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LOS ANGELES — USC came in at No. 14 in the Associated Press preseason poll. Right in the middle of a list of 25 teams that are predicted to achieve measurable success this season, or at least an overall record that includes nine wins. There is optimism within the walls of the brand-new Bloom Football Performance Center and Howard Jones Field, and the ranking feels symbolic of that with just 11 days remaining until the Trojans’ season opener against San Jose State. “The energy’s just been through the roof,” quarterback Jayden Maiava said. “The standards have never changed. It’s never changed, whether it’s game week or not game week. I think every single day, this team does such a phenomenal job just attacking every single day.” The 2026 season will be a pivotal one for USC. A 10-win season or a bid to the ever-expanding College Football Playoff would mean that USC is on an upward trajectory. If the Trojans fall short, there could be major structural changes – including a head coaching change. If head coach Lincoln Riley is feeling any pressure, he’s not showing it. He was on the practice field on Tuesday afternoon acting like a scout team quarterback and handing the ball off to running backs during the media viewing period. He cracked jokes in the press conference that followed. Wide receiver Tanook Hines was practicing on Tuesday, which was a step forward for the passing game. “We’ve done a lot of our own walk-throughs together, one-on-one,” Maiava said. “So it’s just catching him up on everything that he needs to get caught up on. It’s just continuing to feed that chemistry and the sky’s the limit.” It’s still unclear if Hines will start or even play against San Jose State. The coaching staff is having depth chart discussions this week, which is considered a mock game week. USC’s placement in the preseason Top 25 means there is room for growth, and it’s also reasonable for the Trojans to be eager. “We’re excited because we’ve been working so hard,” offensive lineman Tobias Raymond said. “I think there’s a lot to look forward to this season. We’re all just excited to get started and get rolling into the games.” HUARD AS A HOLDER Backup quarterback Sam Huard was seen holding the ball for kicks during the special teams portion of the media viewing period of Tuesday’s practice. “We’ll always try to look at the roster and see how we can attack someone,” Riley told reporters. “And we never want to discount or discard anybody on our roster’s ability to help us. “I don’t know that it would be a full-time thing (for Huard), but we have some different skill sets and kind of like the creativity we used last year.” Punter Sam Johnson was the holder for kicker Ryon Sayeri last season, except for when Huard stepped in for a trick play that included a fake punt during the Northwestern game. Sayeri will most likely handle kickoffs this season, but Riley has yet to decide whether Sayeri or Caden Chittenden will take care of field goals and PATs. LANE DAZZLES IN DEBUT Former USC receiver Ja’Kobi Lane had three catches for 38 yards and a touchdown in his rookie debut with the Baltimore Ravens in a 24-7 preseason victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday. Quarterback Joe Fagano threw a 15-yard pass down the middle of the field to Lane for the first touchdown of the game. Lane caught the pass at the 2-yard line and dove to get into the end zone. The Ravens selected Lane in the third round of the draft (80th overall).