Commentary: Commentary: With Lincoln Riley in charge, USC has finally stopped living in fear

We’re within the early levels of attending to know Lincoln Riley’s quirks. To date, right here’s one: Detailed timelines of how seismic occasions happen aren’t going to be a robust go well with.

In fact all anyone needed to know from him Wednesday on {national} signing day was the nitty gritty of how he courted quarterback Caleb Williams to comply with him from Oklahoma to USC. He did present a glimpse of the beginning — one that may induce extra red-faced conspiracy theories from the incredulous Sooner State.

“There’s zero communication, after which abruptly Caleb and his household make the choice to leap into the switch portal,” Riley mentioned, “and we had a dialog shortly after that, and I don’t suppose we talked even one little bit of soccer. It was simply type of like long-lost good friend. It was type of good simply to have the ability to reconnect.”

From there, Riley’s narrative jumped about 4 weeks along with his previous pal Williams getting himself enrolled final Friday, his final probability to take action and be eligible for spring apply. Frankly, whereas we’d like to listen to extra, Riley is aware of the truth that Williams is on campus this week taking courses along with his fellow Trojans is all that issues.

For USC people, after years of listening to a coach who talked an excessive amount of and delivered little, it needed to be refreshing Wednesday to watch one who says simply sufficient to show their treasured program is in worthy fingers.

Up to now, Riley’s public persona has been pleasant but not tacky, assured but not off-putting. He might be mildly forthcoming, so long as you’re not hoping to place collectively a concrete sequence of behind-the-scenes maneuverings that might later get him in bother with the Boomer Sooner Bureau of Investigation.

Riley was completely satisfied to debate how he dealt with ready on Williams’ determination whereas USC’s presumed beginning quarterback, Jaxson Dart, entered the switch portal and commenced taking visits. Definitely, he might have ended up with neither.

“Having been on this place for a number of years I’ve realized to … I don’t attempt to undertaking as a lot anymore,” he mentioned. “I’m simply attempting to construct the most effective roster that we are able to at USC. And with the switch portal proper now and the truth that there’s no guardrails, gamers can depart you just about one year a 12 months in the event that they select. So you’ll be able to’t predict all of that. And you may virtually drive your self loopy attempting to.

“And so for me, my standpoint has been we’re going to be trustworthy with all events concerned, whether or not it’s a present participant on our roster [or] any individual that we’re recruiting about what we’re doing, about future plans, attempt to be very clear, however that we’re not going to recruit or attempt to construct our roster out of concern that individuals will depart. Simply, you’ll be able to’t function that means, and we’re not going to.”

Let’s recall that when Riley was requested at his introduction about how quickly he might get USC again to {national} prominence, he principally mentioned, earlier than chances are you’ll suppose. In simply two months, he has taken a Trojans recruiting class unthinkably ranked final within the Pac-12 and punched it into the nation’s prime 10 (when factoring transfers and recruits).

How did he do it? Identical to he mentioned above, by being fearless and actually fairly ruthless in his evaluations.

Riley and his workers pulled scholarship gives from quite a few highschool gamers who had dedicated to USC beneath Clay Helton, which was predictable. They didn’t hesitate to do the identical with younger males who had proudly worn the cardinal and gold over the previous couple of disappointing seasons. Seventeen Trojans have left, some by alternative and others on the discretion of the brand new workers. 13 hand-picked transfers have taken their place, becoming a member of eight conventional recruits in a 2022 haul that ought to solely proceed to develop till August.

Oklahoma quarterback Caleb Williams celebrates with coach Lincoln Riley after a landing in opposition to Texas Christian on Oct. 16, 2021, in Norman, Okla.

(Alonzo Adams / Related Press)

“We all know there’s going to be one other surge of individuals within the switch portal after these spring balls throughout the nation begin to wrap up,” Riley mentioned. “And I imagine we’re gonna be able to proceed to construct this roster at the moment as nicely.

“I feel you’re continuously constructing all components of your roster. You simply by no means actually get to the half the place, OK, we’re set at O-line, we’re good there. I feel you’re continuously seeking to improve and also you gotta continuously be prepared with a solution as a result of it may well change shortly each in having the chance to deliver gamers in or doubtlessly dropping a participant.”

Keep in mind the times of Helton and the Trojans who turned “loves of his life?” Over time, that led to a scarcity of competitors throughout the roster, as gamers didn’t really feel they may supplant the favorites amongst Helton’s 105 “sons.” Riley isn’t going to let soccer romance cloud his judgment or get in his means from finishing the job, which is to have USC gamers celebrating beneath confetti on a Monday evening in January.

Within the quick time period, this class’ star energy with Williams, Oregon switch working again Travis Dye and Oklahoma receiver switch Mario Williams might instantly assist the Trojans retake the Pac-12. Long run, due to Riley’s relentlessness and instinct, the prognosis seems to be even higher. The Southeastern Convention received’t have to fret about Riley simply but, however anybody with an appreciation for the game’s historical past understands {that a} wholesome USC is the highest risk to shift the stability of energy away from Dixie (it’s no coincidence that the SEC didn’t take over the game till Pete Carroll’s dynasty toppled).

Riley got here right here to construct one thing of his personal at a spot with a ceiling few can match. He’s proving that he’ll do no matter it takes, even when it means dwelling with uncomfortable stats like a 13:8 ratio of transfers to preps.

“I’d absolutely count on sooner or later that our class has a a lot increased proportion of highschool gamers than this one at present does,” Riley mentioned. “I’ll have an interest to see the way it evolves. On the finish of the day, no one’s actually going to ask ‘how.’ It’s ‘did you set collectively the most effective roster you may and provides us the most effective probability to perform what we got here right here to do?’ ”

The “how” is already clear with out Riley having to elucidate. With him in cost — and with the backing of college administration — USC soccer is not afraid to be nice.

❤️ Support Independent Journalism

Your contribution keeps our reporting free, fearless, and accessible to everyone.

Secure via Razorpay • 12 monthly payments • Cancel anytime before next cycle