Former Tennessee Titans running back LenDale White shared a bold prediction for his college football program this fall.
“I feel like my Trojans will be in the College Football Playoffs,” White told TMZ Monday in a brief interview at Los Angeles International Airport. “I believe in Lincoln [Riley]. I believe we got some guys around here that's gonna get the job done. And I'm excited to see what this year brings for us.”
White spent three seasons (2003-2005) at USC during the Trojans’ early 2000s dynasty and won two national titles — the 2003 AP Championship and the 2004 BCS National Championship. He was selected by the Titans with the 45th pick in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft and spent four seasons with the team. Between 2006 and 2009, White made 18 starts for Tennessee and appeared in 58 total games, recording 628 carries on 2,349 career yards.
There’s inevitable pressure when you play for USC football, but according to White, there’s a difference in athletes’ attitudes in the current era of college sport.
“When you're a Trojan we're supposed to win. We're expected to win,” White said. “I can understand what it is, but in this new day and age of the college athlete that can transfer out whenever they feel like it, as soon as it gets a little hard, they leave.”
USC faces a difficult schedule this fall. Though head coach Lincoln Riley is pleased with junior Jayden Maiava’s improvement, the quarterback must lead the Trojans through three-straight games against ranked opponents, with two of those matchups on the road.
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The team will travel to face No. 12 Illinois (Sept. 27, Week 5) and No. 6 Notre Dame (Oct. 18, Week 7), and is set to host No. 14 Michigan in Week 6 (Oct. 11). Plus, USC will face a fourth ranked opponent Week 11 when they travel to No. 7 Oregon. The Trojans will play two additional road games against currently unranked conference opponents Purdue (Sept. 13, Week 3) and Nebraska (Nov. 1, Week 8).
It’s a rough lineup for a team needing to improve its road record from last season. USC was 1-4 on away games last fall, only beating UCLA Week 11, 19-13.