What would you say if someone asked you about Lincoln Riley’s coaching exploits? Will it be just based on the last season, or is there more to it than that? Undoubtedly, Riley is one of the top tactical minds in college football. This is a coach who took that air raid offense from Mike Leach, garnished it with his intricate mesh concept, and started producing Heisman winners left, right, and center. Be it when he was at Oklahoma or at USC. The QB whisperer never stopped producing NFL-worthy talents.

But how far would you give leeway to Riley before criticisms start coming in? We did see some of that offensive prowess in the 2022 season when Josh Henson was OC (although he didn’t call), and Caleb Williams was delivering Heisman heroics. Then, the 2023 season seemed like USC had taken a massive misstep as the offense took a huge downgrade. They lost  5 games in the regular season. 2024 was a disaster after Williams departed. His replacement, Miller Moss, wasn’t up to the mark. However, the problems extended beyond the QB.

Well, the offensive schemes of Riley may not be at fault here. What would happen when you do not have the players to back that up? The Trojans struggled with that in 2024, and it looked like it could extend to 2025 as well. However, then came Riley’s stroke of genius, and now it seems he may eventually be on to something.

USCJ, a USC insider and host of ‘Lost in the Sauce Podcast,’ provided some glimpses of the work Riley’s players are putting in to translate that elusive dream into reality. He discussed the progress made by the players in the physical department. “Jamaal Jarrett, of course, is 6’5″ 349 lbs; think that’s pretty much projected. Kameryn Fountain 6′ 5″ & 260 lbs looks like he gained a little bit of weight. Eli Sanders, 5’10” 190 lbs, thought he was 6 feet or 6’1″.  But that’s what he is, but he’s a speedster. 5’10”, 192 lbs DJ Harvey, I thought he was 6 feet, but he’s 5’10”, 186 lbs. Waymond Jordan, that’s pretty much what I expected: running back, 5’9″, 209 lbs. Husan Longstreet, I thought he was 6’2″ or 6’1″, but they got him listed at 6 feet and 202 lbs.”

The news may not look like much, but this is quite optimistic for the USC supporters. Players like Waymond Jordan, who was 205 lbs upon joining, have put on 4 lbs and are looking to gain that edge throughout the spring. Then there is Jamaal Jarrett, who came as a 6-foot-5 and 380 lbs DL and is now 349 lbs, which could assist him in mobility. CB DJ Harvey has put a lot of effort into the weight room. He was previously listed as 166 lbs when he joined from San Jose State but has now put on 20 lbs. Then there is Eli Sanders, the much-anticipated running back who had 1,000+ rushing yards with the New Mexico Lobos. He has worked on his pace and lost 4 lbs, which may be a positive sign. Add to that, USC Trojans have another good news.

Chad Bowden proclaims new era for USC

We all know why Lincoln Riley signed Chad Bowden to USC as their GM. A man who transformed Notre Dame’s classes with his NIL deals, tapping deep into high school recruiting and utilizing the portal to the fullest. He sure comes to provide that edge for Lincoln Riley in the recruiting arena. Partly because USC, after their 7-6 showing, faced 21 departures through transfers in the winter window. The transfer portal prowess of Bowden will be crucial for the future success of the program. However, that doesn’t mean he is not well-equipped for high school recruiting.

Josh Newberg of On3 highlighted the changes Bowden is incorporating in his USC recruitment game. “The addition of Chad Bowden, the general manager, has really been a game-changer. The way kids are talking about USC in Southern California collectively, I have not heard in 10-plus years.”

That again tells you the level of recruiting that USC is having right now. Bowden even proclaimed as Newberg pointed out, a new frontier for USC. “Chad Bowden, the GM, said it’s going to be the largest high school recruiting class they’ve ever taken. So I know when Lane Kiffin first came to USC, I think it was about 37 guys they brought in. S, it wouldn’t be surprising at all if they took 35 or more.” But is there any real progress?

Take, for example, their 2026 class right now. They are currently ranked 2nd nationally and have a whopping 15 commits roped in. Furthermore, all their prospects look well-scouted and thought out as pieces of a puzzle fitting perfectly at USC. Xavier Griffin is a 2nd-ranked linebacker who, standing at 6 feet 3 and 205 lbs, has that X factor that Riley needs in his running backs. The same X factor we saw in Woody Marks’ last season as he finished with 1,133 rushing and 321 receiving yards. So far, Lincoln Riley has taken in 8 top-150 prospects in the 2026 class, 3 blue-chip commitments, and, most of all, the additions in defense. Those are Jaimeon Winfield and Trent Mosley.

All in all, the class and the work Bowden is doing seem to be well-planned and thought out. Now it remains to be seen if Lincoln Riley can take his offense to a new level with the additions of these prospects in the future.