USC Football: Lincoln Riley Reflects On Bear Alexander Transfer Rumors

Eva Geitheim | Apr 16, 2024

Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports

Earlier this month, a report came out that USC defensive lineman Bear Alexander intended to enter the transfer portal and leave USC, one year after transferring to the Trojans from Georgia. Alexander has since shut down those rumors, confirming he plans to stay with USC.

USC football head coach Lincoln Riley has since spoken out on the noise, confirming that Alexander is 'doing fine' after the noise.

“Bear is doing fine,” Riley said, via Ryan Kartje of the Los Angeles Times. “I know there was a bunch of stuff on the outside. I know he felt the need to address it because there was so much on the outside, which kind of starts anywhere and everywhere in this day and age.”

While Alexander is staying, Riley remains confident that either way, USC should have no problems recruiting players to their football program given their reputation.

“In past years, maybe these [conversations] would have happened more completely after the spring,” Riley said, via Kartje. “With the transfer portal, you find yourself having some more big-picture conversations with these guys to discuss what you see in them as a coach, what you see potentially their role being both now and in the future. But at the end of the day, I mean, it’s USC. Like, you’re not going to beg people to be here. It’s just, I mean, for every guy that leaves, there’s going to be a line of 100 people that would die to take that spot in a heartbeat.”

USC's track record only backs up what Riley said. Through the transfer portal, the Trojans have brought in top players including Alexander, Caleb Williams, Brenden Rice, MarShawn Lloyd, Kamari Ramsey and Jordan Addison over the last few years.

The Trojans will have the opportunity to bring in more transfer portal additions over the next two weeks, as the portal window officially opened on Monday.