Peristyle Podcast - USC Trojan Football Discussion

Latest Episodes:

Dedeaux Download: USC baseball makes NCAA tournament! Head coach Andy Stankiewicz joins the show May 27, 2025

Show notes

The Dedeaux Download Podcast returns with Shotgun Spratling and podcast co-host Kasey Kazliner breaking down the big news that USC baseball is officially back in the NCAA tournament after the Trojans were selected to regionals as an at-large team.

Shotgun and Kasey discuss USC finally breaking the postseason drought and take a look back at the action from the Big Ten Tournament where the Trojans went 1-1 with a pair of one-run games but did not qualify for the tournament semifinals. They note three positives, including strong pitching from Caden Aoki and Mason Edwards in the conference tournament. They also look at USC's continued struggles leaving men on base and what it has to do to get that issue corrected in the postseason.

After a break, USC head coach Andy Stankiewicz joins the show to talk about the Trojans making it back to a regional for the first time since 2015, his reaction as well as what it means for the players that went through being snubbed in 2023 and what it means for the program going forward .

Stankiewicz also discusses how the Trojan coaching staff will try to use its postseason experience to prepare the players heading into some matchups where there is some familiarity with the coaches on the other staffs.

Shotgun and Kasey close out the show previewing each of the teams that will also be in the Corvallis Regional alongside USC with host Oregon State, No. 2-seed TCU and four-seed Saint Mary's.

Please review, rate and subscribe to the Peristyle Podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

Make sure you check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠USCFootball.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for complete coverage of USC Trojans football, basketball, baseball and recruiting.

Get to know sophomore Trojan linebacker Desman Stephens May 22, 2025

Show notes

In this special edition of Tunnel Vision hosts Ryan Abraham and Connor Morrissette (aka Triple Double) are back in studio and joined remotely by new USC linebacker Desman Stephens. Thanks to House of Victory, the 6-foot-3, 232 pound linebacker out of Clarkston, Michigan, had a lengthy interview with our hosts, talking about his journey from the Midwest to Los Angeles, the progress he made during his freshman campaign, playing along side Eric Gentry, learning under Matt Entz last year and Rob Ryan this year and how he thinks this defense can improve in 2025. Last season Stephens played in all 13 games for the Trojans, picking up 13 tackles (8 solo, 5 assisted), including 1 tackle for a loss of 1 yard, 1 forced fumble, 1 interception returned for 42 yards and a quarterback hurry.

The interview with Stephens was conducted in conjunction with House of Victory, an alumni-backed nonprofit collective dedicated to providing a competitive edge in the NIL space for University of Southern California student-athletes.

If you want to help out USC's NIL efforts, you can donate to House of Victory ⁠here⁠.

⁠CLICK HERE for 30% OFF an annual VIP membership to USCFootball.com!⁠

Please review, rate and subscribe to the Peristyle Podcast on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠!

Make sure you check out ⁠USCFootball.com⁠ for complete coverage of this USC Trojan football team.

Composite Two-Star Recruits: Intriguing June official visitors, Under the Radar camp and mailbag? May 22, 2025

Show notes

The Composite Two-Star Recruits podcast returns to discuss the action over the weekend with the Millikan passing tournament, Under the Radar camp, preview the upcoming June official visits and clearing out the mailbag.

TIME STAMPS:

15:01: Cold Open (Millikan Tournament of Champions 7-on-7)

21:56: Tight End Recruiting

41:04: Under the Radar Straight Ballers Camp

56:15: New Offers

58:37: Interesting June Official Visitors

1:11:15: Listener Questions

Will the series with Notre Dame continue for the Trojans? May 21, 2025

Show notes

In this edition of the Peristyle Podcast hosts Ryan Abraham and Connor Morrissette (aka "Triple Double") are back in studio discussing the future of the USC/Notre Dame football series. Since 1926 the Trojans and the Fighting Irish have met on the gridiron 95 times, but as of now the game isn't on the schedule after the 2025 college football season. The guys talk about what they have heard from inside the athletic department about the series and if they think the annual meeting between these two storied programs is actually in jeopardy of ending. The guys also discuss the latest on the Trojan football recruiting front, with USC's lead for the No. 1 spot in the 2026 recruiting class shrinking following the de-commit of five-star linebacker Xavier Griffin. They talk about if Griffin could still be in the mix for this USC class, who some of the other big names that are out there and if they anticipate any more players de-committing. With Big Ten athletic directors, coaches and presidents meeting this week, the guys talk about the changes in the college football landscape, including a proposed College Sports Commission that would oversee the new rules implemented by the House settlement. There is a major push to get all of the power FBS programs in line, though some programs and their state governments are pushing to keep unlimited pay for play with NIL collectives going indefinitely.

⁠⁠CLICK HERE for 30% OFF an annual VIP membership to USCFootball.com!⁠⁠

Please review, rate and subscribe to the Peristyle Podcast on ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠!

Thanks to ⁠⁠Trader Joe's⁠⁠ for sponsoring the Peristyle Podcast!

Make sure you check out ⁠⁠USCFootball.com⁠⁠ for complete coverage of this USC Trojan football team.

Dedeaux Download: Sean Allen talks about B1G Tournament, setting up pitching for postseason May 19, 2025

Show notes

The Dedeaux Download Podcast returns with Shotgun Spratling and podcast co-host Kasey Kazliner breaking down USC baseball finishing the regular season with a series loss on the road at Washington, winning in the finale after dropping five of six games prior.

Shotgun and Kasey take a look at the action, noting three positives, including an electric performance from Mason Edwards as well as a positive outing from fellow left-handed pitcher Caden Hunter and Ethan Hedges breaking through with a big hit in extra innings. They also look at the end-of-regular-season struggles for the Trojans and what USC has to do to right the ship at the opportune time.

After a break, USC pitching coach Sean Allen joins the show to talk about what can be expected from the Big Ten Tournament since he's coached in it previously and how the unique pod system the Big Ten has gone to this season changes the dynamic, especially as the top seed in one of the four pods.

Allen also discusses what they've done to try to get both Edwards and Hunter back locked in on the mound to give the Trojans more depth, especially with the emergence of freshman Andrew Johnson. USC's pitching coach also gives an assessment of the season to this point for a staff that has endured some significant injuries and states the Trojans' case for the NCAA selection committee.

Shotgun and Kasey close out the show taking a look at where the Trojans' postseason hopes stand after back-to-back series losses but seeing their RPI climb in the last week. The podcast then previews USC's path in the Big Ten Tournament, including pitching matchups that could set up favorably for them.

Please review, rate and subscribe to the Peristyle Podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠!

Make sure you check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠USCFootball.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ for complete coverage of USC Trojans football, basketball, baseball and recruiting.

Composite Two-Star Recruits: 5-star Xavier Griffin decommits; USC add local LBs Shaun Scott, Taylor Johnson for 2026 May 15, 2025

Show notes

The Composite Two-Star Recruits podcast returns to discuss USC adding not one but two local 2026 linebackers in Shaun Scott and Taylor Johnson. The Cilantro Boys also tackle the massive decommitment of 5-star LB Xavier Griffin.

TIME STAMPS:

9:14: Cold Open (Hybrid Shaun Scott Commits)

21:40: LB Taylor Johnson Commits

46:53: Updated Top247 Rankings

1:07:16: Xavier Griffin, Kohen Brown Decommit

1:41::12: Recruiting Heat

2:06:04: New Offers, 2027 QB Offer

2:20:47: Listener Questions

Chatting with Harry Ruiz, the Spanish play by play announcer for USC football May 13, 2025

Show notes

In this edition of the Peristyle Podcast hosts Ryan Abraham and Connor Morrissette (aka "Triple Double") are back in studio with special guest Harry Ruiz who is the Spanish voice of Trojans as well as the Las Vegas Raiders. We chat with Ruiz about his journey to become USC's Spanish play by play announcer, what some of his most memorable moments have been and his favorite calls from the booth. We also solicited questions from The Peristyle (the USCFootball.com message board) that we share with Ruiz at the end of the interview.

Following the interview both Ryan and Connor will give their thoughts on USC hiring Trumain Carroll from Kansas State to be the new director of football sports performance, replacing Bennie Wylie. Carroll was well liked in Manhattan by the Wildcats staff and fans and could be a big boost for the Trojan football team going forward. The guys also discuss all of the news and notes around USC football recruiting including commitments from Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei four-star linebacker Shaun Scott and San Bernardino (Calif.) Cajon three-star linebacker Taylor Johnson. They also talk about a bold prediction from Chip Patterson on CBS's Cover 3 podcast where he foresaw the 2025 USC Trojans getting over the hump and making the College Football Playoffs for the very first time.

⁠CLICK HERE for 30% OFF an annual VIP membership to USCFootball.com!⁠

Please review, rate and subscribe to the Peristyle Podcast on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠!

Thanks to ⁠Trader Joe's⁠ for sponsoring the Peristyle Podcast!

Make sure you check out ⁠USCFootball.com⁠ for complete coverage of this USC Trojan football team.

If you would like to make a tax deductible donation to Ryan's Tour de Pier ride to fight cancer, please click here: ⁠http://support.pancreatic.org/goto/Ryan

Dedeaux Download: Andy Stankiewicz on what USC has to do down the stretch May 13, 2025

Show notes

The Dedeaux Download Podcast returns with Shotgun Spratling and podcast co-host Kasey Kazliner breaking down USC baseball's disappointing series loss to Michigan State and subsequently falling out of the top 25 after an ever-so-brief appearance.

Shotgun and Kasey take a look at the action, noting three positives and three negatives, including the variance in left-handed pitchers Caden Hunter and Mason Edwards as well as the Trojans' top left-handed hitter, Brayden Dowd, again putting a ball over the fence.

After a break, USC head coach Andy Stankiewicz then joins the show to talk about trying to bounce back from a poor weekend at this point in the season along with how he assesses and adapts to fatigue late in the season, especially with the Trojans having to travel so much this season without a home field while playing in the Big Ten for the first time.

Stankiewicz also discusses the struggles of Hunter and trying to work the Trojans' Friday ace back into shape as he deals with probably his first real failures in his baseball career. USC's head coach also talks about the unique challenges this time of year presents with finals leading into conference tournaments and the transfer portal about to open.

Shotgun and Kasey close out the show taking a look at where the Trojans stand after their first series loss since the opening weekend of Big Ten play and seeing their RPI slip down to No. 42. The podcast then previews USC's upcoming weekend of action with the Trojans heading up to Seattle to take on Eddie Smith's upstart Washington club.

Please review, rate and subscribe to the Peristyle Podcast on ⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠!

Make sure you check out ⁠⁠⁠USCFootball.com⁠⁠⁠ for complete coverage of USC Trojans football, basketball, baseball and recruiting.

Composite Two-Star Recruits: USC lands Ohio CB Elbert Hill, local WR Luc Weaver, the return of UCF cornerback Chasen Johnson May 08, 2025

Show notes

The Composite Two-Star Recruits podcast breaks down USC landing local three-star 2026 WR Luc Weaver, four-star Ohio CB Elbert Hill and the return of UCF transfer cornerback Chasen Johnson. The Cilantro Boys also discuss new offers and the Under Armour L.A. Regional.

TIME STAMPS:

4:50: Cold Open (CB Elbert Hill Commits)

34:40: UCF Transfer Chasen Johnson Commits...Again

1:11:10: WR Luc Weaver Commits

1:33:09: Under Armour L.A. Regional Recap

1:52:57: New Offers

2:11:48: Listener Questions

Dedeaux Download: Hitting coach Travis Jewett, 1B Adrian Lopez talk UCLA series win May 08, 2025

Show notes

The Dedeaux Download Podcast returns with Shotgun Spratling and podcast co-host Kasey Kazliner breaking down USC baseball's big rivalry series win over then-No. 14 UCLA that helped push the Trojans into the top 25 rankings for the first time since 2023.

Shotgun and Kasey take a look at all the action, pointing out the positives of the Trojans improving to 32-16 with a 16-8 mark in Big Ten play and a third-place spot in the standings behind only Iowa and the Bruins. They discuss the power of names that start with the letter 'A' as well as the Trojans' ability to bounce back from a heartbreaking loss in the series opener to still be able to get the series win. Shotgun and Kasey also look at how USC boosted its resume behind strong production of a pair of Lopezes. The podcasters also discuss three negatives, including a growing trend for Caden Hunter and a tough outing for top reliever Brodie Burcell.

USC hitting coach Travis Jewett then joins the show to talk about how the Trojans' offense was able to bounce back after failing to capitalize on opportunities in the series opener against UCLA, ending the game with the bases loaded in a one-run loss. He also discusses how the USC lineup has got longer and stronger as the season has progressed with the development of players like Andrew Lamb, Jack Basseer, Adrian and Augie Lopez. Jewett even talks about the art of helping hitters break out of slumps.

After a break, Adrian Lopez joins the show to talk about his transfer portal journey that has taken him to two high schools and two colleges over the last four seasons and how he's found a home at USC, a place he didn't grow up rooting for but his whole family did. Lopez discusses his connection with Jewett and how the two have worked together this season.

Lopez also shares his favorite between-inning festivity that takes place during games and talks about the connection of players, including ones on hated teams and those in the USC locker room.

Shotgun and Kasey close out the show taking a look at where the Trojans stand after winning another Big Ten series, improving their RPI briefly up to No. 29 (now No. 31). The podcast then previews USC's upcoming week of action with the Trojans taking on Big Ten Pitcher of the Year candidate Joseph Dzierwa and Michigan State at Great Park this weekend.

Please review, rate and subscribe to the Peristyle Podcast on ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠!

Make sure you check out ⁠⁠USCFootball.com⁠⁠ for complete coverage of USC Trojans football, basketball, baseball and recruiting.

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