Leave it to USC to get a head start on the competition, as it opens its 2023 spring football calendar on Saturday.

The Trojans enter the spring season with high hopes, along with a handful of other Pac-12 teams itching for its first College Football Playoff berth since 2016.

But USC also has some things to fix. Here’s a look at one key storyline for every Pac-12 team heading into spring ball, including the Trojans’ defensive adjustments.

Arizona Wildcats

Head coach: Jedd Fisch (7-19 overall, 6-18 in 3rd season at Arizona)

2022 record: 5-7 overall (3-6 Pac-12)

Key returners: QB Jayden de Laura, WR Jacob Cowing, WR Tetairoa McMillan

Key losses: WR Dorian Singer, DB Christopher Roland-Wallace, DL Kyon Barrs

Significant Spring storyline: Can the Wildcats fix their ailing pass defense? Arizona has made clear strides offensively under Jedd Fisch but the defense has been stuck in neutral since the Kevin Sumlin era. Fisch went back to the drawing board and retooled his defensive coaching staff, adding cornerbacks coach John Richardson while bringing back former long-time assistant coach Duane Akina as a defensive analyst. Question is, do the Cats have enough talent for the new staff to make a difference? The addition of former Oregon top recruit Justin Flowe will be a great case study in Arizona’s retooled look.

Arizona State Sun Devils

Head coach: Kenny Dillingham (0-0 overall, 0-0 in first season at Arizona State)

2022 record: 3-9 (2-7 Pac-12)

Key returners: QB Trenton Bourguet, WR Elijhah Badger, WR Giovanni Sanders

Key losses: RB Xazavian Valladay, OL LaDarius Henderon, LB Kyle Soelle

Significant Spring storyline: The Sun Devils start fresh under Dillingham, one of the best young offensive minds in the country. He’ll most certainly try to push the tempo and install an offense that is less predictable and flashier than Herm Edwards’ was in Tempe. Can that be accomplished in spring football? Probably not. But can a solid foundation be laid down? Most certainly. Will that foundation include Jaden Rashada? That’s the big question. The star recruit, whose recruiting relationship with Florida famously went south, landed in Dilly’s hands. Will the 1st-year coach put him to work immediately? Between Notre Dame transfer Drew Pyne and incumbent part-time starter Trenton Bourguet, Dillingham has options. But starting fresh with Rashada may just be the ticket.

Cal Bears

Head coach: Justin Wilcox (30-36 overall, 30-36 in 7th season at Cal)

2022 record: 4-8 overall (2-7 Pac-12)

Key returners: WR Jeremiah Hunter, RB Jaydn Ott, LB Jackson Sirmon

Key losses: WR J. Michael Sturdivant, DB Daniel Scott, LB Oluwafemi Oladejo

Significant Spring storyline: Is Sam Jackson V the guy? Stabilizing an underperforming quarterback position is the key to Cal’s success going forward, and Wilcox must hope that Jackson, the transfer who served as a backup national runner-up TCU last year, fits the bill. Spring ball will offer his first major opportunity since 2019, his only prep season as a quarterback. That’s right, this coveted former 4-star recruit has barely any game experience as a starting quarterback. If he settles in and proves his mettle, the Bears have a chance to enter fall camp with some momentum. If, through more than a dozen practices, it’s clear that Jackson is not the guy, they go back to the drawing board.

Colorado Buffaloes

Head coach: Deion Sanders (27-6 overall, 0-0 in first season at Colorado)

2022 record: 1-11 overall (1-8 Pac-12)

Key returners: WR Jordyn Tyson, DB Trevor Woods, RB Deion Smith

Key losses: RB Alex Fontenot, LB Josh Chandler-Semedo, LB Quinn Perry

Significant Spring storyline: Can Coach Prime carry the momentum to the playing field? Few programs were disrupted this offseason more than Colorado, which went from the drowsy Karl Dorrell to the scintillating Deion Sanders. Sanders brought his top players with him from Jackson State — guys like Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter — and they should make an immediate impact with the Buffaloes both in terms of talent and buy-in. If the incumbent Buffs see the new guys going 120 percent, they’re going to raise their game. Foundations can be set in the first spring, particularly if Sanders can raise internal expectations from the players themselves.

Oregon Ducks

Head coach: Dan Lanning (10-3 overall, 10-3 in second season at Oregon)

2022 record: 10-3 overall (2-7 Pac-12)

Key returners: QB Bo Nix, WR Troy Franklin, DL Brandon Dorlus

Key losses: OL TJ Bass, DB Christian Gonzalez, OL Alex Forsyth

Significant Spring storyline: Will Bo Nix pick up where he left off? Oregon’s super-senior gunslinger returns for a 5th season at the helm looking to prove that Year 4 — and Year 1 in Eugene — was no fluke. But can he do it without Kenny Dillingham? He had the 2 best years of his career under Dilly’s tutelage. With his former offensive coordinator off to the greener pastures of Tempe, we’ll know pretty early in spring if Nix picked up a thing or too. If Oregon’s offense maintains at the same pace and the defense takes a step forward in spring, the Ducks go into the 2023 season as one of the league’s top CFP candidates.

Oregon State Beavers

Head coach: Jonathan Smith (26-31 overall, 26-31 in 6th season at Oregon State)

2022 record: 10-3 overall (6-3 Pac-12)

Key returners: RB Damien Martinez, DB Kitan Oladapo, DB Alex Austin

Key losses: AP Jack Colletto, DB Jaydon Grant, LB Omar Speights

Significant Spring storyline: Can DJ Uiagalelei tap into his talent? The 5-star recruit did not play like a 5-star talent for Clemson as the heir apparent to Trevor Lawrence, but many believe a change of scenery could be just the thing for the new Beaver to resurrect his career. And if he does, OSU will be dangerous. Smith has to know that. He watched as a potential 12-win season was dashed by poor quarterback play, and as a former star Beaver QB himself, that had to hurt. Getting one of the top transfers in the portal was a coup for Smith. Even better would be Uiagalelei living up to billing.

Stanford Cardinal

Head coach: Troy Taylor (30-8 overall, 0-0 in first season at Stanford)

2022 record: 3-9 overall (1-8 Pac-12)

Key returners: RB EJ Smith, RB Casey Filkins, LB David Bailey

Key losses: DB Kyu Blu-Kelly, QB Tanner McKee, WR Elijah Higgins

Significant Spring storyline: How will the Taylor era begin, with a bang or with a whimper? For the first time in what feels like an entire generation, David Shaw won’t be the loudest voice in the Stanford locker room. Taylor’s first spring is a chance for him to establish a new way, from the practice schedule to the playbook to the scheme and designs. With an unsettled quarterback position, he might have to shoulder a larger leadership role than in most years. That could be a good thing as he looks to establish authority in a totally foreign locker room.

UCLA Bruins

Head coach: Chip Kelly (73-36 overall, 27-29 in 6th season at UCLA)

2022 record: 9-4 overall (6-3 Pac-12)

Key returners: DL Gabriel Murphy, LB Darius Muasau, LB Laiatu Latu

Key losses: QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson, RB Zach Charbonnet, WR Jake Bobo

Significant Spring storyline: Will the next UCLA starting quarterback please stand up? There may be no more fascinating individual player group competition than the Bruins’ heir apparent to DTR. Thompson-Robinson wasn’t perfect, but he improved by leaps and bounds over his 5 years at the helm. UCLA fans are surely clamoring for 5-star freshman Dante Moore to come in and seize the position, but Chip Kelly isn’t one to throw a season away. If Moore is the man, he’ll go. If not, Kelly has Collin Schlee and Ethan Garbers to which to turn.

USC Trojans

Head coach: Lincoln Riley (66-13 overall, 11-3 in 2nd season at USC)

2022 record: 11-3 overall (8-1 Pac-12)

Key returners: QB Caleb Williams, OL Justin Dedich, DB Calen Bullock

Key losses: WR Jordan Addison, OL Andrew Vorhees, DL Tuli Tuipulotu

Significant Spring storyline: Can Alex Grinch make strides? It was clear by all who watched USC last season that something seriously ailed the defense. Whether it was players out of position, missed tackles or blown assignments, the Trojans gave up far too many yards, far too many chunk plays and too many points (29.2 per game, 8th in Pac-12, 93rd nationally). Despite star talent across the field, USC just couldn’t put it together. Riley decided to stand pat, though, and stick with Grinch, but some major changes have to be made schematically. Spring ball will be a good measuring stick for the defense to assess what is working and what is not.

Utah Utes

Head coach: Kyle Whittingham (154-74 overall, 154-74 in 18th season at Utah)

2022 record: 10-4 overall (7-2 Pac-12)

Key returners: QB Cam Rising, TE Brant Kuithe, WR DeVaughn Vele

Key losses: RB Tavion Thomas, TE Dalton Kincaid, CB Clark Phillips III

Significant Spring storyline: Who backs up Cam? I wrote about this the other day, and it remains the single biggest question mark to begin Utah’s 2023 efforts, which could all be for naught if Rising doesn’t heal up quickly from a torn ACL. The two-time Rose Bowl quarterback will miss spring ball, giving opportunities to Nate Johnson, Bryson Barnes and Brandon Rose. Kyle Whittingham has to be nervous about the prospects of Rising missing much of the early season; the only thing that will make him rest easy is another quarterback stepping up in the spring.

Washington Huskies

Head coach: Kalen DeBoer (90-11 overall, 11-2 in 2nd season at Washington)

2022 record: 11-2 overall (7-2 Pac-12)

Key returners: QB Michael Penix Jr., DL Bralen Price, WR Rome Odunze

Key losses: RB Wayne Taulapapa, DB Alex Cook, LB Cam Bright

Significant Spring storyline: Just how good can this offense be? It was one thing when DeBoer convinced Penix to stick around for one more year and possibly raise his draft stock into the top 10. But then the Huskies were able to hang onto his top 3 targets, including Odunze, one of the top receivers in the Pac-12, and suddenly what was a terrific offense a year ago has the chance to be truly iconic this year. DeBoer and Ryan Grubb having a full spring and summer to work with an already tight-knit group? That is absolutely horrifying to opposing defenses.

Washington State Cougars

Head coach: Jake Dickert (10-9 overall, 10-9 in 3rd season at Washington State)

2022 record: 7-6 overall (4-5 Pac-12)

Key returners: QB Cam Ward, RB Nakia Watson, DB Jaden Hicks

Key losses: WR De’Zhaun Stribling, WR Donovan Ollie, LB Daiyan Henley

Significant Spring storyline: Is this the year for Cam Ward? The Incarnate Word transfer was all the buzz before coming to the Palouse before last season, even drawing some Heisman darkhorse talk. And it’s not that he was bad last year, but he wasn’t all that good. Losing his three top targets won’t help, either. But spring football offers him a chance to build some camaraderie with a new cast of targets and a chance to get a head start on a tough 2023 schedule.