USC Trojans' Lincoln Riley Makes Bold Statement About Running Back Room

The USC Trojans will have a new-look running back room this season with some key additions in the offseason. USC coach Lincoln Riley made a bold claim about the position group and named a leading back heading into the season opener.

Aug 26, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the San Jose State Spartans during the first half at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

With his two leading rushers gone from a year ago, USC Trojans coach Lincoln Riley needed to rebuild his backfield.  

USC landed New Mexico transfer Eli Sanders in December, a Southern California native that played his first three seasons at Iowa State, before his breakout season with the Lobos in 2024. 

Waymond Jordan, the No. 1 ranked junior college running back this past cycle, was heavily pursued by a number of Power 5 programs. He initially committed to UCF in December but flipped to USC in January. Riley called him a “diamond in the rough.” 

Aug 26, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the San Jose State Spartans during the first half at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

But it’s not just the two additions that has Riley passionate about his running back room. Sophomore Bryan Jackson was one of two freshman to appear in all 13 games last season. 

Redshirt freshman King Miller has made tremendous strides in his second season on campus. He drew rave reviews from Riley in the spring. Freshman Harry Dalton did not enroll until the summer, but has made a strong impression in camp. 

“I’m pretty excited about the room. I’ll put it this way, I’ll be disappointed if it’s not the best room we’ve had since we’ve been at SC,” Riley said. 

Running Back Depth Chart 

Sep 14, 2024; Auburn, Alabama, USA; New Mexico Lobos running back Eli Sanders (6) carries against the Auburn Tigers during the second quarter at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-Imagn Images | John Reed-Imagn Images

The Trojans have several players that will factor into room, but Riley pointed to one player that will lead the way on Saturday. 

“I think it’ll unfold as the season as the season goes on. I think Waymond Jordan will be the guy that trots out there first,” Riley said. “I think he’s been the most consistent, probably say well-rounded back. We’re excited to see those guys live.”

Expectations are high for Jordan in his first season in the Cardinal and Gold. The 2024 NJCAA DI Football Offensive Player of the Year rushed for 1,614 yards and 20 rushing touchdowns last season at Hutchinson C.C. (Kan.) and led his team to the NJCAA DI Football Championship.

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Jordan has seen his NIL value skyrocket since he’s arrived in Los Angeles. The Florida native inked NIL deals with Niagara Water and C4 Energy over the summer. 

Sanders will be the next back that takes the field. The redshirt senior has made waves in camp. 

“Waymond’s been really productive. We’re eager to see him,” Riley said. “There’s a lot of production at the college level already that this guy’s had. Eli Sanders has had one of the strongest training camps of any player at any position. He had a good spring but he’s had a great training camp. I think his experience, his explosiveness is definitely going to factor in for us.”

Dec 27, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts against the Texas A&M Aggies in the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Woody Marks received a bulk of the Trojans carries last season and became the program’s first 1,000-yard rusher since 2017. It remains to be seen how Riley will decide to split the workload, but Jordan and Sanders provide a dynamic one-two punch. 

“I think we complement each other well,” Jordan said at USC’s media day. “And I also think just playing together helps us really push each other to be better. And I love that about the whole entire room, because everybody brings different skill sets to the room, and just honestly, we all like pushing each other to be better. We learning from each other.”

Returning Contributor

Sep 7, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) hands off the ball to USC Trojans running back Bryan Jackson (21) against the Utah State Aggies during the third quarter at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images | Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

Jackson is the only returner from a year ago that received carries in a live game. The Texas native saw increased playing in the final two games, averaging over six yards per carry in those contests.

“I think Bryan Jackson returning is a big deal,” Riley said. “Everybody’s seen the power, the size and I think he really adds that to this room.”

Jackson will be the team’s No. 3 running back in the fall. The 230-pound back spoke during the camp where he best fits in Riley’s offense. 

“My best role on this team is being a guy who can get the dirty yards and shorter yards when when needed for my team,” Jackson said. 

Freshman Standouts

Jul 24, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; USC head coach Lincoln Riley speaks to the media during the Big Ten NCAA college football media days at Mandalay Bay Resort. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

Miller joined the team as a preferred walk-on in 2024, but was a three-star recruit coming out of Calabasas (Calif.) high school. 

Four-star freshman Harry Dalton put up mind-boggling numbers as a high school quarterback in the state of Virginia. He accounted for 11,282 total yards of offense and 160 touchdowns. 

“I think the two guys that are a little bit x-factors in the room, King Miller has just continued to impress," Riley said. "His yards per carry in our practice is the highest of anybody in the room. It just feels like he rips off a big run or two almost every single day. 

“And then we’ll see how it plays out with Harry Dalton. Harry is certainly one, if not the most physically gifted back in the room. He’s a young guy that’s trying to figure it out and is learning but has some high upside as well.”