The recruiting cycle has changed in recent years with more emphasis on getting seniors on campus at the midyear point allowing programs to focus more attention in January on the next wave of talent. Years ago, January was used to by programs to fortify recruiting classes and make the last pitches to seniors, but that has changed and now it is a month for coaches to hit the road for school and home visits with junior prospects.
USC has been focused on adding transfers for much of the winter following the early signing period, and the attention is now on the 2026 class. The Trojans could still add to their 2025 class, but Lincoln Riley and his staff have been zooming around the country looking for the next piece of the puzzle for the next cycle.
USC has already jumped out to a great start for 2026 and heads into the February dead period with the No. 3-ranked class thanks to eight early commitments. Five of the eight early commits hail from Southern California, and there has been an added emphasis already from USC on focusing more attention at home for the next cycle.
In the early days of the January contact period, Riley and his coaches hit up a number local high schools to check in with recruits and staffs in the area. Since then, the Trojans have traveled across the country, led by Riley, making contact with a number of the top priorities in the class.
Quarterbacks
Quarterback recruiting has been simple under Riley. The Trojans find a target and commit to pursuing that target heavily until he says no. Ryder Lyons has become the top target for the Trojans in the class, and Riley made a stop by Folsom High School during his Northern California swing last week.
Oregon, Michigan, Washington, BYU and Ole Miss have been some of the other programs to stop by and check things out at Folsom as Lyons continues to mull his options. The Trojans continue to look like the frontrunner for the five-star signal caller whose brother is a tight end at USC.
