Tobias Raymond, Christian Pierce Offer Thoughts On New Performance Center

USC Trojans players are already benefiting from the new Bloom Football Performance Center.

Jul 28, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; USC Football head coach Lincoln Riley speaks during Media Days at Hilton Chicago. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It was a special day for the Trojans football program and the University of Southern California as the new Bloom Football Performance Center officially opened to the public on Thursday. The facility is worth $200 million and replaces the outdated John McKay Center, giving the Trojans football team more advanced training methods and recovery practices.

The facility itself will also likely have a massive impact on what has already been a major recruiting boost over the last few seasons under coach Lincoln Riley. It already has had a positive impact on the players currently on the Trojans' roster.

Following Thursday’s practice, Trojans safety Christian Pierce and offensive lineman Tobias Raymond spoke about the new performance center. The two revealed their initial reactions to the performance center and spoke about the impact it has already had on the program.

What Tobias Raymond and Christian Pierce Said

Oct 18, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Southern California Trojans safety Christian Pierce (24) hits Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jadarian Price (24) during the second half at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Initial Reaction

Jul 28, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; USC Football head coach Lincoln Riley speaks during Media Days at Hilton Chicago. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Raymond: We all came over as a team, and I think they held us at the doors for a little longer just so we get all amped up, but we were getting fired up, and we walked in, and it was crazy. Like it kind of blew our expectations out of the water. They had us come in with hard hats and tour it a little bit, and there wasn’t really much going on. It’s crazy walking in here now; it’s an amazing facility.”

Pierce: I didn’t get the tour, so I wanted to wait to really see the final product, and it blew me out of my socks. It’s truly a game changer, and it’s going to be crazy.”

What’s Been the Favorite Part Of New Facility

Raymond: “Probably the best part about it is just I think when you get into season, a lot of times people go home and take their time to rest at home, but the fact that we all get to come here and like spend so much time together and like you don’t really want to leave. Like this place is so awesome. There’s so many things to do and so many ways to recover and stuff like that, but you get so many guys together, and it's like just camaraderie is so awesome.”  

To Be First Trojans to Experience New Facility

Nov 15, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans cornerback Alex Graham (27) safety Christian Pierce (24) cornerback Decarlos Nicholson (17) and safety Kennedy Urlacher (28) celebrate after Iowa Hawkeyes turn the ball over on fourth down during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Pierce: “I feel like it’s a very big deal. For us to come in here and to start the standard to be the standard and to get the young guys as well as anybody who’s up here to uphold the standard, and I believe it’s a very big deal for the team, it’s a very big deal for the university as well as the program.” 

Facility’s Impact On Recruiting

Pierce: My junior year, I remember hearing about this and kind of hearing that it's in the works and there will be something coming up, and to be able to sit here and to be in this team room right now, it's a very big deal.”

Raymond: “It’ll also be nice because when recruiting is happening here, like we’re also nearby, so it’s like nice to come around and meet the guys that might be coming here eventually. That’s a nice part about it.”

How Facility Will Get Most Out Of USC Players

Oct 12, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans players run on to United Airlines Field for the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Pierce: “I feel like it's going to be a lot much smoother. I feel like just from recovery to our body to just training room to really everything, it’s just going to make our program better. I feel like it's really going to make a difference down the line.”

Raymond: We’ve got some amazing things in here. Like, I don’t know if you guys saw the walkthrough room, but like especially for O-line, that’s going to be pretty nice. Like you can watch blitz cutups and just see what’s happening in front of you. There’s a whole bunch of things, but it’s going to be awesome being able to prepare for games in here for sure.” 

Expanded Weight Room

Raymond: “There’s so much more stuff down there. It’s also just so different. You get used to doing the same things, kind of using the same machines, and like he [Riley] introduces new stuff in the old facility, but with the new machines, it’s so nice to be able to hit different workouts or take the load off, like your neck and shoulders, and do a lift a different way. So it’s definitely nice to be able to have the equipment that’s in the weight room. It’s a huge advantage for sure. 

Pierce: “Instead of having to share weights and certain things with different sports, it’s specific for football, so a lot of things for our bodies, our neck that we have to have and things of that sort of really help during the season. It really makes a difference.”

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