Projecting Who's Staying and Who's Leaving from USC After Bowl Game

What turned into a forgettable 2024 campaign season for the USC Trojans has finally come to a close.

As the program made its Big Ten debut, the Trojans opened the year ranked 23rd in the country. They toppled LSU in the opener and climbed as high as 11th nationally after a 3-1 decent start.

But then, Lincoln Riley's team collapsed.

USC endured an ugly trend of squandering a fourth-quarter lead throughout the regular season. Ultimately, the Trojans ended the year at 7-6 after a 35-31 win over Texas A&M in the Las Vegas Bowl.

The offseason is a long-awaited, yet critical moment for USC to reset its outlook before the narratives for 2025 really begin.

Lincoln Riley

If you tracked USC at a distance this season, perhaps you wondered if a coaching change might be possible after such a disappointing year. The short answer is no, mostly because Lincoln Riley has a buyout that is reportedly flirting with $90 million. Even if the school preferred to keep him anyway, the buyout is a prohibitive number.

Jayden Maiava, QB

Following a standout year at UNLV in 2023, Jayden Maiava found his way to Los Angeles and earned the backup job. As the Trojans stumbled and dropped from 3-1 to 4-5, Riley benched Miller Moss and inserted Maiava. He guided USC to victories over Nebraska and UCLA, which at least pushed the Trojans into a bowl. Maiava isn't the locked-in starter of the future, but he enters the offseason as QB1.

Promising Duo at Receiver

Though the Trojans must retool the pass-catching group, they're not facing a total rebuild out wide. Makai Lemon tallied a team-high 665 receiving yards in the regular season, and Ja'Kobi Lane snagged nine touchdowns. The departures sting, but that's a good foundation.

So Many Transfers, Part 1

The list is extensive. The demotion sent quarterback Miller Moss into the portal. USC is also losing running back Quinten Joyner and notable wide receivers Zachariah Branch, Kyron Hudson and Duce Robinson, along with right tackle Mason Murphy and a few backup linemen.

So Many Transfers, Part 2

USC is dealing with an exodus on the other side of the ball, too. Gone are edge-rusher Sam Greene, defensive tackle Bear Alexander, linebacker Raesjon Davis and safety Zion Branch. All four—although Alexander essentially left the team in September—could've held a significant role on the 2025 defense.

Players Out of Eligibility

Compounding the problem of those transfers is how USC's roster was such a senior-heavy group. Top tacklers Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, Mason Cobb, Jaylin Smith and Akili Arnold are simply four of the many defenders the Trojans have to replace next season. All-American lineman Jonah Monheim is headed to the NFL, too.

Handful of Transfers (and Counting)

Expect more commits from within the portal, but USC has landed five transfers. Georgia's Jamaal Jarrett and Kentucky's Keeshawn Silver should compete for snaps on the defensive line. Additionally, the Trojans have added a trio of All-Mountain West players in running back Eli Sanders, cornerback DJ Harvey and kicker Caden Chittenden.

The QB of the Future?

In mid-November, the Trojans pulled off a QB switch. Longtime commit Julian Lewis flipped to Colorado, but USC ripped Husan Longstreet out of Texas A&M's class. While a ranking does not guarantee success, Longstreet is a borderline 5-star as the No. 26 prospect of the cycle.

Top-15 Recruiting Class

USC's top commit is 5-star D-lineman Jahkeem Stewart, who's rated 23th overall. The class underwent a huge makeover in the late stages, but USC still managed to sign a top-15 group. There are 11 other blue-chip recruits in the haul, including linebacker Matai Tagoa'i (87th) and offensive tackles Alex Payne (159th) and Aaron Dunn (170th).