USC Trojans' Lincoln Riley Addresses the Current 'Unique' State of Recruiting, Flips

The early signing period is officially a week away and the USC Trojans are working to put the finishing touches on its 2025 recruiting class. USC coach Lincoln Riley discussed the wave of decommits and commits for the Trojans over the last month.

Nov 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

It has been a roller coaster of a last month for the USC Trojans on the recruiting trail. The early signing period is officially a week away, but it could be a very long week with the landscape of recruiting changing. The NIL component and a new generation of high school recruits have presented new challenges for programs to keep their signing class intact as the signing day approaches. Coach Lincoln Riley addressed the Trojans final stretch of recruiting for the 2025 cycle when he spoke with the media on Tuesday. 

“It’s gonna be a great, fun, exciting close,” Riley said. “It's so unique right now cause it’s jumping up on us quick. And with us not being at home, getting the chance to go out on the road and recruit. We’ve had the chance to evaluate, to go see games but that piece has been very different. I know it has been for everyone across the country and I think because of that you’re seeing some of the volatility that you’re going to see. I mean you’re seeing it all over the country."

“You’re going to see guys moving around and you’re seeing it for two reasons, some guys are changing their mind for whatever reason is and it’s of unique because you can’t get in front of all their faces right now and you’re seeing some schools change their minds. And you’re actually seeing that a lot more than ever before in my opinion. That’s just the world that we’re in right now. Players have always changed their mind and changing it more in the last several years, they’re probably changing it more and more than ever before. It’s probably up ticked as time has went on, but there are a lot of schools changing their mind too but it’s not like the schools are going to jump in front of cameras like this and say that,” Riley said. 

Nov 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Trojans lost Oaks Christian (CA) four-star edge rusher Hayden Lowe when he flipped to the Miami Hurricanes on Nov. 13 and then the very next day, they lost Carrollton (GA) three-star cornerback Shamar Arnoux when he flipped to the Auburn Tigers. Carrolton (GA) five-star quarterback Julian Lewis and Williamson (AL) four-star offensive tackle Carde Smith also decommited this month and flipped to the Colorado Buffaloes. 

On Monday, Seminole Ridge (FL) four-star linebacker Ty Jackson flipped to the in-state Florida Gators and Oakland (TN) three-star running back Daune Morris flipped to the in-state Tennessee Volunteers. The Trojans have had 12 players decommit in the 2025 cycle. 

Although, the Trojans have lost a number of recruits in recent weeks. they have been busy on the trail during this flip season, headlined by five-star Corona Centennial (CA) quarterback Husan Longstreet. Longstreet had pledged to Texas A&M in April 2024, but after a visit to the Coliseum to watch USC defeat the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Nov. 16, the local product announced his commitment to the Trojans the next day. Later that day, Jenks (OK) three-star defensive lineman Cash Jacobson, who was also in attendance against Nebraska announced his commitment to USC. The Trojans flipped Gainesville (GA) four-star offensive tackle Alex Payne last week from North Carolina, where he had been committed to since January.

The Trojans have 21 commits for the 2025 cycle and are still look to add to its No. 14 ranked recruiting class, per the On3 Industry Recruiting Rankings. Their primary focus is Edna Karr (LA) five-star defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart, who recently received an expert prediction from On3 to commit to the Trojans.

High school recruits don’t have to sign next Wednesday, but in this day and age, most players enroll early so they can take part in bowl practice next month and compete in the spring. So most of the chaos for the 2025 recruiting cycle will ensue over the next week, but based on how the last month has transpired, anything is possible. 

The early signing period will be next Wednesday, Dec. 4

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