FOOTBALL

A Good-But-Not-Great Signing Day For USC

I’m sure I will be the only one to say this but if a year ago, when Lincoln Riley was hired, someone said, “Are you happy USC has the 13th-ranked recruiting class by Rivals for the Class of 2023” would you be thrilled?

Go back and read your own comments 12 months ago before you try here to argue that you wouldn’t be disappointed. Read the fanboy media, who are still trying to spin this as a huge day.

To be clear: USC helped itself with this recruiting class, especially at QB, WR and LB. The offensive line depth will also improve quite a bit. And USC is going to be noticeably better at some spots through the transfer portal. These days, you need to combine the transfer portal and recruiting rankings to get a true sense of a team’s improvement.

But don’t pretend like you didn’t think USC would pull off a top 5 class once Riley had a year under his belt. Clay Helton had the No. 3-ranked recruiting class in 2018.

USC had a good Signing Day. But the expectations were higher. USC should be able to sign a Top 15 class in its sleep, especially with Riley.

Note: USC is ranked No. 15 by 247.

Look at the picture above. It includes Ronnie Lott and Dennis Smith. Two safeties in the same class. Not to mention cornerback Larry Braziel. That’s special.

68 thoughts on “A Good-But-Not-Great Signing Day For USC”

    1. Lincoln Riley has never been known to be a great recruiter, unless he’s taken on transfers from other programs. The fact that USC got lots of notoriety from their success on the field, and Caleb Williams winning the Heisman , you would think Riley would land a top five recruiting class. Air raid offenses are specifically designed for coaches that produce weak recruiting classes, so I’m not surprised at the average class Riley signed today.

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      1. He’s stated his design is more in securing recruits rather than depending on portal finds. Is this ‘day’ the end of that effort? Is Riley unaware of his needs a bit more than all of us here? I think not but I do believe expectations expressed here are not realistic specific to where the focus of the program is 21st December 2022. The team needs a solid victory over Tulane 2nd January 2023 to wash the bitterness of the 2nd loss to UT when it was obvious who was the better team until Williams hamstring injury.

        Itis known Riley is an offensive minded head coach – his attention his real interest and skill lie there having said that Riley knows too well the 4th estate assessment of his alleged glaring lack of skill – defense.

        The lack of defense is a red herring brought up daily by concerned fans but I sincerely believe it will sort itself out as the season comes to an end and the new year unfolds. Those recruits that watched the bel-air tech and ‘the princess’ victories were ecstatic after both games.

        Liked by 2 people

    4. Short fat defensive lineman, and a 15th ranked recruiting class is not what I call good.. 😂. I’m patiently waiting for the USC ass lick, fanboys to spin this nonsense

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    5. Just Rent,

      Do you remember the Red Skelton show and the act of Klem Kumpbhimer, the bum? Well how is that fitting you these days? I hope your rent is paid up on your two story cardboard box on Cerritos Avenue. That facebook showing is old. Get a new one.

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      1. It’s “Clem Kadiddlehopper” PT; and yes I do remember the Red Skelton character.

        Speaking of bums PT, have you purchased your ducats to the Cotton Picker/Picking Bowl? Nobody deserves a Tixas cow pie more than you.

        Let’s hope the CB lights work, and at least O degrees at game time.

        Cue: “That Smell”

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      2. Just Owns,

        No, I am not going to the Cotton Bowl. Are you going to the El Paso Bowl?

        Tell ya what, I wish you a Merry Christmas and until next Monday, I wish you peace and hope in your life. When you told me how you lost a loved one, even though she was your ex wife, I felt for you. Sincerley, I hope that you have a great Christmas

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Nevertheless 007, he speaks the truth about bozo FB.

      After the first Utah game the rah-rah’s blamed their last second loss on the refs for weeks; even though the Utah QB blew through SUCC cotton ball defense, untouched, for the winning 2pt. conversion.

      After the Clown U made the Pac-12 CS game the rah-rah, bozo FB BS began to fly. It was going to be Michigan vs Clown U in the CFP.

      Unfortunately, like an Andyain’twinning BB debacle, the bozo FB team choka, choka, choka, choka choked. Their H/T winner cries like a baby, and bozos head back to LA, losers and humiliated.

      I’d say 007, the Maharishi is right on point re: bozo FB.

      #Cotton picker/picking Bowl or bust.

      Cue: A video of C. Williams crying after the bozo’s Pac-12 CS game loss.

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      1. Actually, I’m one of the guys who thinks that we should have won both games but the refs did us in, in the first game and a tough luck injury did us in, in the 2nd game. But you’re right. We didn’t win so just accept reality and come back swinging next year.

        Liked by 3 people

      2. Rent’s…… for the 10th time, name the decade you fools played in a bowl game after December 31st…. a simple question, yet you continue to avoid it……

        #Que: Love My Goats….. by Ol’ McDonald

        Liked by 3 people

      5. Yeah…I’m Mad but I guess I’ll just have to live with it until next year. But, really, It was a great year. Like I’ve said before, I’d have to go back to 2016 to find a year of USC football that I have enjoyed as much as 2022. You can’t win the NC every year. All I ever wanted was a coach that would bring SC into a position where they will challenge for the NC year after year. I think that we have that coach and it’s starting to happen. SC football is definitely on the right track.

        Liked by 1 person

  5. I know right, so disappointing. Oh wait, there’s another recruiting deadline & two more transfer deadlines? Yeahs, I’ll hold off on not being “thrilled” after the second transfer window closes.

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  6. hi john,if the fan boys is upseting u and maikin u feal not saif u shud get a reastraneing ordur agenssed them,thats wut sum of the gurls dun to me and it sumtymes wirks,jussed a thowt

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  7. If USC had gotten Matayo and Duce (who may still sign with USC), it would’ve been the first 5 5-star class since 2010. OK, maybe good not great. I’ll take it. Riley’s comments about Nelson and Curtis very interesting (I believe when he says Curtis the LB they wanted most). So instead of Matayo, they get the 4-star edge rusher from Houston 👍

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    1. I don’t think that we’ll get Duce either. He likes SC but why go to SC who doesn’t really use their tight ends when he can go to Georgia who uses them a lot.

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    2. We need to get the guy from WM. Definitely down to about 3 schools, SC being one of them. But somehow or other, we’ve been in that position before(like with Mateo) and we end up losing out. We have to start wining those battles.

      Liked by 1 person

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  9. The only reason for kids choosing Oregon and Miami is the NIL. When is Bohn-head going to pull his head out of his butt? The way Bohn-head attacked the SBR collective was so typical of Bohn/Folt stupidity. The university simply cannot get in trouble if an outside collective gives players money, unless there is coordination with the team or school. So why not let the outside collectives do it without harrassment?

    The only major recruits Riley has pulled to USC have been recruits committed while he was at OK. This recruiting effort is pathetic. I have to believe it all comes down to NIL money and USC’s Stay Doubted or BLVD, or whatever they call it, is simply NOT delivering.

    I’m afraid Lincoln Riley is willing to let the morons at HH and in the administration ruin his chances at a national title.

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    1. I am with you game. I truly believe we got undermined by Oregon money trucks pulling up in front of players homes. USC just isn’t courageous enough to get into the game, so we suffer because the admin sucks.

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      1. But ’49, doesn’t bozo FB recruit itself? The 47 – 24 debacle vs Utah couldn’t have helped recruiting. Why would any smart recruit sign with a team the chokes and their HC hasn’t the balls to yank an obviously injured QB.

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      2. “Oregon Money trucks”. ? … lol 😂. You sound stupid as fucc. How about the Oregon coaching staff are better recruiters than USC. Damn Dude, are yo that much of a Trojans Ass Lick 👅?

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Dude….you have your panties tied in a knot…..All this ranking BS is nothing but numbers on paper and subjective opinions…..The true eye test is when these young men face real D1-level talent. That’s the measuring stick….

        Look at your boi Foreman, #1 ranked, the guy has been nothing short of a bust…..in contrast to Tuli, a 3* who is now a consensus All-American…..could you have predicted that?

        Liked by 1 person

    2. I’m sure Riley will do whatever he can to get out from under those two black clouds …named Folt and Bohn —but there’s only so much he can do as head coach…
      #He’llBeStuckWithThoseTwoScaredPussiesAsLongAsHe’sAtUSC

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    3. I agree but I question how long they can do this. How long can you be paying this kind of money before you go bankrupt? I don’t think that they are paying it now. I think that they are getting some up front cash and a lot of promises. That’s probably why so many players are leaving A&M after such a great 2022 recruiting class.

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    4. For Mateo, it was certainly money. He’s said to be interested in getting into the contemporary music industry. If you want to go down that path you couldn’t find a better school than SC. He is said to have grown up loving SC. His parents love SC. It’s right here, a half hour from all his family and friends. He plays a position where SC is undermanned and need quality people. When it comes to weather, we’re talking about beautiful Southern California, the best weather in the world.
      Yet he passes all that up and runs off to rainy, cold Eugene….860 miles away from everything that he loves. I’m sure, like DeAnthony Thomas(because this has been going on for a long time), when they showed him the money, even his family probably told him to take the money and run .

      Liked by 1 person

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  11. Yeah, admittedly, once we had the three 5* flips from OU last year, I was thinking we’d finish top 5, no problem.
    Not panicking but a little disheartened.

    Agree gametv, need to up our NIL game.

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  12. High school talent is no longer the lifeblood of winning programs because of transfers. Again, 25 of the top 50 recruited high school players have left the school they committed to last year. Getting starters from the transfer portal is more a determinant of how successful your program is going to be. Granted, Oregon has a lot of freshmen talent coming in but will they make an impact next year or in 2024? How many will stay around if they hear that the head coach may be leaving for the SEC? It’s funny how the writer compares the past of the seventies to today’s NIL world. Alabama has been in the top three of recruiting for how many years and that didn’t stop the decline that is obvious in Alabama.

    Perspective, folks. It’s starts then ends with the linemen.

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    1. What decline you moron? Two game ending losses on the road is a
      cause for alarm. Let us see the results after 2023 before you open
      that brainless mouth. Roll Tide!

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      1. And your quarterback next year for Nick Saban is? Your still happy Bill O’brien is calling plays? The o-line for Bama has lost three starters but your good with that? No wide receivers drafted in first round and no first team SEC receiver returning?

        Don’t get me started on the defense that struggled with the Aggies, Texas and LSU who Georgia destroyed. The rot is getting worse in Alabama.

        Liked by 2 people

    2. This World,

      I totally agree about linemen being the most part of the team. Not only because I played on the line, but I have seen what a oline or dline can do. They dominate the game no other way. They control the game and the clock with blocking or for tackling for a loss. Great lines win championships. SC got 4 olinemen and 3 dlinemen. SC needs 1 more olinman and 2 delinemen. For olinmen, they need Brad Buddy types and delinmen, shaun cody or george achica types.

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  14. I am with you game. I truly believe we got undermined by Oregon money trucks pulling up in front of players homes. USC just isn’t courageous enough to get into the game, so we suffer because the admin sucks.

    Liked by 2 people

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    1. You wait — there’s going to some scandal emanating from NIL money trail @ OR and elsewhere. This is why Foyt and Bohn are arm’s length from doing what these other programs are doing with unvetted 3rd parties.

      Imagine if Nikias were still around with what’s being collected by other programs thru NIL just imagine where his eyes would be focused on.

      Patience as noted by MG, Gabs, siggy, Trojan67 – is the key….we’re 11- 2 and bel-air tech hired Clancy Prendergast

      Liked by 3 people

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      1. No way, Chip Kelly wasn’t dumb enough to hire Clancy and alienate his best recruiter Brian Norwood or piss off Ken Norton? Almost as bad Oregon hiring a Tosh Lupoi to be your cheerleader or Stanford getting a low level coach who belongs at San Jose St.

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  17. I’m perplexed on why Dan Lanning has so many linemen at Oregon that he wouldn’t recruit to Georgia? What happens when those guys see their chance at the pros go begging? Lotta individuals, not a lot of team players.

    Braden Fiske, Dont’e Thornton (from Maryland) and Dillon Wade will give USC the best team in the Pac 12 and a legitimate chance for a national championship.

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  18. Ugh, Grinch kills SC with Fiske who won’t come unless Tuipolatu is going pro. Dillon Wade wants a bigger bag. Than what the guy from Rhode Island got from Oregon and Thornton might go pro instead of one more year.

    You really want Fiske but the Irish are desolate and desperate. The season is over for them without Fiske.

    Liked by 1 person

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  22. Scooter,

    Reminder, there is another signing day coming up in February. Wait to judge until the class is complete. Then come back at that time and let us know. Also, let us know in a year how things are doing with this class.

    Liked by 1 person

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  23. SC had a very good class and it isn’t over, there are portal transfers,and the 2nd half NSD athletes in Feb.SC had to get some real good BIG BODIES and did, either 4 star or very high 3’s.They had 5 stars too and they are mostly early enroll athletes for spring ball. I saw the class ranked with transfers or without and the numbers varied,regardless the recruiting is not over, and they mostly need ready to play NOW.

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  24. It’s not about his recruiting abilities as it is about their ability to put a consistent NIL program. Those other schools are paying. SC, not so much.

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