In less than a year, USC head coach Lincoln Riley has engineered a dramatic turnaround for the Trojans. This has been a transformation rooted in shrewd recruiting moves and a willingness to overhaul the program’s most critical staff positions. As the 2025 season nears, USC stands as one of the nation’s most rejuvenated teams.
Riley’s decision to make sweeping changes among USC’s recruiting-heavy positions has paid immediate dividends. Previously, the Trojans’ efforts on the recruiting trail lagged behind the nation’s bluebloods. Recognizing that offense alone could not win championships, Riley refocused his approach, identifying and securing some of the country’s premier recruiters for positions of dire need.
Recent reporting (from SI.com) reveals that three members of the Trojans coaching staff (defensive line coach Eric Henderson, secondary coach Doug Belk, and offensive line coach Zach Hanson) now rank among the top ten recruiters nationally for the current cycle. USC is the only program in the country with more than one top-10 recruiter and they have three. This achievement is a testament to a new, results-oriented culture rooted in player acquisition and development.
The impact of these hires is evident in the numbers. Comparing recruiting classes before and after the staff changes, the improvement is stark:
- Offensive Line: USC jumped from signing seven linemen in the 2022–2023 classes to ten in 2025–2026.
- Defensive Line: In 2022–2023, the Trojans added five recruits; in just the 2025 class alone, they matched that, and combined for 13 over the 2025–2026 classes.
- Cornerback: The number increased from six in the earlier cycles to a staggering 11 in the last two classes.
By doubling and sometimes nearly tripling the number of prospects brought in, USC’s depth across the roster is fundamentally changed. This transformation is something that can pay off over multiple seasons.
The heart of the transformation came from Riley’s willingness to self-assess and act. After an 11-3 opening campaign and then a disappointing 8-5 second season, Riley recognized that the program’s initial pulse of energy was fading. Rather than relying solely on offensive wizardry and once-in-a-generation talents like Caleb Williams, Riley opted to humble himself, embracing a more CEO-like vision for the Trojans.
He actively delegated critical responsibilities and elevated new leaders who excel in the recruiting world. This required letting go of ego, spotlight, and a controlling approach that hamstrings many high-profile head coaches.
These staff changes were not just minor tweaks. In a span of a calendar year, Riley brought in or promoted Henderson (defensive line), Belk (secondary), and Hanson (offensive line). Each one of these was a game-changing hire. It’s important to note that the rare speed and decisiveness of this process rarely happens so quickly in college football’s risk-averse culture.
It’s also important to highlight Riley’s transition away from a one-dimensional offensive identity to a more holistic, well-balanced team approach. With a stronger emphasis on recruiting the trenches and premier defensive backs, USC is equipped to be more competitive nationally. While the results may not be immediate (as the 2024 season proved) the Trojans should find themselves eventually back among the nation’s elite.
Does this guarantee national titles? Of course not. But it is certainly a step in the right direction. Lincoln Riley’s humility, strategic delegation, and focus on outstanding recruiting have arrested USC’s decline and put the Trojans back on a path toward perennial relevance. As the 2025 season approaches, the Trojans have become a deeper, more dangerous team. And credit must be given to Lincoln Riley, not only because of his vision but because of his willingness to adapt.
Disclaimer: The content of this article was originally published as a YouTube video on the SMI College Football Show YouTube channel. With AI assistance, the publisher of the video created this article based on the content of that video.
