New "Inside the Trojans' Huddle" Tuesday (Feb. 7): Analysis for USC recruiting class of 2023, Pac-12 and Big Ten recruiting classes, prep transfers and social media, and panel Q&A

In Tuesday’s “Inside the Trojans’ Huddle”, panelists Marc Kulkin, Erik McKinney, Chris Arledge, and Greg Katz review last Wednesday’s National Letter of Intent Day and evaluate the combined early December and the February signing period. Also included in the show is a look at how the Pac-12 recruited in this class of 2023 cycle and a sneak preview into the future regarding how the Big Ten recruited. In Overtime, the panel once again answers viewers’ questions. 

In the first half of the Huddle, the panelists discuss the impact of the two prep players the Trojans signed last Wednesday, tight end Walker Lyons (Folsom, Calif.) and wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane (Phoenix, Arizona). The panel also discusses two players, tight end Duce Robinson (Phoenix, Arizona) and safety Warren Roberson (Red Oak, Texas), who at the time of Monday’s Huddle taping had not signed. However, on Tuesday morning, Roberson, who earlier was actually committed to TCU, has now flipped and is committed to Texas.

The panel then assesses the overall class of 2023 high school, combining the signings of both December and February. Was the panel satisfied with the players that signed and what may have been missing in terms of needs? One panelist remained concerned over the lack of high-valued defensive line talent, but another panelist said the players that USC signed along the defensive line – Sam Greene (Baltimore, MD) and Elijah Hughes (Arlington, VA) – just need to develop.   The panel was then asked which player was the surprise signing, and what was the biggest recruiting loss? There was mostly agreement on the offensive surprise side of the ball and different views on the defensive end, and there were various opinions of which player was a critical loss.

Lastly in the first half, the panel is asked if they are satisfied the Trojans high school recruiting is ranked No. 13 nationally. Are Kulkin, McKinney, Arledge, and Katz in agreement with the national ranking? Some of the panel said the ranking is worthless, but others said it was significant on how the Trojans are perceived.

The halftime conversation centers around this current subject topic question: Is the success of the college transfer portal affecting high school recruiting? Underclass players now in high school are sending out social media tweets like transfer portal players, thanking their high school coaches, teammates, and staff, and then in the final paragraph saying how excited they are to start their “new journey” at their next high school and can’t wait to get ready for their new program. How does the panel feel about this latest copycat transfer incoming wave? It was brought up that a recent tight end recruit from Texas announced his new southern California high school choice with artwork usually reserved for college players.

The second half of the Huddle takes a look at the overall class of 2023 recruiting ranking of the Pac-12 Conference and its placement of teams among the rest of the country. Were there any national surprises for the Trojans and the Pac-12 across the nation?

Turning to within the Pac-12 conference rankings, the panel analyzes the conference recruiting rankings of 1-12. It was admitted that a certain school of USC should have been ranked ahead of the Trojans. Need you drop you a hint of that school? Didn’t think so.

With this being the last season for the Trojans in the Pac-12, the panel does a sneak preview of how their new 2024 conference, the Big Ten, did in its 2023 recruiting high school recruiting cycle. The Big Ten classes will likely have players the Trojans will face in 2024,2025 or 2026. How did the Big Ten teams rank nationally as compared to the cardinal and gold?

The conclusion of the second half, the panel is asked to comment on Oregon landing four of the top eight California prospects and the top three defensive players in the state. The panel is asked how big a recruiting concern is Oregon now and, in the future, when the Trojans head to the Big Ten in 2024?    

In the Overtime segment, the panel answers viewers’ questions pertaining to the one recruit that has the most upside to improve, the accuracy of national players recruiting rankings, USC’s greatest wide receiver, Coliseum needed improvements, and future scheduling of SEC teams.