Biggest Takeaways From USC’s First Week of Spring Practice

The two biggest storylines surrounding USC heading into spring practice heading was their 2026 recruiting class, which finished No. 1 in the country according to every outlet, and the new defensive staff hires.

Here are some takeaways as the Trojans wrapped up their first week of practice.

Freshman Class Makes Immediate Noise on Campus

USC Trojans Spring Practice Early Enrollee Lincoln Riley Recruiting Class Luke Wafle Trent Mosley Alex Graham Freshman — Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches from the sidelines against the Missouri State Bears in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

USC’s social media team has been posting numerous videos on different platforms that heavily features the teams freshman class and it’s no coincidence.

For starters, 32 of their 35 signees are already on campus, which is a big reason why the Trojans began spring practice the first week of March this year. And with no spring transfer portal window, pretty much the entire roster for this upcoming season is enrolled.

One source referred to the freshman as “alphas” in practice already. It’s a special class that can make an immediate impact in the fall.

The best way to describe freshman receivers Trent Mosley and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt is smooth. They glide across the field and are natural hands catchers. Don’t be surprised if one of them ends up starting in the fall. Freshman receiver Luc Weaver drew some strong praise early in the week.

Five-star tight end Mark Bowman was compared to Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers throughout the recruiting process, and from seeing him on the field this past week, their movements are very similar.

Cornerback Elbert Hill was very impressive all week. His technique is advanced for his age. Everything is quick and fluid. USC showed the No. 1 cornerback, per ESPN, coming up with an interception during the team’s practice at the Coliseum on Saturday. Hill can certainly make things very interesting in the cornerback battle.

Plenty of other freshmen have been brought up this week from people that have attended practices, including defensive end Luke Wafle, defensive lineman Tomuhini “TomTom” Topui, running back Deshonne Redeaux and offensive lineman Breck Kolojay, just to name a few. It's no ordinary group of freshmen that are on campus right now.

Second Year Defensive Backs

Alex Graham emerged late last season at the nickel position. He appeared in five games during his true freshman season and with one of them being the bowl game, Graham was able to gain valuable experience and use a redshirt year.

The Detroit native is noticeably bigger this spring and has impressed during the first week of practice. The nickel position is very important in Gary Patterson’s defense because of how much they are involved in the run and pass game.

Redshirt freshman cornerback RJ Sermons had also added muscle to his 6-foot-1 and 195-pound frame this offseason. The Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) product was a talented sprinter in high school and has impressive technique himself. Similar to Hill, it’s going to be very hard to keep Sermons off the field in 2026.

USC Feels Impact of Trumain Carroll's Winter Workouts

Graham and Sermons aren’t the only players that have benefited from strength coach Trumain Carroll’s tough winter workouts. The entire running back room, headlined by King Miller, has a different look to them this spring because of Carroll.

Freshman running back Shahn Alston is built like a tank. His position coach Anthony Jones has raved about his work work ethic in the weight room since arriving on campus.

When asked about USC’s first winter workouts under Carroll, safety Kennedy Urclacher responded, “Not easy at all, but it was good work.”

Urlacher says he’s gotten a lot faster this offseason.

Teams that achieve success or play in the College Football Playoff have a different look to their team. And for the first time in awhile, USC has a team that just looks different when they walk on the field.

New Defensive Coaches at USC

Ekeler brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Trojans coaching staff. The longtime assistant was hired away from Nebraska to be the Trojans special teams coordinator and linebackers coach.

USC coach Lincoln Riley says the entire team is already feeling the impact of Ekeler in the short amount of time he’s been in Los Angeles.

“That's what really good coaches do. They don't just come in and impact their own position, they impact the entire program,” Riley said.

Paul Gonzales was hired as the Trojans safeties coach/defensive pass game coordinator. Gonzales was a longtime assistant under Gary Patterson at TCU, he spent three seasons as a graduate assistant and then a decade coaching in the secondary.

“Something that stands out about him is how detailed he is,” Urlacher said. “It feels like he's gonna help bring our game to the next level. He really harps on the small details.”

Gonzales and new nickels coach Sam Carter have put an emphasis on the mental side of the game and having good communication. Two areas Southern Cal needs to improve upon from the previous defensive regime.

Patterson has been hands on every position of his defense. During individual drills, he’s constantly moving around and coaching every unit. Patterson has a great history of player development with non-blue-chip prospects. Now, he has a ton to work with at USC.

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