headtopics
As the USC football team readies for one of college football's most intimidating atmospheres, the practice facility's sound system is being pushed to its limits. The Trojans are preparing for Saturday night's showdown at Penn State, where the annual White Out game creates a chaotic environment.
On one side of McClintock Avenue, the Trojan Marching Band's trumpets blared, while on the other side, the team's new sound system pumped out crowd noise. At one moment, a remix of 'Circle of Life' filled the air; the next, a booming 'We are Penn State' chant echoed. 'It's pretty awesome,' tight end Carson Tabaracci said of the sound system. 'It really just makes us focus more on our jobs, whatever we've got to do on a certain play and just locking in because it's going to be a great crowd on Saturday night.'
No. 19 USC will travel to State College this weekend to take on Penn State in the Nittany Lions' annual White Out game, a first for the Trojans. The game is considered one of the toughest playing environments in college football, with Beaver Stadium holding 106,572 fans. Although the game hasn't been announced as a sellout, the Trojans are bracing for extreme conditions.
Reporters are not permitted in the practice area during the season, so gauging the actual volume of USC's sound system is difficult. However, holding a conversation just outside the practice facility was challenging due to the noise. Loud environments can hinder communication between players, especially on defense where instructions must be shouted to ensure proper assignments and alignments.
Key Analysis
USC head coach Lincoln Riley acknowledged the challenge but stressed the importance of not overthinking it. 'The place has a really good reputation in terms of the atmosphere and some of the challenges that it provides,' Riley said. 'I don't think you need to be consumed by it. You can overdo something like that, but also, we're not gonna act like we're not going into something that is going to be a little bit different, or this is going to provide some challenges. And it's going to be awesome.'
Freshman Ethan 'Boobie' Feaster, who played high school football in Texas, isn't worried about the noise. 'It's college football,' Feaster said. 'I know it's different from high school, but I mean, for me, it's never really been a factor, how loud a place is. I just make sure I know what I'm doing. I know the little details and know what I'm supposed to do. I know everybody else on my team is going to do their 1/11th.'
In other news, USC defensive end Luke Wafle was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Monday. Wafle recorded five tackles, two tackles for loss, and his first career sack. He made crucial stops in the final moments against Washington, tackling Huskies quarterback Demond Williams on back-to-back plays and sacking him for a loss of two yards with 3:51 left. Additionally, the USC Trojan Marching Band appeared alongside Ryan Seacrest and Vanna White for the cold open of Monday's 'Wheel of Fortune' episode at the Hollywood Bowl. The band has performed at the Hollywood Bowl every year since 1983 and played the game show's theme song with the USC Spirit Leaders and Song Leaders.
Originally reported by headtopics.