By Catherine Galanti
During early August afternoons on the campus of Loyola Marymount University, a back-to-school thrill hums in the ocean-breezy air. But it’s still weeks before the college students begin to trickle back in. No, the ones getting back to work aren’t students at all—unless you count students of football. For the third year, the Los Angeles Rams took over LMU’s campus for their preseason camp, and they brought plenty of spectacle with them.
The scale of camp is almost overwhelming; the saturation and intensity turned all the way up. A hot late summer sun beats down on everything, making colors pop and action seem to unfold faster. Perfect spiral after perfect spiral is spit out, cutting through a cloudless sky and dropping neatly into the waiting hands of receivers. Meandering lines of jersey-clad fans and cliques of position groups shift over the stands and field like ebbing tides. It’s amazing to see how many people are required to make the football machine move; hundreds of players, coaches, trainers, media, and sideline staff crawling like a well-organized anthill.
The sounds are just as impressive. Coaches’ instructions and referee whistles cut through the chaos. Music, usually pop or current rap, is blasted loud enough to hear in the neighboring streets just off the edge of campus. Fans are close enough to cheer for or heckle players on the sidelines and players are close enough to the fans to chuckle privately at yelling jokes. Every time a superstar steps into view or a long throw is completed, the stadium roars. Try telling them practice plays don’t count, it doesn’t seem like preseason when the fans are in fine form already.
The team is in fine form too. There have been increasing murmurs about the Rams’ Super Bowl odds, and their squadron of stars at key positions have made them a threat even weeks out from the beginning of the regular season. Over the first week of camp, involving pads and real scrimmaging, the football team is starting to shape up. It’s hard to pick out weaknesses in this lineup. Both their offense and defense are at the top of preseason rankings, and through a couple days of practices, big plays were made on both sides of the ball.
It’s a testament to the Rams’ roster strength that every position group had the chance to make significant plays, whether it was through splashy throws, long runs, and even a couple of unorthodox touchdowns—like a Quentin Lake fumble recovery and Kam Curl interception that got enthusiastic reactions from the crowd.
The roster has been one of the biggest stories for Los Angeles over the offseason. They’ve been fortunate to retain almost all of their 2025 lineup, as well as making some impactful new additions. Myles Garrett is the obvious headliner, as the seven-time Pro Bowler and 2025 Defensive Player of the Year joining the squad for his first season. Others, like cornerback Trent McDuffie, might be new to the team, but he realizes that the camaraderie amongst teammates is already strong.
“We were playing cards the other night, just really getting to know each other. I think that is a very big aspect of being a great team, knowing who you’re playing with,” said McDuffie, who was traded from the Kansas City Chiefs in March. “Not only are you recovering your body and your mind and all that, but we’re generally spending time with each other, which to me is special, especially being new here.”
McDuffie has already made an impression on star wide receiver Davante Adams. “At the end of the day, I can’t remember the last time I felt the way I feel about [McDuffie] about another corner,” said Adams. “He’s always got the right technique. He’s got a great way of reading you out. He understands his position on any given play and what it means…I don’t want to gas him up too much and have everybody thinking that he’ll win MVP this year. But I’m really, really happy with what I see, and it’s just the epitome of ‘iron sharpens iron.’”
Adams himself has had a strong showing in the first week of camp. Going into season 13—or as he put it, “13 times seven, it’s dog years out here.” Adams is as much of a veteran presence as any. Described as a coach amongst his offensive staff, Adams carries himself like a captain both on and off the field. He exudes both competence and confidence without being cocky, and his work ethic is as strong as ever. He noted a difference approach during his off days, and on leaning on the coaching and training staff to manage his workload.
“I’m not gonna tell you I’m not gonna practice. [Coaches] got to tell me I’m not gonna practice. Otherwise, you’re gonna see me out there all day,” said Adams.
The renewed focus and commitment represent a fresh start for the Rams, whose last season ended in heartbreak after they fell to eventual Super Bowl-winning Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship game. While the pressure is certainly building as the new season nears, training camp is still an opportunity to relax, ease in, and soak up the sun in front of hundreds of adoring fans—and continue to study the playbook during the last few weeks of the SoCal summer.
