Losing games and falling short of expectations at USC will generate a reaction from columnists and college football insiders. Lincoln Riley knows this. No one should be surprised that critical scrutiny of USC football is increasing as the Trojans prepare for a must-win game against Penn State this weekend. Matt Hayes of USA TODAY Sports noted how poorly Lincoln Riley has recruited, specifically in the state of California, in recent years. USC football recruiting has simply not met the standard the program needs to set in order to put itself in position to win championships:
We’re three recruiting classes into the Riley era, and only two of the starting offensive linemen are organically recruited and developed. On the defensive line, all four starters are transfers from the portal.
You’re not surviving in the Big Ten with that buildout plan.
Riley’s three recruiting classes at USC finished 70th (2022), 8th (2023) and 17th (2024) in the 247sports composite rankings, but more damning is the staff’s inability to recruit the talent-rich state of California.
In the last three recruiting classes ranked by 247sports, USC signed three of the top 20 players from California in 2022, four in 2023 and two in 2024 – or nine of the top 60 players (15 percent) from the state over that span. Six are still on the team, and none of the original nine were offensive or defensive linemen.
The results are what they are. USC’s offensive line is holding the program back, and as we have noted, Josh Henson is simply not recruiting at the standard needed to elevate USC.
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