Tag: USC Football

Notre Dame website editor is a Troy Polamalu superfan

The editor of Fighting Irish Wire holds Troy Polamalu in the highest regard.

Some players are special. Some athletes have that “it factor” no one else can replicate or easily explain. Troy Polamalu is that player for a lot of football fans, including a Notre Dame website editor who does not easily warm to USC Trojans.

Fighting Irish Wire editor Nick Shepkowski recently talked to us. We wanted to ask him about USC’s Caleb Williams and how he is fitting in as a new member of the Chicago Bears. In the process of answering our questions about Caleb, Shepkowski volunteered that Troy Polamalu is one of his top five football players of all time. How’s that for some USC respect from a Notre Dame football editor?

Troy Polamalu — as we wrote years ago — “revolutionized the safety position. He made the Pro Bowl eight times, was an All-Pro four times, and won a pair of Super Bowls in the Steel City.” He did so with signature flair and style, enough to impress Golden Domers along the way. He is one of one, and this little revelation from Fighting Irish Wire’s editor confirms it.

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The inconvenient truth is that Oregon is closer to a natty than USC

Derrick Harmon saw that Oregon is closer to a national championship than USC. It’s hard to blame him.

The reality of the situation is that USC needed Derrick Harmon in the transfer portal. The reality is that Oregon got him and USC did not. We wrote about Harmon several days ago:

“The Trojans have gone in the wrong direction, losing two of the four defensive line players north of 300 pounds on the roster. On Thursday, multiple online sources announced that 6-foot-2, 305-pound redshirt freshman Deijon Laffitte had entered the transfer portal. Laffitte was considered a project and was not expected to play a significant role on the defensive line in 2024, but after Isaiah Raikes entered the transfer portal two weeks ago and recently signed with Auburn, USC needed to add — not lose — depth.

“In a move reminiscent of Bear Alexander’s brief flirtation with the transfer portal, 6-foot-4 nose tackle Christen Miller from Georgia created a stir when he toyed with the idea. However, a day later, Miller put the speculation to rest by reaffirming his commitment to the Bulldogs.”

USC has lost players and missed out on players in its pursuit of defensive line help. Oregon has swooped in and grabbed Harmon despite USC having elite defensive line coach Eric Henderson as a major selling point.

One can’t really blame Henderson or D’Anton Lynn or any first-year member of the new coaching staff. Oregon also has Phil Knight’s Nike money, an undeniable source of leverage for the Ducks. We’re not dumb enough to ignore that. It’s obviously a central factor in Oregon beating out USC for another key player. Yet, if you are Derrick Harmon, it has to be said that Eric Henderson — as attractive as he might have been in presenting USC as the place to be — was not enough to offset one simple and very inconvenient truth: Oregon, with its combination of recruiting wins, established depth, and portal acquisitions, is closer to a national championship than USC. Oregon definitely has more depth. Dillon Gabriel is a more proven quarterback — we didn’t say better, but he’s certainly more established — than Miller Moss. Oregon has fewer questions along its offensive line. Harmon quite reasonably wanted to be the proverbial “final piece of the puzzle” on a team many will pick to win the Big Ten and fend off Ohio State this year.

USC is not where Oregon is. We don’t like saying it, and we wish we didn’t have to say it … but we do, because we believe in telling it like it is instead of saying what people want to hear.

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Four-star linebacker Justin Hill lists USC among top 4 schools

Ohio State is the favorite in this recruitment.

Oregon, Ohio State, Alabama and USC have all made the top four list for four-star linebacker Justin Hill from the 2025 class. This is a recruiting story of considerable interest for several college football powers, including those in the Big Ten.

The four-star in-state 2025 prospect says he has scheduled official visits to all four schools, but Ohio State is the heavy favorite to land the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Hill.

Hill attends Winton Woods High School in Cincinnati. he plans to commit to a college on July 3, which is also his 18th birthday.

Hill is ranked as the No. 126 overall prospect and 13th overall edge rusher according to 247Sports Composite Rankings

USC has tons of 2025 prospects on the board, and Hill would be a great addition to an already loaded 2025 class that ranks currently in the top five in the nation. You might not like the fact that Ohio State is perceived as the favorite in this recruitment, but you should follow Buckeyes Wire for more coverage of this story if you are interested in learning more.

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Derrick Harmon chooses Oregon in transfer portal, dealing USC a big blow

This was a portal battle USC urgently needed to win. The Trojans lost.

The USC Trojans really, really needed to land Michigan State transfer portal prospect Derrick Harmon. We made no secret of this. The Trojans have lacked depth and bodies up front. They need another strong, hefty piece on their defensive line to feel they have enough heft to thrive in the Big Ten. Unfortunately, Oregon has beaten USC yet again in a big chase for a key player.

Ducks Wire has more on this story:

“In the early transfer window, Harmon entered the portal and looked around for a new team, ultimately taking a visit to Oregon before deciding to return to East Lansing with Jonathan Smith. After a few offseason months, though, Harmon re-entered the portal and decided to fly west to Eugene.

“In two full seasons and a redshirt freshman year at Michigan State, Harmon played in 25 games as a Spartan, taking 979 defensive snaps. In his career, Harmon has tallied 71 total tackles, 6.5 TFLs, 3.5 sacks, and forced a fumble. 247Sports ranks him as a 4-star transfer and the No. 1 defensive tackle in the portal.”

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USC gets one piece of great news in Damonic Williams transfer choice

Damonic Williams going to Oklahoma means he won’t go to LSU, which plays USC in Week 1.

It’s not good for USC that Damonic Williams chose to play football at Oklahoma. The Trojans could have used an elite defensive tackle. USC fans had accepted that Williams was asking for more NIL money than what USC should have been willing to pay. Nevertheless, it’s one big tackle off the board in the transfer portal. However, while Williams going to OU is bad in the sense that he didn’t choose USC, there is a specific piece of very good news attached to this story: Williams isn’t going to LSU.

LSU Tigers Wire has more:

“On Thursday night, TCU defensive tackle Damonic Williams committed to Oklahoma. The native of Mission Hills, California, had previously visited LSU on Monday.

“It’s a tough miss for the Tigers, who only return two players along the defensive line with game experience — Jacobian Guillory and Jalen Lee. For now, that need remains unfilled. However, other targets remain available such as Michigan State’s Simeon Barrow Jr. and Kent State’s CJ West.”

USC plays LSU in Week 1 of the 2024 season in Las Vegas. LSU not getting a high-end defensive tackle is fantastic news for the Trojans, who need a defensive tackle of their own. Michigan State transfer Derrick Harmon is the biggest target on the board for USC. We’ll see if the Trojans and LSU both land a key prospect, or if one school gets the clear upper hand over the other.

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North Carolina four-star offensive lineman is offered by USC

Josh Henson is going into North Carolina, trying to make a splash for USC.

USC football has offered 2026 offensive lineman Leo Delaney, a MaxPreps Sophomore All-America prospect. Delaney also holds offers from Auburn, Alabama, Clemson, Utah, Michigan, North Carolina State, Miami, Tennessee, and Florida. USC offensive line coach Josh Henson needs to step up his game in the recruiting realm, and this is an attempt to do precisely that as the Trojans try to fortify themselves for the rugged Big Ten Conference.

Delaney is the No. 76 player ranked nationally, the No. 3 offensive lineman in his class, and the No. 5 player in his home state of North Carolina.

The Providence Day School four-star performer from Charlotte had this to say about his recruitment so far:

“I don’t really have any schools completely sticking out for me in the process,” he said. “I’m still kind of just going around, seeing how everything falls together, seeing what I like, seeing what I don’t like. So nothing’s really sticking out for me yet, but I’ll probably know within a few months, top schools.”

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Four-star receiver Davion Brown offered by USC

USC goes after one of the top three receivers in Virginia.

Receiver Davion Brown has received an offer from USC football. The Trojans are in the mix for him in this recruiting battle. Davion Brown also holds offers from North Carolina, North Carolina State, Penn State, Virginia Tech, Virginia, Duke, South Carolina, Boston College, Maryland, Pitt, Florida State, Miami, Tennessee, Louisville, Michigan, SMU and others.

This past season, Brown had 41 receptions for 578 yards and 11 touchdowns for Trinity Episcopal in Richmond (Virginia). He also ran the ball for 366 yards and 3 touchdowns in 2023.

On3, 247Sports and Rivals all rank Brown as a top-250 prospect. On3 and 247Sports both rank him in the top 100. 247 has Brown ranked No. 94 overall, 12th at his position, and third overall in the state of Virginia. USC needs linemen more than any other position groups, but the need to continously restock at wide receiver still exists, especially since Lincoln Riley is and has been conscious of the need to provide top-tier resources for incoming 2025 quarterback Julian Lewis. That is part of this story.

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Brett Neilon knows what kind of teammate Caleb Williams is

Brett Neilon could tell you: Caleb Williams is a great teammate.

As Caleb Williams heads to the NFL and begins his professional career with the Chicago Bears, the stories of his time at USC offer a reminder of the kind of teammate he is. We’re not talking about how skilled he is as a quarterback; we’re focusing on the kind of leader and presence he is in the locker room and how he connects with the players around him. Former USC football teammate Brett Neilon recalled one of the better-known stories about Williams: his insistence that his USC offensive line join him for the 2022 Heisman Trophy ceremony (and victory celebration) in New York:

“He covered everything,” Neilon said. “And I know he told us later when we got to hang out with him, he was like, ‘I told them basically I’m not going to the ceremony if my O-line’s not there.'”

During his acceptance speech, Williams had each of USC’s offensive linemen stand up as he called out their names. Instead of heading to a fancy dinner or making an appearance at the posh New York City establishments that sought to host the Heisman Trophy winner, Williams and his offensive line opted for a lower-key celebration.

Critics focus on minor peripheral details such as painting fingernails or crying after the Washington loss. Teammates know Caleb Williams is there for them in a meaningful way.

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USC target Ryder Lyons named top 10 prospect in 2026 class

We will see if Lincoln Riley can extend his USC line of succession at the quarterback spot.

Folsom (California) four-star quarterback Ryder Lyons is very much in demand. He was named the No. 7 overall prospect in the 2026 class and the No. 2 quarterback in the class by 247Sports. Lincoln Riley has very carefully lined up his quarterback rooms for the next few years at USC. He would love to add Lyons, a player he has met and is courting.

Lyons is a 6-foot-2, 205-pound prospect. He is the younger brother of 2024 four star USC tight end signee Walker Lyons, who is currently serving a mission with the Latter Day Saints in Norway.

Lyons, a dual-threat quarterback, finished his sophomore season with 3,500 passing yards, 950 rushing yards, and 61 total touchdowns.

“I’m probably gonna go on some visits in May or early June. I’ll probably go see USC, Oregon, Michigan, Texas A&M, Georgia, BYU, Notre Dame. I’m just gonna try my best. Those are probably the schools that I like right now a lot.”

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Why offensive lineman Juan Gaston is a huge target for USC 2025 class

Josh Henson would love to pull in a massive yet agile offensive tackle from Georgia.

6-foot-8 360-pound offensive tackle Juan Gaston Jr., from Westlake High School in Atlanta, was offered by the USC Trojans this spring. He is a target to keep an eye on for the Trojans in the near future.

Texas, Georgia, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, and USC are the programs Gaston is highly interested in. He has visits set up with all of them starting with Georgia on May 31.

Gaston’s head coach Morris Mitchell had this to say to Dawg Post about the offensive lineman:

“Juan’s ability to bend is top tier,” Mitchell said. “I’ve never seen a kid that big be able to bend as well as he does. I’ve seen him be at a front squat and over-head squat all the time and he’s getting his bottom to his calf muscle. That’s special. He’s able to move. He’s one of the best athletes we have on our team.

“He’s a once-in-a-generation type of talent. I think he’s the No. 1 offensive lineman in the country. I’ve never seen a kid that big and that fast be able to dunk a basketball, squat as low as he does, and power-cleans 300-pound with ease.”

Gaston Jr. is ranked as the No. 139 overall prospect, the No. 14 offensive line prospect, and the No. 21 overall prospect in the state of Georgia. The talent seems to be better than the rankings indicate.

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