This week brings a look at the USC's football mobile application, Project Trojan, a video-heavy, behind-the-scenes look into the world that is USC football. This is one of two football-based applications offered by USC. The other is USC Gameday, an app focused on scores, schedules and stadium information. While both apps are appealing, I opted to take the road less traveled with Project Trojan. Overall, the app delivers a deep library of compelling video, but the layout and timeliness of new content are pain points. Project Trojan was developed in-house in conjunction with The App Store. It is a free download with no advertising. This review was conducted on an iPhone 5 version 8.0.2 with AT&T LTE service.
TOUCHDOWNS: For fans of the USC Trojans who want to get an inside look at the program, this is a great product. It is about video, video and more video. Particularly engaging is a section titled Rapid Reactions, a collection of post-game, on-field interviews with players. Q&A with Coach Sark is also fun to watch with a new video offered for each game. Game highlight reels, post-game press conferences, top-five plays and an HBO "24/7"-inspired series called Project Trojan are also available. For potential recruits, a section titled Trojan Way contains information on the football program, academics and the USC experience. Here, users can take a virtual facilities tour and view a lengthy list of notable alumni, among other things. Fans can purchase tickets and merchandise within the app. They can also use the app’s photo booth tool to share or save a fun picture of themselves showing their school spirit.
TURNOVERS: With all that the app offers, it leaves out scores and schedules entirely. Great video clips are plentiful, but the app’s layout also does not do them justice. There are no search or filter functions -- simply separate libraries of content -- and many of these libraries contain overlapping clips. As for timeliness, clips from the most recent game are not available in the expected time frame. On Monday, there were no new videos from Saturday’s game against Arizona State, so fans are not likely to use this app to play weekend catch-up. Some video libraries do not contain a clip for each game played, so consistency is also an issue. There are no video sharing tools. At times, the app is "sticky" in a bad way, with slow-to-load content, untimely crashes and icons that need to be tapped repeatedly before the app responds.
FINAL SCORE: Project Trojan brings a ton of compelling video to the USC fan and succeeds in delivering information on the football program, with warm and fuzzy highlights like notable alumnus Will Ferrell and the 35 beaches that surround the campus. What it does not do is provide scores, schedules, timely game clips or a searchable library of content. All are on my wish list for the next release. Since its inception, users on iTunes give the product 4.5 stars, but there are not enough reviews of the most recent August 2014 release to provide an updated rating. My rating: 2.5 stars.
Amie Sheridan (amie.sheridan31@gmail.com) is a freelance writer in Philadelphia.
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