PAC-12 CONFERENCE FOOTBALL MEDIA DAY

July 21, 2023

Mason Cobb

Caleb Williams

USC Trojans

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to Media Day. Mason, here with Caleb, first time at the Pac-12 media days, how has that experience been for you? Then your experience as USC?

MASON COBB: Man, it's been good. First time flying in a private jet. Coming in, the turbulence was a little crazy. Stomach was dropping.

Man, the transition to USC, I love it out there. The weather's amazing. Everything I was looking for leaving my previous school. Taking care of my body a lot. Nutrition is important. I just really enjoy my time out there.

THE MODERATOR: You two played against each other in 2021?

CALEB WILLIAMS: Yeah, I remember how that went.

MASON COBB: Coach Riley, you remember how that went (smiling).

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Caleb, you are the face of this team, the leader of USC. How are you welcoming all of these new transfers in?

CALEB WILLIAMS: Yeah, treating how I've been treating it my whole college career. I've kind of been new every single where I've been. My first year at Oklahoma, I had to come in, learn everybody's names, earn the respect, things like that. I had to deal with that last year.

This year we've got a lot of new guys. It's basically the same thing every single year for me, heading on out for the next how many ever years I can keep playing. Going to have to be that every year, year in and year out, is earning the respect every single year. It's all good with me.

We got a lot to go get this year. Everyone has the same goal and mindset this year: whatever it takes kind of mindset to get all of what we want. It's going to be a good year. Can't wait. Really excited.

Q. Caleb, how much more dangerous do you expect this offense to be? How much better have the receiver group gotten since last year?

CALEB WILLIAMS: Yeah, you didn't say something for me to say something about me, right?

Q. No.

CALEB WILLIAMS: Cool.

Team-wise, offense-wise, O-linemen, wide receivers, running backs, tight ends, we've all gotten a lot faster, stronger in that sense of the weight room. On-the-field stuff. We got a lot of explosive guys, whether it's the new guys coming in with Deuce, with Ja'Kobi Lane, Dorian Singer, MarShawn Lloyd. We got a bunch of new O-linemen, Jarrett, E-man. We got Mike, Big Tarq. We got a bunch of guys, real-deal guys, that have came this year that is going to make us a lot better offensively.

We were up there in stats and rankings and stuff offensive-wise, but towards the end of the season we had a lot of guys go down offensive-wise, including myself. That's something we for sure have been working on, building the muscle and the fortitude to be able to withstand a 15-game season.

We've been working detailed, very detailed, throughout this spring and now summer, since summer is coming to an end for us. Being detailed, making sure we're working on the small things 'cause it all adds up, especially when you get to championship November, anything like that.

Q. Can you speak more about the recruits that have been coming in and how you plan to make your mark on USC?

CALEB WILLIAMS: How we plan to make our mark on USC?

MASON COBB: Really just trying to bring in the mentality on defense, bringing everyone together, allowing everyone to feel comfortable in the system I think is our biggest goal this year. Working in-depth, trying to allow guys to not only learn what gap they have, who they're guarding, but why they need to step this way, limiting wasted movements, all that stuff. I think just crafting and I guess making everything I guess tighter, tightening up everything, making sure everything is all smooth.

Q. Caleb, how do you feel about the incoming players? Do you feel you guys have improved on the trenches, offensive line, defensive line, to overtake Utah? How much better do you feel in this defense than you came from? What areas do you feel you've improved in?

CALEB WILLIAMS: Offense-wise, in overall trenches, because I've been able to play with most of the guys except for -- I think it was just Bear, Bear Alexander. Offense-wise, speak on that first. We've improved in the trenches. It's not necessarily the people we brought in, it's also the strength staff that has helped us tremendously this year.

We got a lot of guys that are bigger than they were last year, throughout the whole season, even in the summer program. We got a lot of guys that are faster, stronger, including Mason and myself. I'm pretty sure Mason probably PRed this year with speed and strength maybe. I've also PRed myself, too. That's a factor of us being here in Vegas and also seeing the bodies of all of our guys. We've for sure gotten a lot stronger. We look a lot more toned, stuff like that.

Trenches-wise, the O-linemen. Well-knit group already. We have a lot of young, talented freshmen. But I think we have three new transfers in offensive line-wise. We only have a couple guys that have been here.

They're a tight-knit group. They've all been hanging out. We've been hanging out trying to build the bond and trust of each other because when we get out there, we need all of it to go beat a team like Utah, to go beat a team like Oregon, things like that, the teams we play against at the end of the season.

That's what it comes down to, the trust, bond, being detailed, and also having a brotherhood and tight-knit group.

Q. Last year for USC on defense the big thing was turnovers. Caleb, going against the defense during training camp, what did you see that you knew that was going to be a theme all year? Mason, coming in this year, what did you see from USC's defense last year to force those turnovers?

CALEB WILLIAMS: Speaking on my side of it, the defensive line has gotten a lot better with its technique. Guys we brought in, guys wanted to make the play, guys understanding what they're doing, how they're supposed to do it.

The D-line is getting back there. They're getting back there faster, a lot stronger, whatever the case may be. So it forces myself to progress in my reads faster, it's been making me better as a player.

Then also them just trying to throw different things at me when we go against each other. It's been good. It's been fun. It's been challenging. That's what you want, especially from that side of the ball.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.