All Trojans

Is Transfer Portal Exposing An Irreversible Problem With USC Trojans, Lincoln Riley?

The transfer portal window is open and chaos has ensued. The USC Trojans and coach Lincoln Riley have suffered massive losses already from players who were key contributors. Is the program in trouble? Is USC behind in the NIL era? In total, 14 players have departed USC in the transfer portal, so far.

Kyron Samuels

Nov 2, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches pregame warmups against the Washington Huskies at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
Nov 2, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches pregame warmups against the Washington Huskies at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
In this story:

The winter transfer portal window is open, and as usual, chaos has ensued. The USC Trojans have a bevy of needs to address in the portal this offseason, having suffered massive losses in the past few days. In total, 14 players have departed USC in the transfer portal, so far.

Running back Qiunten Joyner, wide receiver Duce Robinson, offensive lineman Mason Murphy, defensive tackle Bear Alexander, and wide receiver Kyron Hudson have all officially entered the transfer portal. There’s growing speculation that these announcements are just the tip of the iceberg, and more are expected in the coming days. 

Alexander was expected as he exercised his option to redshirt during the season. Still, the official portal entry, coupled with the shocking announcements, is a stark reminder that depth is needed at all positions. After a disappointing 6-6 season, coach Lincoln Riley, the Trojans are under the watch of the national eye to see how they will bolster their roster. The pressure is on, and it’s more important than ever to not only have NIL funds but to have great evaluations that stick. 

"The reality is there are just some guys that you either can't or you're not going to pay what they want. If your value doesn't match the money, it's not going to go well much longer. It's not going to go further." said coach Lincoln Riley on Trojans Live.

There’s some truth to that statement, but that’s far from an excuse. Losing a player like Quinten Joyner can be attributed to a lack of involvement in the offense, and that’s on Riley himself. The NIL situation, which reportedly also played a factor in Joyner’s decision, isn’t perfect, but again, that's no excuse. There are far too many programs with less financial involvement and cultural cache than the University of Southern California that are currently flourishing.

In the Big Ten, coach Curt Cignetti and the Indiana Hosiers were able to identify talent of “lesser” value and pull off an 11-1 regular season. In the SEC, coach Shane Beamer was able to find the right fits and have his team at a 9-3 record with multiple ranked wins on the cusp of the College Football Playoff. In the Big 12, coach Deion Sanders and Kenny Dillingham were among the Coach of the Year candidates who were able to flip their rosters into national stories this season.

MORE: USC Trojans Coach Lincoln Riley Addresses Concerning Transfer Portal Departures

MORE: USC Trojans Transfer Portal Tracker: Running Back Quinten Joyner Enters Portal

MORE: Texas A&M's Kevin Longstreet Transfer To USC Trojans To Join Quarterback, Brother Husan?

None of those programs have such superior resources to where they should be outperforming USC. The strength of the schedule and other factors, such as injury, have to be taken into account, but that’s precisely where the attention to detail in the evaluation process has to shine through. You have to account for the possibility of those injuries and tough years with every decision you make. 

USC has long been thought of as a sleeping giant after the Pete Carroll era, but maybe it’s time to reevaluate that thought. Suppose the Trojans aren’t able to rebuild with this current regime, whatever opinions there are about Lincoln Riley, his track record has shown he’s a winner and he can assemble talent. Since arriving at USC, the program has finished with 11 wins, eight wins, and now six wins in successive seasons. 

Without Riley bringing Heisman winner Caleb Williams and grabbing Biletnikoff winner wide receiver Jordan Addison out of the portal, what would the Trojans record under Riley look like? USC has landed huge portal acquisitions like Bear Alexander and Woody Marks, but the hit rate has been 50/50 at best. Some of the high school talent, such as Husan Longstreet and Jahkeem Stewart, is elite, but it’s top-heavy. Sounds like the last two decades, no? USC's been a team full of NFL talent and a seemingly solid coaching staff that just can't get it done.

There are many questions to answer about USC’s football program, and they don’t just start and end with Lincoln Riley. He bears responsibility without question, but what if it’s just not the destination it once was? It’s been 20 years since the last national championship team, and the Trojans have only won two outright conference titles since 2008. 

Maybe the issues extend beyond a single individual. Maybe Riley is just the next miss in a 20-year coaching rut. Maybe the Trojans are behind in the NIL era. Maybe USC is just a year away from getting over the hump and returning to glory. Whatever the case, the Trojans have little time to find the answer and fix it. Otherwise, they leave themselves vulnerable to being left behind for good in the ever-changing landscape of college football.

MORE: Former USC Trojans' Matt Leinart, Keyshawn Johnson React to 2025 Recruiting Class

MORE: Minnesota Vikings' Sam Darnold Breaks Franchise Record In Win Over Atlanta Falcons

MORE: Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams Brutally Honest In ‘Ass Kicking’ By San Francisco 49ers

Published
Kyron Samuels
KYRON SAMUELS

Kyron Samuels is a former college and professional football player now a writer, analyst, & digital host. Kyron is a writer for USC Trojans on SI and contributes to Oregon Ducks on SI. A graduate and letterman at Jacksonville State University, Samuels was a three-year starter, two-time all-conference, and won three consecutive conference titles. After a four-year professional stint between the AFL & XFL, Samuels retired from football. In 2022, Samuels was inducted into the Fairhope Athletic Hall of Fame. Post-playing career, Samuels has become a credentialed sports media member covering the NFL, UFL, USFL, & college football. The NFL Combine, Reese’s Senior Bowl, & East-West Shrine Bowl are amongst the events Kyron has covered. As a guest and host, Samuels has been featured on ESPNRadio, FoxSportsRadio, & IHeartRadio. Outside of sports media, Samuels works as a scouting consultant and has experience coaching at the collegiate level.

Home/Football