Four-star offensive lineman flips from North Carolina to USC

Josh Henson picks up a huge flip of a 4-star offensive lineman. This is what Henson must do to save his job at USC. Is it enough? Lincoln Riley must have an answer.

USC football recruiting just scored a notable win on Friday. Four-star offensive lineman Alex Payne flipped from North Carolina to the Trojans. The 6-5, 285-pound prospect gives USC a significant addition to its offensive front. The story is important in itself and on its own terms, but it also contains value relative to the one big coaching drama at USC right now, the question of whether Lincoln Riley should — and will — fire offensive line coach Josh Henson.

We said this about Henson’s job status:

Josh Henson has not built this offensive line at the standard one should expect at USC. He has fallen short. Unless Riley knows that Henson is going to get it right in terms of roster construction this coming offseason, he has to find someone else to do the job at a higher level.

The Alex Payne flip is a big win for Josh Henson. Lincoln Riley needs to ask himself if this is enough to meaningfully change the calculus at USC football. No one would say this is enough for Henson to be retained, but if other elite prospects are about to come in — on the trail and in the portal — that could definitely alter the equation for Lincoln Riley on the Josh Henson question.

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