANGELES — Two years ago, Lincoln Riley walked into a room at Heritage Hall — the home of USC Athletics — a few weeks into his tenure as the new head coach to talk about a high school recruiting class that had been put together in a flash. After a shocking departure from Oklahoma to Southern California, Riley’s coaching staff was still in flux, the Trojans’ future quarterback was still a question mark, and the process of, as he put it, “building a championship team,” had just begun.
Riley walked into the same room last week and though he had spent more time building this year’s recruiting class, there was a certain feeling of déjà vu in the air. His coaching staff — at least defensively — is still not fully finalized and USC’s future quarterback situation is once again unresolved. Even as Riley once again reiterated that this is all part of USC’s journey to achieving the ultimate goal, he couldn’t help but feel a certain sense of being right back where everything began.
“There’s a part of me that has felt that way,” Riley said of the recruiting approach resembling his first year. “Because a lot of it is brand new, and in some ways, a lot of ways, [we are] starting over.”
Two years into Riley’s hiring, the program has experienced two seasons that have felt like polar opposites.
His debut campaign featured an 11-1 regular season and a Heisman Trophy for Caleb Williams. Despite a humbling loss to Utah in the Pac-12 title game that kept the Trojans out of the College Football playoff, they entered 2023 No. 6 in the country with national title aspirations. But a season that started 6-0 quickly fell apart with five losses in the team’s final six games, punctuated by an in-season defensive coordinator firing and a postseason exodus of former five-star recruits. It has left Riley to revamp a depleted staff and roster while trying to establish a consistent culture.
Add in the fact that the team has just gone through a six-week stretch without a game where it can neither bury its 2023 season, nor break ground on 2024, has created a unique situation for Riley & Co.
“It’s almost like you’re halfway at the end of this year and halfway into next year,” Riley said.
As USC prepares for the DIRECTV Holiday Bowl against Louisville (8 p.m. ET, Fox) to cap a year in which many expected it would be competing in the College Football Playoff, the program is at a pivotal point. The honeymoon period Riley experienced in his first season is over, and while the expected departure of Williams to the NFL sets up the Trojans for a reset, there is plenty to change and fix as USC tries to ensure a disappointing 2023 season becomes an aberration.
IF THERE ARE two moments that sum up USC’s 7-5 season, look no further than its final two games.
On a cold night in Eugene, Oregon, having battled back to within nine points of Oregon after being down 22 to start the fourth quarter, the USC defense needed to do what it was rarely able to all season: get a stop.
With just under four minutes left, Oregon ran twice for a first down before putting itself in a fourth-and-7 situation. Oregon coach Dan Lanning did not flinch and neither did his offense, securing the first down and running down the clock, never letting Williams or USC’s offense near the football again. Any far-fetched chances the Trojans had of sneaking into the Pac-12 title game vanished.
Just a week later, Williams delivered the final fitting image of the season.
Williams’ sophomore season had been replete with Heisman moments. He was a thrilling antidote for any growing pains USC had, and the Trojans were the toast of the sport after going 4-8 before Riley and Williams’ arrival. But when a defense that had forced 28 turnovers in the previous year regressed to the mean and struggled, Williams was unable to be Superman two seasons in a row, finishing with nearly 1,000 fewer passing yards and 12 fewer touchdowns.
So in USC’s final game of the season against UCLA, a 38-20 loss at home, all Williams could do was run off into the tunnel, head bowed, while his arms tried their best to salute the few scattered fans who remained in the Coliseum. Those who witnessed his meteoric ascent far outnumbered those present for his anticlimactic goodbye.
Despite dipping into the transfer portal to grab Oklahoma State linebacker Mason Cobb, Texas A&M defensive lineman Anthony Lucas and Georgia defensive lineman Bear Alexander, the influx didn’t result in a collective improvement for USC’s defense, which finished 117th in the nation at both defending the pass and the run, as well as 111th in SP+ defensive rankings.
And even though it began 6-0, the USC defense surrendered explosive plays left and right that allowed Colorado and Arizona to nearly pull off upsets. Once USC had to travel to South Bend to face Notre Dame, its defense couldn’t bend anymore without breaking. Over the next six games (five losses), the unit allowed an average of 42.8 points, including 52 against Washington. Not even Williams, who alongside an inconsistent offensive line that also regressed in nearly every category, could paper over the mistakes.
Following the loss to Washington, both the results and the pressure — internal and external — were too much for Riley to do anything but fire defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, a move that several boosters had wanted him to make after USC’s loss to Tulane in last year’s Cotton Bowl Classic.
That loss in January seemed to cast an early cloud over this year’s USC team, or at least, put an amount of pressure and expectations it could not live up to, especially defensively. But Riley had also welcomed and even invited those expectations when first arriving in Southern California, saying that the Coliseum would be the mecca of college football and that he didn’t come to USC to “compete for second.”
But as this season progressed and results worsened, his tone shifted.
“We don’t come in every single week talking about winning a national championship, going to the playoffs,” Riley said after USC’s loss to Utah this season. “I don’t know where that narrative starts. … If you let the outside set expectations, you’re always being measured up against that.”
One year and 11 wins in, it was easy to see how Riley’s high barometer for the program could be achieved, perhaps faster than expected. But as losses piled up, the talk of expectations shifted and Riley framed them more as “outside noise” that his team needed to shut out.
“I think it’s fair to say that the team last year probably did overachieve,” Riley said in Salt Lake City. “Everybody expects you to be good. Everybody expects that you can have a championship-caliber team. And when you’re constantly trying to live up to those expectations, you can kind of fall away from maybe what puts you there in that position in the first place.”
Whether it was outside pressure or inside shortcomings, the 2023 season pointed toward one common thread: minor changes were not going to cut it if USC wanted to fulfill both external expectations and its own moving forward. And just as Riley entered the scene in 2021 as the potential savior for the program, USC has tabbed another young coach with the task of saving its defense going forward.
D’ANTON LYNN WON’T even have to change addresses.
The South Bay resident and former UCLA defensive coordinator has already mapped his commute into USC, and it turns out it’s roughly the same as his trip to Westwood. All he’s doing is trading one kind of traffic for another.
The state of USC’s defense following the ousting of Grinch required not just a new voice in the room but an entirely new directive. It led Riley to the Trojans’ crosstown rivals, where a young coach with NFL background had just put together, as Riley put it, “the best front in college football.” Once USC made it official, Lynn wasted no time in putting boots on the ground even if, he admitted, it was strange to go to local schools to recruit the same guys while wearing different colors.
“It’s been a lot,” Lynn said of the past few weeks, speaking with ESPN last week. Less than 24 hours after he was officially hired, he was in Georgia and then Connecticut for recruiting visits.
The whirlwind won’t settle anytime soon. While he initially was surprised Riley and USC would have interest in poaching a rival coach, he was immediately intrigued by the opportunity, not just for his own career, but for getting to be part of overcoming the issue at hand.
“The excitement and the challenge to get a chance to turn that defense around,” Lynn said. “And the potential at a school like that to do it, it was the right move for my career.”
While Lynn said in his opening news conference that the defense is “not that far away from success,” it felt pretty far all season long. But Lynn is being hailed (and paid) as the figure made for the job.
Lynn’s hiring has created a domino effect. USC nabbed North Dakota State head coach Matt Entz to be its new inside linebackers coach and head assistant coach while also hiring Houston defensive coordinator Doug Belk to be its new secondary coach.
In the middle of player visits, transfer portal evaluations, finishing his staff and onboarding, Lynn is having to be in multiple modes at once: recruiter, coach and evaluator. After finally watching tape of USC’s games this past week, Lynn said he is looking for things that worked, things that didn’t and, perhaps most importantly, what kind of personnel he’s working with and what kind of personnel he will need to run his defense.
“I like guys that can play multiple spots, do multiple things.” Lynn said. “It helps us be able to get to a bunch of different looks with the same personnel on the field.”
According to Lynn, size will be a crucial requirement, too. As Riley emphasized in his signing day news conference, his nonnegotiable when looking at potential defensive coordinators was someone who “wanted to play bigger on the defensive front,” and this latest recruiting class included plenty of, as Riley called them, “large, large bodies.”
“We’re putting a bigger emphasis on size up front,” Lynn said. “The Big Ten is just a bigger conference in general, and at the end of the day you need to be able to control the line of scrimmage.”
It’s evident that both Lynn and Riley want to fully revamp the USC defense, but both know it will ultimately come down to not just recruiting the right players, but developing them, too. Lynn has only one year of college experience but, between his success at UCLA and the fact that his move has precipitated two UCLA defenders to transfer to USC (safety Kamari Ramsey and cornerback John Humphrey), his reputation is starting to follow him.
“It’s going to be fun to see how he puts his own twist on things,” USC defensive end Jamil Muhammad said after watching tape of UCLA’s defense from this season. “He really showcased their talents with how he used them.”
At the same time, USC has had its share of departures from talented players, too, including five-stars like quarterback Malachi Nelson, defensive end Korey Foreman, cornerback Domani Jackson and, earlier this month, wide receiver and running back Raleek Brown. While Riley admitted to being surprised by Nelson’s choice, Lynn isn’t flinching at any of the departures. As a former coach in the NFL, he is intimately familiar with the ever-changing nature of the sport.
“In the NFL, there are times where I’ve met a guy on Wednesday, he started for me on Sunday and then I say bye to him on Monday,” Lynn said.
Regarding the departures USC has had, Lynn said it has all been “addition by subtraction.”
If there is a clear indictment of USC since the glory days of the Pete Carroll era, it is that its defenses and player development have not resulted in turning five- and four-star prospects into not only great college players, but players who can be part of a system that produces winning teams year after year. Two years into Riley’s tenure, it’s too early to claim the same problem, but shades of those issues have surfaced.
Under Lynn, USC’s defense has begun the overhaul it needed, but the balance between trying to improve right away and build something stable for the long-term future remains as it might take plenty of growing pains and multiple recruiting classes for the results to fully present themselves. Lynn, for his part, is fully committed to the ride.
“I want to play great defense at SC. I want to call plays, I want to coordinate a deep defense,” Lynn said. “I want to build this thing from the ground up.”
JUSTIN DEDICH HAS seen a bit of everything in five years at USC. The offensive lineman, who played center last season, began his time with the team in 2018 is still here, having changed coaches, quarterbacks and positions. He’s taking extra snaps after a bowl practice.
“It’s a weird position to be in because normally, I’m like, I’m going to be here next year,” Dedich said. “I’m on my way out.”
As USC prepares to face Louisville without Williams and a host of other players, the game feels like it carries meaning, not exactly for this season, but for the next.
“I’m doing this to make sure that the tone is set for the beginning of next year,” Dedich said of his commitment to practicing and playing in the bowl game. “It is important, whether it’s recruiting or just, I don’t know, it sets the tone for the year, in my opinion.”
In many ways, Dedich represents both the exemplary recruit USC is after — someone who wants to be developed at one program — but he’s also a dying breed in the face of the transfer portal. Riley has acknowledged as much, even alluding to his recruiting strategy somewhat changing to prioritizing players who “want to be here.”
“The guy that wavers on signing day is going to waver when something doesn’t go his way here. He’s going to waver when he’s not the starter as a true freshman coming right out,” Riley said. “He’s going to waver when somebody on the outside tells him he should look somewhere else. The guys that don’t waver and have a passion for being here, they’re going to hang in there through the ups and downs, they’re going to develop, and then you’re going to look up and down the line they’re going to turn into really good players.”
Riley has remained adamant that he expects USC to taper off its dependence on the portal, opting instead for building its foundation on high school recruiting. But while USC might hope to be headed in that direction eventually, its reality is also clear. With Nelson’s departure, the Trojans will now likely have to dip into the portal for not just one, but two quarterbacks — an older one and a younger one given USC’s next big-time QB recruit is five-star Julian Lewis in the Class of 2026.
“Who we take as that young quarterback is an important decision for this program,” said Riley, who has coached three Heisman winners at the position. “You got to get the right one because the person that takes this could be in a pretty unique position pretty quick, a very advantageous position, very quick.”
Both Riley and Lynn have reiterated their goal to get the “right players” to USC, but in college football as presently constituted, NIL is an inextricable part of that equation. While Riley has praised the growth of USC’s official NIL partner House of Victory, other donors remain split on the NIL strategy. USC, notably, has five different NIL collectives, and there is a feeling among some people involved that a lack of unified force has financially weakened the program’s overall NIL potential.
“We’ve all got to continue to invest in this. We’ve all got to continue to support it,” Riley said while adding they do look for players who are not overly fixated on NIL. “It is a huge piece of this. And certainly, you’re not going to be a national-championship-level program without it.”
It doesn’t take much to see that USC needs plenty to return to playoff conversations, even with a 12-team format next year, let alone national title conversations. And as it finds itself in a spot where it is trying to look ahead while dealing with repercussions of the past, a bowl game win would be far from the cure, but it wouldn’t be a bad start. Even with the 2024 season over eight months away, there’s something to be said for setting the tone by not ending the season the same way last year ended.
Despite the up-and-down nature of the seasons, Riley has remained steadfast that the sole purpose of his hire wasn’t to win a game, a season or even a conference championship. The lofty goals he declared from Day 1 are still there. But for a program that lost five of its past six games (its sole win coming by a single point) and hasn’t won a bowl game since 2017, the turnaround has to start somewhere, even if it is small. A reset might be exactly what USC needs for its long-term success, but in the short term, it’ll have plenty to prove and far more to improve.
“The goal in terms of what we’re building is that one thing,” Riley said last week. “And that’s winning the whole thing.”
In some ways, the first two seasons with Williams were a prelude to the turnaround Riley is actually having to engineer while the college football landscape continues to shape-shift. Now, after experiencing polar opposite seasons in terms of results, the real work begins.
Week 3 brought exhilarating last-minute wins, disappointing losses and two coaches getting fired Sunday.
Notre Dame dropped 16 spots to No. 24 in this week’s AP poll following a 41-40 loss to Texas A&M, which rose six spots to No. 10 on the strength of a 3-0 start. No. 2 Penn State has gone through the first three weeks with ease as it faced non-Power 4 opponents, and No. 4 Miami quarterback Carson Beck showed just how fun it is to play for the Hurricanes.
After starting the season 0-2, do the Fighting Irish stand a chance to make the 12-team College Football Playoff? After years of not getting the results it had hoped for, is Texas A&M reaping the benefits of its transfer portal additions? What does Penn State have to look forward to after its bye week in Week 4?
Our college football experts break down key takeaways from Week 3 performances.
Jump to:
Notre Dame’s CFP hopes | Texas A&M
UCLA | Beck having fun again
Penn State’s road | Stockton delivers
Vols’ QB swap
Could Notre Dame still make the playoff?
Notre Dame has lost control of its playoff path. Following an 0-2 start, the Irish are out of the playoff conversation and need perfection — and help — to get back into it. This is where being an independent hurts Notre Dame in the playoff era. The five highest-ranked conference champions are guaranteed spots in the playoff, which is why three-loss ACC champion Clemson was able to sneak in last season. Without the chance at a conference title, Notre Dame has 12 games to impress the selection committee — and its best opportunities to do that are already gone.
Even if Notre Dame were able to run the table — the way it did last year following the shocking home loss to Northern Illinois in Week 2 — it’s going to have a difficult time winning a debate against other two-loss teams with better résumés. And if Texas A&M and Miami don’t win their respective conferences, they would have the head-to-head edge on the Irish in one of several tiebreakers the committee uses to determine its at-large teams. — Heather Dinich
Texas A&M’s starting to cash in where it counts
Texas A&M often gets knocked for the contrast between its deep pockets and its mostly empty trophy case. No major program has spent more and reaped less over the decades. The Jimbo Fisher hire and subsequent firing and record payout — after no CFP appearances, SEC titles or 10-win seasons — is emblematic of the program’s financial failures.
But Texas A&M’s investments, both in coaches and players, are starting to pay off, and the program could finally start approaching its potential. The Aggies kicked down one important door, as coach Mike Elko put it, by stunning Notre Dame 41-40 on Saturday night. They did so largely with the help of transfers, including wide receivers Mario Craver (Mississippi State) and KC Concepcion (NC State), and tight end Nate Boerkircher, who had one touchdown catch in four seasons at Nebraska but hauled in the winner at Notre Dame on fourth-and-goal from the 11-yard line.
Craver, who had 368 receiving yards at Mississippi State and has a slight build at 165 pounds, wasn’t seen as a major pickup but has 443 receiving yards and four touchdowns through the first three games. He had 207 yards against Notre Dame, while Concepcion, ranked as ESPN’s No. 25 transfer, added 82 yards on four receptions.
“We felt like we would win outside,” Elko said.
The transfers also have brought a different mentality.
“One thing I said on the sideline, second-and goal or third, even, I looked at [tight ends coach Christian Ellsworth] and said, ‘I have no doubt we’re going to win this game,'” Boerkircher said.
Elko shared the belief. Although the end of his first season resembled so many at Texas A&M, there are signs things are shifting in Aggieland.
“Hopefully, what they’ll take from the game is, if they find a way to execute better, they can be something really special,” he said. — Adam Rittenberg
UCLA is a disaster
When UCLA opted to leave the Pac-12 and head to the greener pastures of the Big Ten, it was a decision rooted in money and football. At the time, maybe it was possible to reason that with a full share of the Big Ten media deal, there would be enough money to help the Bruins at least be competitive in their new conference. Keep in mind, they had not won a conference title in the Pac-12 since 1988. What has played out since then has been nothing short of an embarrassment for the school.
The Bruins’ latest setback came Friday night as they were demoralized in a near-empty Rose Bowl by New Mexico — a school that wasn’t even invited to the new-look Pac-12. It was UCLA’s second straight loss to a Mountain West team and delivered a clear verdict that DeShaun Foster was not fit to continue as the head coach. His firing became official Sunday morning.
According to ESPN Analytics, UCLA will be a heavy underdog in all 10 of its Big Ten games this season, with ESPN’s matchup predictor identifying its game against Maryland as the best shot at a win (34%). Under Chip Kelly in 2018, UCLA equaled its record for losses in a season (nine). This team has a chance to sail past that number. — Kyle Bonagura
Beck having fun again
South Florida quarterback Byrum Brown came into the Miami game as the dual-threat quarterback with the ability to make big plays in a variety of ways.
But what if we told you it was Miami quarterback Carson Beck who ended up finishing with more rushing yards? Miami ran Beck on designed runs more often Saturday than the first two games this season. In all, Beck had six runs for 28 yards and a score, becoming the first Miami player in the past 30 seasons to have three passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown against an AP-ranked opponent.
The Miami defense, meanwhile, keyed on Brown and made his day far more difficult in a 49-12 win. Brown had 13 carries for 2 yards. If you don’t count the two times he was sacked and lost 16 yards, he had 11 carries for only 18 yards. In his first two games, Brown had 109 yards rushing and two scores.
Beck said during the week, coaches noticed that there would be opportunities for him to run more based on what the USF defense showed on tape.
“We knew that they were going to blitz the edges, try to defeat our run game, so [that] created some opportunities for me to be able to use my legs a little bit,” Beck said. “It’s just what was called for, and whatever coach needs me to do, I’m going to do, so glad I was able to showcase that a little bit tonight.”
Headed into the season, there were questions about Beck coming off an elbow injury that required surgery last December. Though he did not start throwing again until June, he has a comfort level in the offense and a chemistry with his receivers that has made his first three games look seamless.
Against USF, he threw for a season-high 340 yards, and for the season he has completed 78.3% of his passes, with seven touchdowns to two interceptions. Both picks came against USF — though one was the result of a miscommunication with his receivers. Still, for a quarterback who was largely written off after the season he had at Georgia in 2024, watching Beck take command of the Hurricanes and have fun again has been one of the biggest stories of the young season for the Hurricanes.
“I’m a Florida boy at heart, and just being here with these guys, I really fit in,” said Beck, who is from Jacksonville. “We have good people on this team that care and are genuine and it’s real love and brotherhood. A lot of teams across the country say that, but they don’t live it. And I really, truly believe that we live that, and it allows you to just be free and have fun on the field.” — Andrea Adelson
Penn State’s real season about to begin
The Penn State Nittany Lions, ESPN’s preseason No. 1 team, have flown under the radar through the first three weeks of the season. But that’s only because they’ve faced three non-Power 4 opponents (Nevada, Florida International, Villanova) and defeated them by a combined score of 132-17.
Now comes a bye — followed by a white-out, prime-time clash at Beaver Stadium against No. 6 Oregon on Sept. 27. A month later, on Nov. 1, the Nittany Lions travel to Columbus to face top-ranked Ohio State. The Ducks have been dominant. The defending national champion Buckeyes already have a win over Texas under their belt. And those two games will reveal whether Penn State looks the part of a true national championship contender.
So far, it has been smooth sailing for the Nittany Lions. The talented defense looks legit under new coordinator Jim Knowles. The running game remains awesome behind veteran backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton. Even transfer receivers Trebor Pena (Syracuse) and Kyron Hudson (USC) have impressed.
But the Nittany Lions are about to be tested — and their chance is coming to make a statement. — Jake Trotter
Stockton proving he was the right choice
Kirby Smart was in a tough spot in late December. His Georgia squad was preparing for the Allstate Sugar Bowl against Notre Dame. Carson Beck was out for the season and hadn’t yet announced whether he’d go pro. Gunner Stockton was preparing for his first career start leading the SEC champs. Cal transfer quarterback Fernando Mendoza was still available in the transfer portal.
Do you stick with the QB2 who has been in your program for three years or go get the proven starter with early-round NFL draft pick potential?
Smart was feeling pretty darn good about his decision Saturday afternoon. Stockton’s first SEC road start was as tough as it gets, but he didn’t flinch in the 44-41 overtime triumph over Tennessee. He put up 304 passing yards and 48 rushing yards (excluding sacks) and answered any doubts by leading a comeback win in a hostile environment. His 75-yard drive in the fourth quarter, rallying the Bulldogs back from an 8-point deficit with a perfectly thrown touchdown to London Humphreys on fourth-and-6, told everybody he was ready for the moment.
“I thought he grew up tonight,” Smart said. “He grew up a lot.”
We’re watching plenty of first-year starters, such as Arch Manning, Ty Simpson, CJ Carr and Austin Simmons, go through the ups, downs and growing pains of attempting to play and lead at a consistently high level. Stockton is going to have those moments too, with five more games on the schedule against teams currently in the AP Top 25. But if this is what he’s capable of after only four career starts, it’s hard not to be optimistic about the trajectory of Stockton and the Bulldogs’ offense moving forward. — Max Olson
QB swap looking good for Vols
Tennessee might owe UCLA a few players to be named later from its offseason quarterback trade. Vols quarterback Joey Aguilar, who left UCLA after former UT starter Nico Iamaleava enrolled there, has emerged as one of the top passers in the SEC.
While the Volunteers were on the short end of a 44-41 loss in overtime to Georgia on Saturday, Aguilar more than proved himself against what was supposed to be one of the SEC’s best defenses. He completed 24 of 36 passes for 371 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions. Aguilar became the first SEC player in the past 20 seasons to have four passing touchdowns and a running score in his conference debut, according to ESPN Research. He threw three long touchdowns to receiver Chris Brazzell II and ran for another score. In three games, Aguilar has completed 66.3% of his attempts for 906 yards with nine touchdowns and two interceptions.
Meanwhile, Iamaleava continues to struggle with the Bruins, who fired coach DeShaun Foster on Sunday. He threw for 217 yards with one touchdown and one interception on 22-for-34 passing in a 35-10 loss to New Mexico on Friday night. – Mark Schlabach
Sports
Who are MLB’s teams to beat this October — and who could take them down? Execs, insiders weigh in
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Jesse Rogers
The MLB playoffs are just around the corner and shaping up to be a wide-open affair. For the second consecutive season, there is not a single team on pace to win 100 or more games. That means there is plenty of parity across the majors, which is bound to carry over to October.
With that in mind, we asked 19 baseball players, executives and scouts: Who is the team to beat in the National League? And who is the team to beat in the American League?
There was little uniformity to their answers, though most agreed on one thing: a sleeper team that people in both leagues agreed could make a run in October. Here’s how those in the game view the upcoming postseason.
The NL’s team to beat is …
(Phillies, 5; Dodgers, 4; Padres, 2; Mets, 1)
Voting was as tight as you might imagine, considering the Brewers are mixed in with the defending champion Dodgers and high-priced Phillies. Those teams dominated our poll, leaving few votes for anyone else.
All three teams can slug their way to the World Series, but the Dodgers have a distinct advantage in the power game, outhomering both Philadelphia and Milwaukee by a wide margin this regular season. However, Philly employs easily the best closer of the three — a crucial element that could help finish off those tight October games.
Still, it was the Brewers who won our poll because they’ve played at such a high level in all areas while also possessing a deep and healthy starting staff.
Why the Brewers
NL player: “They seem like a team that has a really solid plan and cohesive approach. And they seem like they’re on the same page. I just like how they play. And they’ve done it all year; why can’t they keep it going?”
NL scout: “They still have to figure out the back end of their pen, but in a short series, they have the luxury of sending one of their good starters to the bullpen. And they might just run into enough home runs to keep pace in October.”
NL exec: “Getting the bye will be huge for them. They’ve been knocked out in those short series several times; this will let them breathe a bit. Plus, their starting staff is so good. If I’m Milwaukee, I want the longer series.”
Biggest threats to Brewers
NL player: “It’s simple for me. They still have good pitching, and they’ve been there before. Playoffs are about home runs, and they can hit them.”
NL player: “Their lineup is a little top-heavy, but they have enough at the bottom that can do the job. If those guys show up, then that lineup is really good. Their pen is incredible with [Jhoan] Duran.”
NL exec: “It’s their last hurrah, right? They have older players, some of whom will be free agents at the end of the season. I just can’t see [Bryce] Harper going his career without a ring, and this is their best chance, even without [Zack] Wheeler.”
NL player: “When we played them, they didn’t have a good series, but they seem to turn it on when they need to. That’s the sign of a champion. I think their offense will have a big October and lead them like it did last year.”
NL exec: “Talent will win out, and they have the potential for healthiest pitching staff all year in October.”
If not Milwaukee, Philadelphia or Los Angeles, then who?
Truth be told, these insiders responded before the latest Mets free fall became so dramatic — New York was on an eight-game losing streak that ended with an extra-innings win over Texas on Sunday. But, hey, anyone can get hot at the right time, right? The Mets proved that last year. But they have to prove they can even get into the October party before they can think about making a deep run.
The Padres are hard to figure out, but that doesn’t make them less dangerous than any other contender. Some days, their offense goes into hibernation, but they can shut anyone down in the late innings. Their bullpen is that good and could take them far despite the loss of Jason Adam.
NL player: “I like San Diego. They’re hungry. They made all the right deadline moves. And they have the experience of getting close but not going all the way.”
NL exec: “There’s a lot to like about San Diego, but they can still be pitched to even with their deadline additions. It’s like they disappear sometimes. If they survive a wild-card round and get some home games, Petco [Park]’s energy could wake them up. Still a great bullpen.”
NL player: “The Mets are really good. I know they’ve struggled, but I’m banking on them getting hot like they did last postseason. Sometimes you get your worst baseball behind you, then find your groove. I like the Mets to do that.”
NL scout: “Their lineup 1-9 has to carry them. I’m not sure how they’ll piece it together on the mound, but sometimes you find rookie magic in an arm or two. If two of [Nolan] McLean, [Jonah] Tong and [Brandon] Sproat can come through, why not the Mets?
The AL’s team to beat is …
(Tigers, 5; Yankees, 3; Red Sox, 3; Astros, 2)
The voting was even tighter in the AL than in the NL — four teams received three or more votes — but it was the Blue Jays who edged out the competition with just one more vote than Detroit.
Home-field advantage could make the difference for the AL’s top two teams, both of whom dominate at home but hover around .500 on the road. The Tigers play so well at Comerica Park, where they are able to run rampant on the bases and go first to third on teams. And, of course, they feature Tarik Skubal at the top of their rotation. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays can get the newly renovated Rogers Centre rocking as hard as any stadium in the majors. That top seed in the AL is up for grabs down the stretch — and one of these two teams is highly likely to get it.
Why the Blue Jays
AL player: “They’re one of the most rounded teams in the AL. They have some experience, especially in the rotation, and have a little bit of everything in the lineup. That’s tough to contend with in a series. I just think they have the most complete team.”
AL scout: “As good as [Bo] Bichette, Vlad [Guerrero Jr.] and [George] Springer have been, it’s the contributions from guys from the left side of the plate like [Nathan] Lukes and [Addison] Barger which make Toronto really dangerous. They have some balance, which has eluded them.”
AL exec: “I love their team, but I question their bullpen. It hasn’t been very stout in the second half. Tommy Nance might be a guy to lean on.”
Biggest threat to Blue Jays: Detroit Tigers
AL player: “Detroit is high up on that list [of teams to beat]. They know how to win. That’s the biggest thing. They proved that last offseason. And they’ve turned that park into a nice home-field advantage. I know they go first to third better than anyone. That’s a key, playing in that ballpark.”
AL scout: “Sometimes seeing a team play a lot you can get a more negative opinion than what their record is, and sometimes it can be a more positive opinion than their record. With the Tigers, it’s the latter. And they already have a pretty good record.”
AL exec: “I’ve tried to fill out playoff rotations without a true ace. It’s really tough. So having Tarik Skubal makes all the difference for me. Unless he runs out of gas, Detroit is my pick.”
If not Toronto or Detroit, then who?
A case can be made for any of the wild-card entrants — depending on where Houston finishes, as it remains in a tight division battle with Seattle — to pull off an October upset with big game experience oozing from the Astros and Yankees lineups. New York can also slug, of course, while the return of Yordan Alvarez makes Houston’s offense ever so dangerous again.
The Red Sox, on the other hand, have made the postseason only once (2021) since winning the World Series in 2018. However, they feature a balanced lineup with playoff leadership in the form of Alex Bregman. Plus, Aroldis Chapman is about as good as it gets on the closer front.
AL exec: “I think their bullpen will get hot, and [they] have enough power bats to get through a weaker field in the AL.”
AL player: “It’s the Red Sox. They are playing good baseball. They have formidable pitching starting with [Garrett] Crochet and their lineup is cohesive and looks like they have a good time together. They know how to win with Bregman there.”
AL player: “Everyone is forgetting that Yordan Alvarez missed most of the season. He’s a difference-maker. And when we played them, Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown were as good as any two pitchers. Houston is my pick.”
Everyone’s October sleeper pick: Seattle Mariners
Until recently, the Mariners hadn’t shown the league their best hand, ending up in the sleeper category because of it. Those we spoke to said Seattle simply has more upside available to it than any other team.
AL player: “A team that can get really hot that isn’t playing its best baseball is Seattle. That pitching staff is legit. [Cal] Raleigh hit 50 [home runs] but they have other guys that are built for that moment — the spotlight moment. Randy Arozarena and [Eugenio] Suarez are two of them. They’re built to win late.”
NL player: “It’s one of those lineups where everyone is waiting for them to put it all together. Their rotation is very talented, and they have one of the best closers in the league. I think they’re one of those teams that, if they get hot at the right time, no one can beat them.”
AL exec: “Seattle has one of its best teams we’ve seen there in years. If there is a real sleeper in this entire playoff field, it’s the Seattle Mariners.”
AL exec: “Seattle is my ‘surprise’ team. I think a bad year for pitching in Seattle could get flipped on its head in the postseason with their starters picking it up.”
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Kristen Shilton
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Greg Wyshynski
HENDERSON, Nev. — With training camps opening up this week, the NHL is close to being back in action for the 2025-26 season after an eventful summer that included a new Collective Bargaining Agreement between the League and the players.
ESPN’s Kristen Shilton and Greg Wyshynski caught up with dozens of stars at the NHL Player Media Tour near Las Vegas last week and asked all the pertinent questions:
What did they like about the new CBA? Who will take advantage of the new relaxed dress code? Are they happy with the current playoff format? Plus, their favorite “cheat meals,” pregame pump-up tunes and weird equipment quirks.
Here’s what the NHL’s best had to say:
What’s your favorite cheat meal?
“I’ll go with my most recent: I had just a massive plate of chicken wings on Sunday to watch some NFL football. Like every other American. I’m a Giants fan. We scored less than a touchdown in Week 1. I’m not a hot chicken wing guy. I like the flavors. I went honey buffalo and garlic parm. It’s so good.” — Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins
A burger from 7th Street in New York — Mathew Barzal, New York Islanders
“Probably a burger and fries.” — Connor Bedard, Chicago Blackhawks
“Pizza. Domino’s. Unbelievable. Everything there.” — Seth Jarvis, Carolina Hurricanes
“Probably like a burger, something like that. There’s some good spots in Denver for burgers. Hard to pinpoint one. But the Cherry Cricket has a solid burger.” — Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche
“I’ll go with Shake Shack. Burger, fries and a chocolate shake. That’s a legit cheat meal. Some people are probably giving you, like, half answer.” — Travis Sanheim, Philadelphia Flyers
“Pizza. Pineapple and ham.” — Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
“Pizza with prosciutto. Not the American one. Like, the fancy pizza. Nice Italian one. Prosciutto with burrata.” — Lukas Dostal, Anaheim Ducks
“Nachos. Tacos. Something Mexican, for sure.” — Brady Skjei, Nashville Predators
“Chick-fil-a. Or a Culver’s burger, fries and chocolate shake.” — Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars
“A burger. From anywhere. I’m easy.” — Macklin Celebrini, San Jose Sharks
What are you happiest about in the CBA?
“I appreciate that training camp is a little bit shorter. I’m not the biggest fan of camp, so that’ll be good. And I think [adding] the two more games, I mean, anyone can grind out two more games. It’s not like they’re adding 10 right? It’s going to be fine.” — Jarvis
“The relaxed dress code is cool. I think our [Finnish players] are definitely gonna take advantage. They just have cool stuff, and they look cool. I’m not the type of guy that can, like, pull off anything. I literally have sweatpants or golf clothes or suits, so I need to kind of branch out a little bit more. I’m excited to see what Roope Hintz cracks out because it feels like he could be wearing the craziest thing ever. And he makes it look cool.” — Oettinger
“I guess shorter preseason is probably the biggest thing. You’d rather play more [regular-season] games than have a long preseason, I think.” — Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils
“No more suits. That’s pretty good. A lot of people talk about the 84-game season, but it comes with less training camp and less preseason games, so it kind of evens itself out at the end. But I’d rather play two more meaningful games than two preseason games.” — Pierre-Luc Dubois, Washington Capitals
“I think the cap-compliant thing for the playoffs was neat. I think it was something that everyone loved to complain about, but now that’s sort of taken care of, so the playing field is level again. So I think they did a good job with that. And then 84 games will be a lot, I’ll tell you that. I thought 82 was good. But here comes 84.” — McAvoy
“I think maybe the healthcare that they added. I just think that’s an important thing to have post-career. Obviously, guys that have retired before have stuff about that and said it’s an important part of it, so it’s good to see.” — Clayton Keller, Utah Mammoth
“No dress code. I like guys who express their fashion. You look at football guys, basketball, they get to show off. It’s good that we get that too.” — Hedman
“The dress code. You can express a little bit more yourself. But I still like to keep the suits. I like my suits. You invested in suits, but then you can invest in some nice jackets and stuff, so I feel like you can be more flexible with that.” — Dostal
“No fitness testing was nice. It came a little late. I mean, I’m getting old. I wish they did that 15 years ago. But I’m sure the guys are most happy with that.” — Jordan Eberle, Seattle Kraken
“I like the pension and health care for retirees. There’s so many great things that were able to come from the deal that I think will benefit players now and players and their families after they’re done playing. So there’s a lot of exciting things. The dress code allows guys to show a little bit more personality. But I think there’s going to be lots of guys wearing suits still. It’s a great hockey tradition. You see it right from minor hockey on up, with kids wearing suits to games. And I don’t think that’s going to change too much.” — Robert Thomas, St. Louis Blues
“I like the dress code being a little more lenient. Guys can probably show their flash and show their style a little bit more.” [Are you planning to do that?] “If I had some flash, or some style, I definitely would.” — Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
Which player on your team will most take advantage of the relaxed gameday dress code?
“That’s a good one. I’ll give you two guys. I think Pasta [David Pastrnak] is going to be the most. He’s got the best style, so I think he’ll be pretty eccentric. He’ll have some good outfits. And then I’ll say Morgan Geekie will take it easy. He loves a good hoodie and some sweatpants, just like me.” — McAvoy
“Myself. Timo Meier, Luke Hughes, Jesper Bratt too. But I still think I’ll wear suits a little bit, but for the most part I’ll wear normal clothes and enjoy that.” — Hughes
“Probably Vince Dunn. I think he’ll be pretty stylish, though. I don’t know if he’s taking advantage of it, but he’ll take it to another level.” — Eberle
What’s your go-to pre-game hype song, either as a team or personally?
“I don’t have one. And they keep me away from the Aux cord in the room, anyway.” — Jarvis
“I feel like I’m not really getting hyped up as much anymore. I mean, I still do [to play], but I’m more of like 90s stuff, like Matchbox 20, Dave Matthews, that my kind of music.” — Skjei
“I like old-school Drake. Like, ‘Headlines’ Drake. That’s my vibe.” — Oettinger
“My most hyped song I would go [with] is probably ‘Best of You,’ Foo Fighters.” — Hughes
“Just something like country music. I like Morgan Wallen, so his new album probably right now.” — Sanheim
“There’s a lot of country on. And then there’s hype music before we go on the ice. But it’s different every time.” — Hedman
“I listen to French rap, so it’s just whatever I’m into in that moment. I am the DJ at times, but I can’t play French rap for the team, just for myself.” — Dubois
“I’m kind of whatever they throw on. I listen to anything. I don’t mind. Some little oldies to get it going a little bit. Like Dire Straits’ ‘Money for Nothing.'” — Makar
How would you change or expand the playoff format? Or do you prefer it as is?
“I think it’s nice the way it is. I think you get those [great] matchups every year. The only tough thing is that two contenders might play each other in the first round, but it’s part of it. You’ve got to beat the best to be the best. I got no problems with it.” — Alex DeBrincat, Detroit Red Wings
“I would do 1-through-8 again. We get to play the same teams pretty much every time in the wild card, so I would like to see it a little bit different.” — Hedman
“I would probably change it, because sometimes I feel like it’s unfair when, in the first round, you get one of the best teams right away.” — Dostal
“I think we could [go back] to one through eight, but I can see how there’s so many rivalries that have been created through the format right now. It’s going to be hard no matter what you do. So it’s not like the one through eight set up would be a cakewalk for the No. 1 seed. Every series is still going to be a tough series.” — Skjei
“I like the way it is. I mean, if we start expanding the league a little more and add more teams, then I think you’ve got to probably start adding more teams to playoffs. But I like the way it is. I would probably go 1-through-8 instead.” — Eberle
“I feel like all the players want back to 1-to-8. I think that’s a thing that we’d like, but I get it. I understand the playoff format now. It makes the road harder sometimes. [Some players said the wild card locks in the same matchups every year?] I mean, if you’re from Edmonton or LA, I’d say so, yeah. Sometimes you get a good matchup and sometimes you are playing a top-six team with another top-six team like we did this past year. That’s the way she goes.” — Makar
“I would go 1-through-8. I wouldn’t expand it. The toughest thing to be a part of is the Stanley Cup playoffs. To have half the teams make it … I don’t know if you’d want necessarily want more than that. I understand it’d be exciting and bring a new element to it. I think just as a player, over 82 games to be a part of the top 16, it’s a challenge. If you open it up, you’re going to have teams that maybe don’t necessarily deserve to be there.” — Sanheim
“I wouldn’t expand it. I’m all for trying new things sometimes and if they wanted to do the play-in like the NBA … some people think that the 10th seed can make the playoffs, but the 10th just becomes the eighth. I like the 16 teams, with half the league in half the league out.” — Dubois
“I like how it is now. I’m used to it. Seeded one through eight might create some different matchups, but I’ve got no problems with it now.” — Jarvis
“I think I’m happy with 16 teams right now. I don’t know how I feel about the play-in games in the NBA, but I think right now I think half the [NHL] makes it and I think that’s pretty good numbers. I used to love 1-through-8, but the divisions were a little different too.” — Hughes
What’s your weirdest equipment quirk? Or the weirdest thing you’ve seen a teammate do?
“The weirdest thing is probably moving my helmet around all the time before a faceoff. It’s just my helmet fits so terribly, it’s like a habit at this point to move it around all the time.” — Sam Reinhart, Florida Panthers
“I wear these massive foam-like donuts in the front of my skates to prevent lace bite. And I think I might be the only guy to wear those. They’re about an inch thick. Rick Nash had the same problem, and I played with him in New York. So when I had lace bite, I went to him, and he’s gave me a couple of pads, and I’ve used them ever since then.” — Skjei
“I’m very particular about my gloves. I’ll change my left glove and keep my right glove. I’m sure I drive the trainers crazy, but sometimes I’m just looking for something.” — Eberle
“I get a new stick before every game. That’s just something that I’ve done. I just don’t trust it. I go crosscheck a guy and it’ll snap in half. I don’t want to be standing in the D-zone with a broken stick.” — Sanheim
“I’m always [hitting] my stick in my glove. I do that, like, 1,000 time a game. I don’t know why. I saw Carey Price do it when I was about 14, and I started doing it and now it’s just like a little tick. I don’t even realize I’m doing it.” — Oettinger
“I cut the laces on my skates. The tip of it is plastic. I cut the plastic part off. I just fold it in half. It’s because when I was in Junior, we didn’t have 96 [inch] laces and the laces were too long. So I just started cutting them. Now I can get 96 laces.. But it just doesn’t feel right.” — Dubois
They said it!
Quinn Hughes on new Canucks coach Adam Foote: “He’s been really good. Brought structure, competitive, good guy. So we’ll see how it goes with him as the coach, but I think he’s really excited and looking forward to the opportunity.”
Zach Werenski on belief in Columbus: “We were right there. We were in the playoff [mix] until Game 82. So we know we’re a good hockey team. It’s doing it consistently now, doing it again year after year, right? We had a good year last year. It still wasn’t good enough. So it’s doing it again and doing it even better. So I think [GM Don Waddell’s] belief in us is going to give us some confidence, too.”
Patrick Kane on Olympic Development Camp invite: “I think there was just talking with my agent about how there’s the potential of maybe making the team and that I was under consideration. So when you hear that, it’s not really that big of a surprise that you’re there. Probably a little bit more surprised that Alex [DeBrincat] was left off, but I think both of us have some motivation to get off to good starts this year.”
Robert Thomas on his goals for this season: “I’d like to get 100 [points]. I think I was pretty close to on pace for that last year, minus an injury. So, staying healthy and continuing to improve, I think that 100 points is my next target.”
Connor Hellebuyck on learning from 4 Nations Face-Off ahead of an Olympic year: “The emotional grind of the Four Nations was definitely a learning experience. Not only that, but I learned about the off-ice [stuff] and what to expect from that, and how to manage bringing your family around, managing how much extra media there is and stress there is on that. I definitely learned some good stuff from that.”
Sam Reinhart on Florida re-signing its own free agents: “I think it’s a testament to what we’ve got going on there. Guys might be able to make more in other places you know? But we’ve got something they want to be a part of and they don’t want to leave. It’s obviously pretty exciting just to see it all get done the way that it has and see everyone back on board.”
Patrick Kane, after Sidney Crosby interrupted an interview to say hello: “That’d be a good centerman to play with.”
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