Lincoln Riley explains how move to the Big Ten changes recruiting

College football is set to change drastically in 2024 as conference realignment that has been planned for a few years now finally takes root. That means coaches like USC‘s Lincoln Riley will have to finalize their adjustments.

There’s a lot to consider when it comes to playing in a new league, the Big Ten in USC’s case.

With the move there are even some advantages that could help Riley in his rebuild of the USC program, particularly after a disappointing 2023 campaign.

“Well I think first it’s in some ways opening up even more some areas of the country to recruit,” Lincoln Riley said on the Next Up with Adam Breneman podcast. “Now USC has always been and always will be a national brand, but all the sudden with you playing some games in the Midwest, on the East coast regularly, I think it makes some of those areas even more accessible and you’ve seen that even last year with our recruiting class. I think (we landed) several players from those areas, and I think that has a chance to continue.”

There are also some other factors that Riley has taken into consideration, ones that you might not expect upon first consideration.

“I do think there’s a couple of spots as you look at a roster that you might carry one more of this position and maybe one less of that position, but the Big Ten football wise as we’ve studied it I don’t think is like radically different from all the other conferences,” Lincoln Riley said. “I think there’s some really, really good teams. Some really good coaches. Some great venues you’re going to go into.”

That roster adjustment is certainly an interesting tidbit. And while Riley didn’t specify exactly which position they’ve sacrificed a roster spot for and which one they’ve added to, it’s probably safe to say the move was to add more numbers to the trenches.

Traditionally Big Ten football has been a bit more three yards and a cloud of dust than the more wide open Pac-12.

Still, Riley is confident his staff has made the proper adjustments and will continue to lean into the added recruiting advantages that being in the Big Ten will provide.

“There’s definitely new challenges, but our goal has been to come here and win national championships,” Lincoln Riley said. “That’s been the goal, that’s why we signed up from the beginning. To do that you have to be good enough to beat everybody, including Big Ten teams and anybody else. So I think where we were headed anyways in terms of our program, I don’t know that we were going to have to change course a lot, but at the same time have a respect and understand there are new challenges coming and ones that we’re looking forward to.”