The sun was just peeking over the USC campus Friday morning as Lincoln Riley made his way down the ramp from the McKay Center, twirling a whistle in his right hand, thinking about all that had changed in his time as the Trojans’ coach. This date — Aug. 2 — was circled on calendars across campus for more than two years after USC stunned the college sports world by announcing its move with UCLA to the Big Ten.
So many steps had been taken to prepare for this momen, so many logistics maneuvered, so many hurdles overcome, that it was easy in the moment, amid the swirling tides of a conference transition, to take for granted the new dawn now officially upon USC.