USC Trojans To Land 4-Star Recruit Tiki Hola Over Notre Dame, Texas, Oregon?

Bastrop (TX) 2026 four-star recruit Tiki Hola listed the USC Trojans in his top five. The Oregon Ducks, Texas Longhorns, SMU Mustangs and Notre Dame Fighting Irish are also in the mix. Can the Trojans pull the blue-chip prospect out of the Lone Star State?
Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Bastrop (TX) four-star defensive lineman Tiki Hola released his top five schools on Sunday, including the USC Trojans, Oregon Ducks, Texas Longhorns, SMU Mustangs and Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Hola is the No. 277 overall prospect and No. 32 defensive lineman, per the On3 Industry Rankings. 

The Longhorns have been considered the favorite with Hola playing his high school football under 40 miles from Austin, but with USC defensive line coach Eric Henderson as his primary recruiter, the Trojans will certainly be making a strong push to pull the blue-chip prospect out of the Lone Star State.

Henderson was able to pull 2025 five-star Edna Karr (LA) defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart away from in-state LSU. He has also been busy in the transfer portal, landing Keeshawn Silver from Kentucky and Jamaal Jarrett from Georgia to help rebuild the Trojans defensive front. Henderson’s resume speaks for itself having coached three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald during his time with the Los Angeles Rams. 

USC has been hot on the recruiting trail for the 2026 cycle, having landed a commitment from Painesville (OH) Harvey four-star running Shahn Alston during Saturday’s broadcast of the Navy All-American Bowl. The Trojans secured a verbal pledge over Penn State and Wisconsin. Alston is the No. 133 overall prospect and No. 13 running back in the On3 Industry Ranking.

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“I love the campus,” Alston said. “I love where it’s at. It’s so close to the city, but it’s not in the city. I feel like you can get involved in a lot of stuff there, whether it’s networking or things for your personal life. . . . Also, the tradition is great there. You can’t image USC without its tradition. They’re on the right path to getting back to it and I hope to be a puzzle piece in the end result.”

With the addition of Alston, the Trojans have a total of eight commitments for the 2026 cycle, including Gainesville (GA) linebacker Xavier Griffin, Rancho Cucamonga (CA) cornerback RJ Sermons, Loyola (CA) cornerback Brandon Lockhart, Mount Carmel (IL) defensive lineman Braedon Jones, Los Alamitos (CA) receiver Ja’Myron Baker, St. John Bosco (CA) athlete Joshua Holland and Sierra Canyon (CA) athlete Madden Riordan. They currently hold the No. 2-ranked recruiting class in the On3 Industry Rankings. 

Lincoln Riley
Nov 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The early signing period for the 2026 cycle is still a long way away, and in this era of college football anything can happen between now and the end of year. Still, the Trojans are putting together a recruiting class that can set the program up very well for the future. 

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Kendell Hollowell
KENDELL HOLLOWELL

Kendell Hollowell, a Southern California native has been been covering collegiate athletics since 2020 via radio and digital journalism. His experience includes covering programs such as the USC Trojans, Vanderbilt Commodores and Alabama Crimson Tide. Kendell He also works in TV production for the NFL Network. Prior to working in sports journalism, Kendell was a collegiate athlete on the University of Wyoming and Adams State football team. He is committed to bringing in-depth insight and analysis for USC athletics.