It had been a turbulent morning, on the finish of a turbulent recruiting cycle for USC and Lincoln Riley. Ten prospects had already decommitted throughout the previous six months, amongst them a handful of top-100 skills. A number of of the state’s prime gamers, too, had spurned the Trojans in favor of extra far-flung soccer powers, like Alabama or Texas A&M or Penn State, all of which inked extra prime California recruits for his or her 2025 lessons.
Signing day had been trending in a disappointing route for USC, properly earlier than Wednesday had even arrived. Then, simply as the category was coming collectively, one among USC’s prized defensive assistants, Matt Entz, took the top teaching job at Fresno State, leaving the Trojans in a good harder spot, scrambling to safe two prime linebackers who appeared strong simply the evening earlier than.
It was hardly the preamble Riley had hoped for forward of the early signing window, in the beginning of his fourth season because the Trojans coach. Riley, at one level, even discovered himself reiterating his allegiance to USC, after a report linked him to a lesser head job at Central Florida.
However when all was mentioned and accomplished Wednesday, the day would nonetheless conclude in simply the best way USC’s coach had hoped, with the most important signing of his Trojan tenure thus far.
The flourish on the end of USC’s 2025 class got here courtesy of five-star Louisiana defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart, a game-wrecker on the inside who fittingly calls himself “Thanos,” referring to the intimidating supervillain on the middle of the early Marvel movies.
“It was important,” Riley mentioned of reeling in Stewart. “He’s one of the more talented defensive linemen that I’ve had a chance to be involved with recruiting. And it’s just, this is one of those things where everything about this just fits. We’re really glad he’s a Trojan.”
That was apparent as his signing grew to become official Wednesday, as a bevy of USC staffers, together with defensive position coach Eric Henderson, posted photographs on social media sporting Thanos’ trademark gauntlet from the Marvel movies, with two of its golden fingers formed in USC’s “V for Victory” signal. Henderson particularly had been vital in reeling in Stewart, who transferred to Henderson’s highschool alma mater, Edna Karr Excessive in New Orleans, forward of reclassifying to the 2026 class.
Whether or not he’ll be capable to make an impression instantly on a USC protection that would undoubtedly use him is one other query. The 17-year outdated Louisiana defensive deal with hasn’t performed a soccer recreation in over a yr — and has solely performed 12 video games on the varsity stage — because of guidelines relating to his switch. However after watching him wreck opposing offensive traces up shut, Riley didn’t appear bothered by that.
“There’s lots of people that I don’t suppose could be prepared, bodily or mentally, to try this. However he’s one among ‘em,” Riley said. “We had zero hesitation to target him and had zero hesitation or questions about what he brings to the table here.”
Not only would Stewart’s signing bump the Trojans as much as the Thirteenth-ranked recruiting class within the nation in accordance with 247 Sports activities, but it surely additionally made it extra palatable to look previous the prospects USC couldn’t shut on Wednesday.
A number of rumored flips fell simply quick for USC within the closing hours, whereas two linebackers anticipated to signal with the Trojans as a substitute went elsewhere, presumably within the wake of Entz’s exit. San Juan Capistrano four-star linebacker Madden Faraimo, the highest-rated prospect left within the state, opted to signal with Notre Dame, handing USC its largest recruiting defeat of the day. USC additionally wasn’t in a position to signal four-star linebacker Jadon Perlotte, who was anticipated to flip to Tennessee.
JSerra linebacker Madden Faraimo picked Notre Dame over the Trojans on Wednesday.
(Craig Weston)
USC did handle to safe a flip from Michigan four-star cornerback Alex Graham, however in any other case made few waves exterior of securing Stewart.
Many of the turbulence that outlined USC’s recruiting cycle had already settled a number of weeks earlier, when five-star Corona Centennial quarterback Husan Longstreet introduced final month that he would signal with the Trojans. His dedication got here proper on the heels of one other five-star quarterback, Georgia’s Julian Lewis, pulling his personal pledge to USC in favor of Colorado.
That dance between two elite quarterback prospects had been a fragile one, as quarterbacks coach Luke Huard was tasked with sustaining a relationship with Longstreet and his household via the method, at the same time as Lewis stored his dedication for over a yr.
That preparation would show prescient. When it lastly grew to become clear Lewis wouldn’t signal with USC, Huard moved rapidly to safe Longstreet, who had been dedicated to Texas A&M and whose arrival was, like Stewart, an vital salve for a category that in any other case had simply two signees ranked within the prime 150 nationally.
“This was really about Husan, and the more we got to know him, got to evaluate him, the more we got to see his mental makeup, how team-oriented he was, how serious he was about the game, we just felt like in the end, there wasn’t a better fit for us,” Riley mentioned. “That’s eventually why we made the decisions we made. I feel like we landed on the perfect guy for us.”
Lincoln Riley has “a lot of confidence” in Jayden Maiava getting into subsequent season as USC’s beginning QB.
USC plans so as to add a QB for “depth” within the portal, however Riley mentioned he’d be “very, very excited” about having him and Husan Longstreet as USC’s prime QB’s pic.twitter.com/ZOETPKifu4
— Ryan Kartje (@Ryan_Kartje) December 4, 2024
Regardless of what may have been with USC’s class, Riley assured he was happy with the place it ended up. USC inked 4 offensive linemen, together with two ranked within the top-150, to assist bolster its offensive entrance.
It additionally took steps to rebuild its secondary, replenishing a room that’s set to lose seven contributors after the bowl recreation. The Trojans signed 5 defensive backs, together with Upland four-star cornerback Trestin Castro, who was one among simply three signees at USC ranked within the prime 20 of the state.
There was nonetheless work to do, together with including a 3rd quarterback, for “depth”, by way of the switch portal, Riley mentioned. Different coaches may additionally depart within the coming weeks, at the same time as Riley assured no employees adjustments have been imminent.
However after a roller-coaster of a recruiting cycle, the coach mentioned he was leaving Wednesday with “a great feeling”. The query now, with the switch portal set to open Monday, is how lengthy that feeling may final.
