A year ago, coach Lincoln Riley trumpeted the signing of four-star Rivals100 linebacker Tackett Curtis as a foundational addition for the future of USC's defense.
"There wasn't a linebacker in the country we wanted more than Tackett Curtis. I mean, I think he's the best inside linebacker in the country. There's not one I would take over him. I think he is phenomenal," Riley said.
Curtis did play a significant role immediately, becoming the first freshman linebacker to start at USC since Cam Smith in 2015. He started USC's first eight games, before moving into a rotation role while logging 355 defensive snaps overall. He finished with 40 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 2 sacks and a forced fumble.
But a year after being touted as the future of the position for USC, Curtis is in the transfer portal, the LA Times' Ryan Kartje and The Athletic's Antonio Morales reported.
Curtis is the latest former blue-chip Trojans recruit to exit the program after a year or two, following five-star all-purpose back Raleek Brown (2022 recruiting class), five-star quarterback Malachi Nelson (2023 class) and five-star cornerback Domani Jackson (2022 class).
Riley was asked about Curtis on Monday after practice and declined to speak specifically about his situation.
"I’m not going to get into guys’ individual situations. Everybody kind of has their own reasons for wanting to look around, and at the end of the day, you’ve got to respect it," Riley said. "... We’re kind of caught in this period where transfer portal and NIL have even gone up a level in terms of kind of the craziness and the impact on it more than ever before so it’s just going to be part of it when you have the changes that we’ve had [to the defensive staff]. ...
"So my energy goes into the people that are here. No bad blood, no ill will to anybody that’s not, but we’re going to move on with those that are dying to be USC Trojans, because at the end of the day, that’s the only way the history here turns around. Like, that’s the only way that some of the struggles in this program over the last 15 years turn around is going to be with people that are dying to be here and are passionate about this place. Because if not, you’re going to have this kind of constant back and forth, sometimes in and sometimes not in and a lot of times, there’s where mediocrity comes from. So we’re identifying the ones that want to be here, that want to do it and the ones that don’t, we certainly wish them the best."
Curtis, out of Many, Louisiana, was the No. 3-ranked LB and No. 71 overall national prospect in the 2023 recruiting class. He chose the Trojans over Ohio State and Wisconsin, due in large part to his connection with linebackers coach Brian Odom, who had been recruiting him since Odom and Riley were at Oklahoma.
While Odom's future with the program hasn't been formally addressed, USC hired former North Dakota State head coach Matt Entz as its new linebackers coach earlier this month. (Odom is continuing to coach the Trojans in their prep for the Holiday Bowl).
Odom's pending departure likely played a large role in Curtis' decision.
Either way, the Trojans are still searching for their foundation at linebacker after missing on their top targets in the 2024 recruiting class, ultimately picking up a late commitment from four-star ATH/LB Desman Stephens, out of Michigan.
They presumably will return veteran linebackers Mason Cobb and Eric Gentry, potentially rising senior Raesjon Davis (who is a logical transfer portal candidate himself after being unable to secure a steady role through three seasons as a former top-100 national prospect) and developing young linebacker Garrison Madden. USC also just added Oregon State linebacker transfer Easton Mascarenas-Arnold this week.
