The Impact of USC Sustaining Recruiting Success in California

The USC Trojans have seen a great deal of success when they recruit the state of California at a high level. The Trojans put an emphasis on recruiting local prospects this past cycle, but now USC has to continue to reel in top players in their backyard.

Oct 28, 2023; Berkeley, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley before the game against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The blueprint was laid out almost 25 years ago by legendary USC coach Pete Carroll. Recruit California at an elite level, and the Trojans can compete at the highest level in college football. 

Carroll built a fence around the state in recruiting for almost a decade. Southern Cal won at least 11 games in seven consecutive seasons from 2002 to 2008 under Carroll, which included two national championships, three Heisman Trophy winners, four Rose Bowl victories and seven conference titles. 

Oct 28, 2023; Berkeley, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley before the game against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

USC briefly saw success in their own backyard with the 2014 to 2016 recruiting class. Local recruits fueled a 10-win season, which included a win over Penn State in the 2016 Rose Bowl and then an 11-win season, Pac-12 Championship and appearance in a New Year’s Six Bowl in 2017. 

All of that began to quickly fade. And for almost the last decade, other programs found more success recruiting California than the Trojans. 

Changing Recruiting Narrative in California 

Sep 21, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley on the sideline in the second half against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

California is a recruiting hotbed, specifically the 70-mile radius around USC's campus, where the Trojans landed 16 of its signees and another two are originally from. A large number of the freshmen grew up playing with and against each other in youth football and then eventually high school because of their close proximity.

Three Sierra Canyon (Calif.) recruits in cornerback Brandon Lockhart, safety Madden Riordan and receiver Ja’Myron Baker kickstarted everything when they announced their pledges in the fall of 2023, their sophomore year. Oaks Christian (Calif.) running back Deshonne Redeaux was one of the prized recruits from the state in a wave of commits last spring.

Three USC freshman in receiver Trent Mosley, defensive lineman Simote Katoanga and cornerback Jayden Crowder guided Santa Margarita (Calif.) to an open division state title, the highest division in California. The year prior it was four USC freshman in tight end Mark Bowman, receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, linebacker Shaun Scott and defensive lineman Tomuhini Topui that were key in Mater Dei (Calif.) finishing as the No. 1 ranked high school team. 

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The Trojans have the luxury of never having to jump on a plane and be surrounded by a flood of elite Power Four prospects. Very few programs have access to the recruits the way USC does.

“There’s several states if you put a fence around it or for Southern California, if you put a fence around your region, there is enough in house to at minimum make the playoff, at best make a run and compete for national championships routinely,” said On3’s JD Pickell. “Southern California, Texas, Florida and Georgia are that way. If you just win your state you’re going to have enough to achieve at a tier one level in college football. Shutting off the water for everyone else that was the difference in this class.”

In total, USC signed 20 recruits from California. Of the top 25 prospects in state, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings, USC landed nine of them. The next closest were Washington and Oregon with four. 

Sustaining Recruiting Success in California 

Sep 30, 2023; Boulder, Colorado, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley during the game against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Chet Strange-Imagn Images | Chet Strange-Imagn Images

It makes the 2027 cycle and then the 2028 cycle essential. It’s not enough to recruit the state at a high level for one cycle, the Trojans have to find sustainable success on the trail. 

USC has targeted several top prospects in the state for the 2027 class such as San Diego (Calif.) Cathedral Catholic five-star safety Honor Fa’alave-Johnson, Corona Centennial (Calif.) four-star receiver Quentin Hale, Grant Union (Calif.) four-star tight end Rahzario Edwards and Mater Dei four-star cornerback Danny Lang, just to name a few. 

The Trojans have a lot of work to do for Orange Lutheran (Calif.) five-star edge Marcus Fakatou and Long Beach Poly five-star cornerback and Georgia commit Donte Wright. 

USC’s renewed commitment to prospects in the state under general manager Chad Bowden has caught the attention of those in the upcoming cycle. 

With recruiting dead period ending at the beginning of March and spring practice just around the corner, Southern Cal will see a wave of recruit's flock to campus for unofficial visits. And for local recruits, USC could host them multiple times next month and over the duration of the 15 practices.
It will also give them an opportunity to get a head start on 2028 and 2029 classes.