USC HC Lincoln Riley touts new defensive coaching staff, program's NIL growth

Some brand new faces are in attendance at Big Ten media days this week as the Midwestern conference officially welcomes four new West Coast programs: USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington.

The Trojans are fresh off of an 8-5 campaign in 2023, capped by a 42-28 Holiday Bowl win over No. 15 Louisville.

Coming into the Big Ten, Southern Cal has put together a pair of top-20 recruiting classes in addition to bringing in 17 transfer players this offseason through the NCAA Transfer Portal.

Currently, the Trojans rank No. 18 in the 2025 On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings behind 14 commitments.

“I think we’re continuing to build an identity, especially defensively,” USC head coach Lincoln Riley told On3’s Steve Wiltfong on Wednesday at Big Ten media days. “I’m really excited about some of the prospects that we’re currently recruiting in that class. And excited about the opportunity to go prove it on the field this year. Which that’s — listen, there’s always part of that when you have change. When I became the head coach at Oklahoma, there was a lot of people that kind of doubted it until they saw the product on the field. So, I think our defensive coaches and players are eager, certainly, to go play this year and prove that.

“But yeah, the roster just continues to get better and better. It does. NIL continues to get better and better. Our staff continues to get better and better. New facilities coming. Like, it can’t ever get here soon enough, but the momentum is undeniable; the progress is undeniable from what we took over two years ago. We’re just going to keep stacking these classes on top.”

Defensive success key to future recruiting

Recruiting in college football is full of ebbs and flows for any program. Prospects will commit, decommit, flip and perhaps even recommit. Riley said that’s “just part of it” — especially on the defensive side of the ball right now with “essentially” a brand new staff.

On the bright side for the Trojans, three of SC’s top four 2025 commits come on the defense — a good sign for the new staff in Los Angeles.

“A lot of these guys have had relationships with some of these players for four, five or six months. People have not gotten a chance to play on the field yet,” Riley said. “Once that happens, they get to see the quality of coaching and development that’s going on here, they can see the quality of product on the field, these recruits and families really get a chance to know these defensive coaches that we’ve brought in. Like every other part of the program, that’s going to continue to grow.”

Transfer Portal impact

Those 17 transfer athletes have a chance to make an impact off the bat for Southern Cal this season.

“We’re certainly counting on several portal guys — we certainly didn’t go nearly as heavy into the portal as we did the first two years. Which, again, I think is a sign of a program that’s getting more healthy by the minute. But listen, any portal guy that you bring in, you certainly are counting on,” Riley said. “I brought one here today, Kamari Ramsey. Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, Akili Arnold — there’s several guys, DeCarlos Nicholson, John Humphrey. Several guys, especially I think defensively, that certainly come to mind in the beginning — Woody Marks on offense — that we expect big things out of. If what we’ve seen is any indication, that’s what we’re going to get.”

Riley excited by program’s NIL growth

Riley touched on having to build a name, image and likeness (NIL) operation essentially from scratch when his staff arrived in LA.

“We took over something two years ago where there was no NIL,” Riley said. “People have got to understand that our starting point was zero, was nothing. To have to rebuild that, to have to get that started has been a big undertaking. But I would venture to guess that we’ve had just as much growth in NIL over the past 12 months or more than maybe any. program in college football. Like any part of our program — is anything exactly where we want it to be right now today? No.

“But the things are in place and they’re taking hold and they’re growing, and we’re gaining on it. And we’re not going to slow down.”

Transition to the Big Ten

After a full final season in the PAC-12, the Trojans’ move to the Big Ten is finally here.

“It’s cool. It does make it all more real,” Riley said of being in Indianapolis for Big Ten media days. “Just kind of this idea that you knew this was coming, but kind of down the line and we’re focused on your season that was going on. But now it’s here, to see all those logos together and really start envisioning these games and what this is going to be — it’s pretty cool.”

The Big Ten has long been known for its tough, hard-nosed football. Whether it be Iowa suffocating opponent offenses or Michigan running it down opponents’ throats, the conference certainly has a unique style of play.

Riley said his program is “absolutely” physically ready to play along the line of scrimmage in the Big Ten.

“Absolutely. Absolutely. Listen, it’s going to be determined by what we do in the fall, but I have every confidence that we are (ready),” Riley said. “I don’t know that I maybe could have said that in some of the previous years. We had some quality players, but in terms of the overall depth, especially on the line of scrimmage on both sides, I don’t know that I could have said it across the board.

“But every year gets better. We’ve got two full classes in there with us now. Obviously, I think each year it’s going to continue to grow, and you’re going to look up here pretty soon and it’s going to be a championship-level roster.”

USC building a championship-caliber program

While Southern Cal may not be quite at the talent level of a Georgia, Ohio State or Alabama, Riley believes that it is speeding toward that threshold.

“We’re gaining on it. I’m not going to sit here and say right now today that we’re the most talented team that I’ve ever seen or ever coached — we’re not there yet. But don’t look away too long,” Riley said. “We will be soon. We can keep building on what we’ve done here the last two years, man, the sky is the limit for this place just like I thought it was the day that I took the job. We’re not far off. This team can beat anybody any week, there’s no doubt about that. But I also look ahead and say, ‘This thing is just going to continue to gain steam and momentum the longer that we go.'”