USC Trojans' Rob Ryan Fired Up After 4-Star Recruit Talanoa Ili Commits To USC

Four-star linebacker recruit Talanoa Ili committed to the USC Trojans over the weekend. Ili announced his commitment on the 247Sports YouTube Channel, choosing USC over the UCLA Bruins.

Following Ili’s commitment, USC linebackers coach Rob Ryan was fired up over the future Trojan. Ryan posted a photo on Instagram of him wearing USC Trojans gear, clearly excited.

Nov 26, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders senior defensive assistant coach Rob Ryan watches the game against the Kansas City Chiefs Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

“Fire me up on a Sunday Trojan Nation!!!!” Ryan posted.

The USC Trojans hired Ryan to be the team’s next linebackers coach and assistant head coach of the defense following the 2024 season. This was a big hiring for the Trojans after former USC linebackers coach Matt Entz left the program to become the head coach of the Fresno State Bulldogs.

Ryan is coming in with a great deal of coaching experience. He has 34 years of coaching experience with 24 years in the NFL. For 15 years Ryan served as a defensive coordinator in the NFL with the Raiders, Browns, Cowboys, and Saints. Most recently, Ryan served as a senior defensive assistant for the Las Vegas Raiders.

Ryan adds to a stacked defensive coaching staff featuring defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn and defensive lines coach Eric Henderson. Ryan now also has an elite linebacker joining the team in 2026.

Per the 247Sports’ Composite Rankings, Ili is the No. 54 recruit in the nation, the No. 3 linebacker, and the No. 1 player from Hawaii. Ili transferred to Kahuku High School after playing three years of high school football at Orange Lutheran in Southern California.

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Ili is set to return home and play with the USC Trojans. The four-star recruit knew he wanted to come home, narrowing his two finalists to USC and UCLA. He ultimately chose the USC Trojans, hoping to be a part of a winning team.

"I want to continue that legacy and bring everything back to to USC everything that they've been. Man, I'm just blessed. I'm grateful to be here," Ili said after making his announcement.

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

With Ili’s commitment, the USC Trojans are up to 29 commitments from the class of 2026. The Trojans have all the momentum and are not slowing down. The recruiting class ranks No. 1 in the nation.

While Ili is listed as a Hawaii recruit, returning to Southern California shows USC’s emphasis on in-state recruiting. Of the 29 commits, over half are in-state recruits.

USC’s recruiting class features elite players, including two five-star commits, offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe and tight end Mark Bowman. In addition to Ili, the Trojans have received a commitment from four-star linebacker Shaun Scott and three-star linebacker Taylor Johnson. USC is set to have a physical and talented defense for the next several years.

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

The USC Trojans have not won a national championship in over 20 years. USC is looking to bring back the winning culture and is building an elite recruiting class. USC coach Lincoln Riley is facing pressure to step it up quickly, as he came to the program with high expectations.

With the commitments the Trojans are bringing in, Riley should be able to lead the team back into College Football Playoff contention and compete for a national championship.

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