USC’s Riley finally looks to the West Coast

The Hotline is excited to offer fans a regular deep dive into the recruiting process through the eyes and ears of Brandon Huffman, the Seattle-based national recruiting editor for 247Sports. He submitted the following report on December 13…

Closing 2024

This is an unprecedented time in college football. As we have noted several times, the NCAA recruiting calendar has been directly impacted by major national trends.

The schedule changed dramatically with the early signing period in December. 4 and the transfer portal opens on December 9.

Schools can welcome official visitors, either from the high school ranks or from the portal, until December 22. After that, the dead period begins.

Transfers are allowed to visit schools Jan. 1-5, followed by a one-week period in which high school recruits can also visit campuses.

Another dead period occurs January 13-15, followed by two more weeks of visits.

Understood ?

One thing missing this year: the frequent social media posts, so common in December, in which coaches visit recruits in their homes while making the last desperate pitch for a signing.

We didn’t see a single coach posing next to a Christmas tree.

These days, final conversations usually take place with the collectives of names, images and likenesses, agents or managers, as both parties cross their “ts” and dot their “i’s”.

What a time to be alive.

The USC family affair

If you needed another reminder that time is a never-ending circle, USC’s latest commit in the Class of 2026 is cornerback RJ Sermons.

Cal State’s seventh recruit, Sermons has a long history with the Trojans.

He is the son of former USC running back Rodney Sermons, who signed with the Trojans in 1994, won a Rose Bowl during the 1995 season and played for the late John Robinson as well as Paul Hackett .

The young Sermons is one of the fastest players in California. He will play defense for Lincoln Riley.

A different approach?

With Sermons’ commitment — and with signs that four-star tight end Caleb Tafua (class of 2026) is committing to USC — could the Trojans Finally prioritize California under the Riley regime?

Much has been made of their focus on the Southeast and Texas and the subsequent recruiting failures on the West Coast.

The Trojans lead California’s No. 1 recruit in the class of 2026, quarterback Ryder Lyons, whose older brother, Walker, already plays for USC.

But could this signal renewed interest in Golden State? It should. Four of California’s top 15 prep seniors signed with Alabama, three with Texas A&M and two with Penn State.

USC, the state’s flagship football program, signed two.

That won’t break the bar in a state as talent-rich as California.

But Trojans fans are optimistic a lesson might finally be learned.

The ducks continue to cook

Of course, Oregon is a school that has no problem recruiting in California.

The Ducks already have a commitment from the state’s No. 3 recruit in the class of 2026, Mater Dei High School offensive tackle Kodi Greene, as well as fellow Monarch defensive lineman Tomuhini Topui.

And the Ducks just added another four-star prospect in Ventura standout linebacker Tristan Phillips, who picked the Ducks just minutes before winning the Big Ten championship.

The Class of 2026 prospect chose Oregon over Arizona State, Oklahoma, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin.