Following Monday afternoon’s observe at Howard Jones Subject, USC coach Lincoln Riley addressed the media for the primary time for the reason that Trojans’ victory over crosstown rival UCLA on Nov. 29.
USC (9-3), ranked No. 16 within the AP ballot, is making ready to play Texas Christian (9-4) on Dec. 30 within the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio. USC completed 7-2 in its second season within the Huge Ten and gained 4 of its final 5 video games, the one setback throughout that stretch being a 42-27 loss to Oregon, which is the No. 5 seed within the Faculty Soccer Playoff.
Riley introduced that security Kamari Ramsey, receivers Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane, tight finish Lake McRee and linebacker Eric Gentry is not going to play within the Alamo Bowl. Lane declared for the NFL draft on Monday.
“Anthony Lucas and Bishop Fitzgerald need to play within the recreation however are coping with accidents and making an attempt to get again … we’ll see how that goes,” Riley stated. “Kilian O’Connor and Elijah Paige and Jahkeem Stewart all had surgical procedure and shall be able to roll.”
Requested about signing the No. 1 recruiting class for 2026, Riley stated: “It was an incredible day. We tried to maintain the give attention to constructing subsequent yr’s workforce. The quantity of men that we signed is an enormous portion of it and as we begin to look forward … half of our day and possibly much more is pointing in direction of subsequent yr and coming years. In the meantime, clearly preparing for this bowl recreation. It was a number of exhausting work so as to add expertise and individuals who care about this place and beginning to put subsequent yr’s workforce collectively has been thrilling right here these previous few weeks.”
Riley has a 35-27 file in his 4 seasons at USC and is hoping to enhance his bowl file to 3-1. He guided the Trojans to wins within the 2023 Vacation Bowl and 2024 Las Vegas Bowl.
Riley watched the CIF state Open Division bowl recreation between Santa Margarita (coached by former Trojans quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer) and De La Salle on Saturday and was impressed by the efficiency of USC commit Trent Mosley, who had 11 catches for 183 yards and two touchdowns and a dashing landing within the Eagles’ 47-13 win.
“He was somebody we focused very early on,” Riley stated. “I believed he was tremendous spectacular and it was vital. He’s top-of-the-line receivers within the nation. He’s confirmed that and he simply performed out of his thoughts. It’s an incredible household and he’s a very sensible child.”
Requested what recommendation he provides to gamers who’re deciding what to do subsequent of their careers, Riley stated: “Sure, it’s an vital determination. The fellows that make the proper determination it doesn’t matter what it’s get a leg up on the remainder of their lives. Consequently, a unsuitable determination will be catastrophic. That’s the world all of us stay in. I simply attempt to educate them on their choices. I don’t like telling guys it’s best to do that otherwise you shouldn’t try this. It’s extra about, right here’s this selection, that is what it could seem like, right here’s what it is advisable to take into account. Typically the choice’s fairly clear a method or one other, different instances it’s not. I attempt to give them as a lot steering as I probably can.”
On condition that USC shall be lacking fairly a number of gamers who had been key contributors all through the season, Riley shouldn’t be ruling out the opportunity of youthful gamers seeing motion towards TCU.
“There’s gonna be guys in every single place who’re going to have alternatives,” Riley stated. “All sides of the ball, all place teams, possibly it’s a number of the guys you noticed a bit of bit in the course of the season and in some cases you’ll see guys get some burn on this recreation that haven’t performed in any respect or little or no. Bowl video games are nice, however days like this are probably the most worthwhile a part of it as a result of we’re simply pouring reps into all of those guys, it’s tremendous aggressive and the vitality degree is simply completely different. All these guys really feel it’s their time.”
Riley admitted he and his workers needed to make exhausting choices primarily based on the incoming freshmen, a majority of whom are spring enrollees.
“It’s big, it’s a excessive, excessive quantity which are going to be right here and it’s vital,” he stated. “We’ve needed to make a bunch of roster choices within the final couple of weeks. We’ve got numerous gamers who’ve already signed and a number of the choices we needed to make had been primarily based on figuring out what now we have coming in, and once you signal as many as we did, you’re going to have robust choices to make.”
