Viliami Moala Flips Commitment From 'Dream School' USC Trojans to Oregon Ducks

Three-star defensive lineman, Viliami Moala took to social media to announce he has de-committed from the USC Trojans. Just hours later, Moala flipped to the Oregon Ducks.

Sep 28, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts after a game against the Wisconsin Badgers at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Class of 2026 defensive lineman Viliami Moala announced his decision to de-commit from the USC Trojans. Before Moala announced his de-commitment from USC, the Trojans lost against the Penn State Nittany Lions, 33-30. This is USC’s second loss in a row, falling to a 3-3 record.

Moala took to his social media to announce his de-commitment. He thanked Coach Lincoln Riley, Shaun Nua, and Parker Henry for recruiting him. Following his first announcement, Moala posted on social media on Oct. 14 that he had flipped his decision to play for the No. 2 Oregon Ducks.

Moala is a three-star recruit on 247 Sports and On3 and a four-star recruit on Rivals and ESPN.

Moala is from the class of 2026 and initially committed to play for the Trojans on Sept. 10. The commitment came just days after USC defeated the LSU Tigers to open up the season. Though Moala did not say the reason behind this decision, his de-commitment came just days after USC lost to Penn State. The Oregon Ducks defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes the same day, moving to No. 2 in the nation.

While Moala is listed as a defensive lineman, he has experience playing on the offensive line as either a guard or a center. Being able to play on both sides of the ball and being a physical athlete, Moala is a valuable recruit.

Oct 12, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans run off United Airlines Field after warming up for the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

"To be honest, man, I always loved USC,” Moala told On3 when he committed. “They’ve always been my dream school. My first visit to USC they brought me on campus and that’s when I got my offer my sophomore year. It just felt at home and everyone at USC it’s a great environment and I want to be around it."

This is not the first recruit the USC Trojans have lost. Class of 2025 five-star defensive lineman Justus Terry de-commited over the offseason. On the plus side for the Trojans, Moala is from the class of 2026. USC has more than enough time to keep recruiting. 

Despite losing one member of the class of 2026, the Trojans just gained a big one. Four-star defensive lineman Braeden Jones committed to the USC Trojans on Oct. 13. Despite losing against the Nittany Lions, the Trojans got a major commitment to add to their defensive line.

The USC Trojans hosted numerous recruits during their week seven matchup against Penn State. One is the class of 2026 five-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson. Though Atkinson is leaning towards Georgia, USC is still getting interest from top recruits. Losing Moala is tough, but the Trojans have a bright future.

Oct 12, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans players run on to United Airlines Field for the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The key moving forward will be for the USC Trojans to hold on to their committed players, specifically for the class of 2025. A common trend for programs is when the teams start to lose games, future players can lose interest. The USC coaching staff needs to remain in communication with their recruits to keep them interested.

Although USC is 3-3, 1-3 in Big Ten conference play, there is hope for the future of the Trojans. On3 currently ranks USC's Class of 2025 recruiting class 11th in the nation and 3rd in the Big Ten. Being able to land their target recruits, the Trojans will continue to build a tough team. 

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