Four Big Takeaways From USC Coach Dennis Simmons’ Press Conference

USC Trojans wide receivers coach Dennis Simmons has been around USC coach Lincoln Riley for over a decade, dating back to their days at Oklahoma.

Simmons has coached his fair share of great wide receivers from Michael Crabtree to CeeDee Lamb to Jordan Addison and most recently Ja’Kobi Lane. As he enters his fifth season with the Trojans, Simmons is set to have almost a brand-new group of receivers leading his room. Here are four takeaways from his press conference this spring.

Next Step for Tanook Hines in Sophomore Season

USC Trojans Lincoln Riley Dennis Simmons Tanook Hines Corey Simms Kayden Dixon-Wyatt Transfer Portal Recruiting Class Big Ten — Sep 2, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley (leff) and wide receivers coach Dennis Simmons react against the Nevada Wolf Pack in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Tanook Hines had a breakout freshman season in 2025, finishing third on the team in receptions and receiving yards, behind star wide receivers Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane. But Simmons is focused on turning the page.

“Tanook had a great year last year but as he and I talked about, last year’s over," Simmons said. "None of those catches are going to count this year's so he’s ready to work hard and move forward to capitalize and have a great sophomore campaign."

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Last season, everything was still new to Hines, but with a full season under his belt it’s about taking what he's learned, honing in on the details and becoming a more complete receiver. Simmons detailed where Hines can improve next season.

"There’s some things in his route running that we could clean up," Simmons said. "Getting more consistent in some of the competitive catches. He had a couple of big grabs in some key games last year that aided us to keep the drive going but just to see him do that more on a consistent basis. We’re working with him on some of his comeback routes as well.

"For him, I think the game has slowed down a little bit. Last year it was mainly what I do on my assignment on a particular play. Now, it’s more understanding the overall concept and helping him being able to get to his airspace and spots quicker," Simmons said.

Growth of Sophomore Receiver Corey Simms

USC signed six receivers in the 2026 recruiting cycle, but they also signed three receivers in the 2025 cycle, which included Hines and former four-star recruit, wide receiver Corey Simms.

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound St. Louis native only played 21 offensive snaps this past season, 11 of which came in the Alamo Bowl. However, Simms did appear in all 13 games as a key special teams contributor for the Trojans. He’s been in the program for a full year under Simmons and the expectation is he becomes someone that can contribute in 2026.

“I’m excited to see what Corey Simms will do this year," Simmons said. "He had the opportunity to play in the bowl game more so on the offensive side as well as play throughout the year and did some good things for us on special teams. I’m excited and encouraged to see what his growth is going to look like.

Early Impressions of Freshmen Wide Receivers

Four of the six receivers the Trojans signed in the 2026 recruiting class are on campus this spring. USC is going to count on several of them in the rotation, which makes the next month very important for their development.

“College football this day and age, there’s no time to be freshman anymore. They are young and then I’m going to add a 16-year-old to the mix that should be a senior going into high school next year that’ll be a freshman in college. From an age standpoint, the youth is definitely there," Simmons said.

“The encouraging thing about it is these guys are hungry. These guys understand it’s a privilege to play receiver here at the University of Southern California and they don’t take that lightly. These guys come to work everyday with the right mind frame and the right attitude and I’m encouraged by that,” Simmons said.

The 16-year-old freshman Simmons is referring to is wide receiver Boobie Feaster, a three-time MaxPreps All-American and the No. 4 ranked receiver in the 247Sports Composite Rankings. Feaster reclassified from the 2027 class last spring. He will be 17 years old during his freshman season.

Does 7-on-7 Benefit College Football Receivers?

The 7-on-7 circuit has exploded across high school over the years. The big tournaments are even aired on national television. It’s the AAU of football. Recruits plays on national teams and travel across the country.

There’s an understanding that there’s a massive difference in playing football with pads and without. But kids are getting in more reps at the position than ever before. Simmons believes there are pros and cons of receivers taking part in the events.

“7-on-7 in my opinion is a little bit different than actually getting out and playing 11-on-11," Simmons said. "There are some things and some habits in the 7-on-7 world sometimes that are not realistic to 11-on-11 football. The benefits of it are they are out exercising, running routes and working some of their skillset. Do I think it aids them? I think it aids their body a little because there’s no stagnant time. They’re coming in a little better shape and with a higher sense of endurance.”