Tag: Lincoln Riley Transfer Portal

Could USC land former No. 1 overall recruit Travis Hunter?

.@BuffaloesWire would likely agree Colorado is still the favorite to land Hunter because of Deion Sanders, but don’t completely rule out the Trojans just yet.

Jackson State star Travis Hunter, the top-ranked overall player in the 2022 class per 247Sports, has entered the transfer portal after announcing his decision Sunday night.

Hunter finished with 18 catches for 188 yards and four touchdowns in eight games. The star freshman helped force overtime in the Celebration Bowl with a 19-yard TD catch as time expired. Hunter finished his final game with JSU with four catches for 47 yards and two TDs.

On defense at cornerback, Travis Hunter had 20 tackles, two interceptions and 10 pass breakups.

Hunter’s departure comes on the heels of Tiger head coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders departing to take the same position at Colorado on Dec. 3.

In the weeks following his hiring, Sanders has brought key pieces of his Jackson State regime to Boulder. Quarterback Shedeur Sanders, Deion’s son, entered the transfer portal shortly after the Celebration Bowl, and is expected to join his father with the Buffaloes alongside a few others, potentially including Hunter.

Colorado still has to be considered the favorite to land Hunter; several of his Jackson State teammates are expected to follow Sanders to Boulder.

Keep an eye out for USC, Miami and Georgia as well, however. Hunter is a Georgia native and UGA has had the best defense in the country the past two seasons.

USC and Miami are places where Hunter — who some people have called the next Prime Time — could play both ways on offense and defense. Hunter is projected to play corner at the next level but is an amazing red zone threat on offense with his 40-inch vertical and 6-2 frame.

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Insane story could create huge transfer portal opportunity for Lincoln Riley, USC

One of the wildest stories in the history of the coaching carousel could help #USC in a big way. We’ll explain this amazing turn of events.

And you thought the 2021 coaching carousel was crazy. Wait until you hear about the most remarkable coaching carousel story of all time, more remarkable than Lincoln Riley going to USC and Brian Kelly leaving Notre Dame for LSU on back-to-back days. This one tops them both. What’s more: It could help Riley and USC in a very big way.

Imagine that a coach who had already flirted with another program a few years ago doggedly tries to remain on the job at School A. He gets onto the hot seat but coaches his way out of it.

Then he bails.

More than that, he not only bails; he goes to the school which is playing School A in a bowl game in just 12 days. He coaches School A on Nov. 26. He then leaves for School B on Dec. 5, just before coaching in a bowl game between School A and School B on Dec. 17.

That could never, ever happen … or at least, not until December of 2022. It really has happened. Again, USC could benefit.

We’ll lay out this true story below, and what it might mean for the Trojans and Lincoln Riley:

 

Transfer portal officially opens on December 5; Lincoln Riley is waiting to pounce

#USC plays Utah Dec. 2. The bowls are revealed Dec. 4. On Dec. 5, the portal officially opens. One #Oklahoma WR just said he’ll enter the portal.

USC’s substantial and immediate transformation in college football is the product of several forces. One central force is the impact of the transfer portal.

The obvious connection to make with the portal and its influence on USC is the simple fact that Lincoln Riley believes in the centrality of the portal. This is not a peripheral pursuit for him. Riley views the portal as essential to making USC better. It’s not a luxury or an add-on; it’s an absolute necessity.

Riley understands how the portal can transform rosters. So many other coaches do not. This has been a game-changer for USC.

Let’s review some of USC’s high-impact transfers and take note of some 2022-2023 transfer prospects while reminding you that the new portal cycle officially begins on December 5.

We can also tell you that Oklahoma receiver Theo Wease has expressed his desire to enter the portal when it does open on Dec. 5.

Lincoln Riley, USC are in a great position to raid Jimbo Fisher and Texas A&M this offseason

Texas A&M and Louisville are both likely to endure a transfer portal exodus of highly-rated freshmen who want out. This is where Lincoln Riley can pounce. #USC

If you are looking at ways for USC to build itself up to a national championship standard for 2023 and then for its first Big Ten season in 2024, the transfer portal is going to be a central avenue for Lincoln Riley.

Among various head coaches at elite college football programs, Riley has already established himself as a leader in the transfer portal. This is how he immediately built back the USC roster. This is something he will continue to do in future years to stock his roster and address deficiencies.

Actual transfer portal declarations (players entering the portal) have not yet occurred in large numbers, but one can reasonably guess that exoduses and defections will begin to accumulate at the end of the regular season, which is one month away.

Two schools in particular are likely to provide a lot of high-quality transfers to Lincoln Riley’s USC program and other interested programs. Let’s go through the details on why this is true, and what it could mean: