Everything Lincoln Riley said at his Signing Day press conference
On Friday, USC earned a commitment from 5-star corner Domani Jackson. Rated as the 7th-best player in the country, per the 247 Composite, and the top prospect in the state of California, Jackson’s commitment gave coach Lincoln Riley his first major win on the trail as the Trojan head coach. The Mater Dei start picked USC over Alabama, and probably more specifically picked Lincoln Riley.
The Trojans have now signed the top player in the state in back-to-back classes, but that fact doesn’t necessarily highlight just how much of a talent drain has occurred over the years. A big piece of the Riley hire is once again making Southern Cal the premier destination for elite California prospects. With Jackson and 5-star running back/Mater Dei teammate Raleek Brown in tow, Riley’s off to a strong start.
But, listening to the head coach, there’s still a tremendous amount of work that seems to be needed.
Riley has said on several fronts now he expects to dramatically flip this USC roster in short order. A 7-person signing class during the Early Signing Period will be just the precursor to an influx of talent coming to LA. In speaking with reporters on Friday to recap the week, Riley talked about that and more.
Here’s what he said:
Lincoln Riley on evaluating and building USC’s roster, “We know what a championship program looks like, and we have to start with that.”
— Keely Eure (@keelyismyname) December 17, 2021
Domani Jackson will enroll early and be available for USC in the spring.
— Ryan Kartje (@Ryan_Kartje) December 17, 2021
Lincoln Riley says they’re close to finalizing his USC staff.
— Ryan Kartje (@Ryan_Kartje) December 17, 2021
Asked what he might look for in the transfer portal, Lincoln Riley says, “There’s not any position we wouldn’t consider right now.”
Riley: "We may overhaul 35 spots, if not more, on this roster."
— Ryan Kartje (@Ryan_Kartje) December 17, 2021
Lincoln Riley says that he’s even more optimistic since arriving at USC about the program’s starting point, but does note that it is a starting point and there is work to do.
— Keely Eure (@keelyismyname) December 17, 2021
#USC HC Lincoln Riley on the last three weeks: "It's been a lot, but it's been fun."
Says you feel like there are a 1,000 things to do when you wake up and then you feel like the list grows even more when you go to bed.
— Shotgun Spratling (@ShotgunSpr) December 17, 2021
“Signing day goes all the way up through August,” Lincoln Riley says.
— Ryan Kartje (@Ryan_Kartje) December 17, 2021
Lincoln Riley on his past West Coast recruiting experience: "You got the sense that when 'SC was good, it was tough to beat. And when 'SC wasn't good, you had a chance to get guys that deep down in their heart wanted to go to 'SC"
— Adam Grosbard (@AdamGrosbard) December 17, 2021
#USC HC Lincoln Riley: "The opportunity to watch last year's team practice was very helpful for us. … I can't tell you how valuable, important that was."
— Shotgun Spratling (@ShotgunSpr) December 17, 2021
Riley calls the NIL opportunities for the student-athletes here as "endless" #USC
— Chris Treviño (@ChrisNTrevino) December 17, 2021
#USC HC Lincoln Riley: The expectation is that we build the roster one piece at a time and don't cut corners.
"We're not trying to win a Wednesday in December."
— Shotgun Spratling (@ShotgunSpr) December 17, 2021
"The majority of the players around here want to play at USC," says Riley.
But adds that #USC needs to give them the reason to follow through on that
— Chris Treviño (@ChrisNTrevino) December 17, 2021
Lincoln Riley said that there has been a lot of interest in USC since he became head coach, and in that sense it was “tempting” to sign 20 players this cycle. However, Riley noted that they want to be selective in order to build a “championship roster.”
— Keely Eure (@keelyismyname) December 17, 2021
#USC HC Lincoln Riley: "This is a defensive front we want to be explosive."
The interior DL won't be just taking up blocks but instead getting in the backfield and making impact plays.
— Shotgun Spratling (@ShotgunSpr) December 17, 2021
Lincoln Riley called three-star Georgia linebacker Garrison Madden “a diamond in the rough.”
Madden was one of the two commits to USC’s class on the first day of the early signing period.
— Ryan Kartje (@Ryan_Kartje) December 17, 2021
#USC HC Lincoln Riley on Atticus Bertram: "An elite talent."
Said there were a lot of challenges during the Covid era with recruiting an international player.
— Shotgun Spratling (@ShotgunSpr) December 17, 2021
Lincoln Riley called new RB Raleek Brown “one of the most dynamic playmakers in the country”.
Riley said Brown could “impact the game in many ways."
— Ryan Kartje (@Ryan_Kartje) December 17, 2021
