4-star safety Marquis Gallegos commits to USC Trojans

The top school for West Hills (Calif.) Chaminade four-star safety Marquis Gallegos had been a fluid situation for months now. Of his top four of Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon and USC, they each held the top spot for him at some point.

Gallegos ultimately made the decision in the end that he’d stay close to home with his pledge to the Trojans Tuesday afternoon.

“The last couple of my months, my top school kind of jumped around a little bit from school to school,” Gallegos told On3. “As soon as I felt that USC was the place for me, I made it official.

“What made USC different is the great coaching staff and the overall direction that the program is headed in. Going into the Big Ten next year is big for them, they’re building new facilities, pairing that with a great education and being in California was a big thing for me.”

The 6-foot-1, 165-pounder took his official visit to Southern Cal on June 16 but said that a few weeks before then is when the Tides towards USC began to shift.

Gallegos said he learned more about each of the programs he was looking at. After doing that research, it dawned on him that USC fit all of the needs he was looking for.

Getting to stay close to home just added to Gallegos’ final decision.

“Location definitely played a factor,” said Gallegos, the No. 161 player in the 2024 On300. “Being home and staying close to my family is important to me. My family is the most important thing to me.”

Lincoln Riley played a large role in Gallegos’ decision

Gallegos has taken close to 10 visits to Southern California during his recruitment. All of those visits came after Lincoln Riley arrived on campus.

Seeing what Riley did during his first year with the Trojans immediately caught Gallegos eye.

“It made a huge impact on me,” Gallegos said. “I’m a big fan and believer in Lincoln Riley. He’s shown me love since day one and the hospitality he’s show me and my family has been great.

“I think he’s a great head coach and one of the best in college football right now.”

Gallegos said that he and his family were able to build a tight bond with Riley over the last few months. On the official visit they were able to spend more time with Riley and continue to strengthen that bond.

“He’s definitely a players coach and very comfortable to be around,” Gallegos said. “I’ve always clicked with him and so has my family. From a football standpoint, he has one of the highest winning percentages in college football. He’s probably the best offensive mind in college football as well.

“Being a defensive player, having a good and reliable offense is important. His whole coaching philosphy and everything that comes with it is great.”