On Monday night (7/22), our WeAreSC Subscribers submitted questions for THE LATEST edition of the USC Trojans Football AND Recruiting Q&A.

This is a feature we did weekly throughout the USC football season and will continue up until the February 2025 signing period. All questions were submitted on our “WeAreSC Members Only” Forum.

WEARESC SUBSCRIBER QUESTIONS

Good morning Scott, If you were on staff under Lincoln Riley and in charge of the recruiting/scouting department, what change or changes would you personally implement?

I would need to be far more informed on the recruiting strategies being implemented, because I’d wholeheartedly trust the USC evaluations, but I would not let guys like TomTom Topui visit Oregon this weekend over home school USC.

It’s time for USC to have a sense of urgency with these type of targets. I get he’ll be at multiple USC home games, but he needs to be on campus at USC this month and sounds like he won’t be.

Also, why is my 5-Star QB not communicating regularly with other targets, especially offensive guys? Tanook Hines has never communicated with him. To me that’s not ideal. Get these guys feeling like teammates as early and often as possible.

Just a few thoughts.

I would like to ask if there has been movement on finding someone for the General Manager position. I know we tried to get the guy from Bama but he stayed put. Any other options or names floating about?

I’ve heard nothing at all on this topic, so you “know” more than I do.

Would you make any changes the media policy under Coach Lincoln Riley? And if so how?

I’m sort of biased with this topic, but I’d let us view practice a few times a year in the Spring and Fall. At least let us shoot video of some 1v1 sessions. It’s free marketing from the media crew.

Overall we actually have it pretty good at USC.

Hey SS! By The first Signing Day How many players do you see Signing with us given that most ate committed else where.

The plan is to sign a good sized group, but they’ll hit the portal before settling for a high school prospect they’re not high on. We got a ways to go though. USC needs to show they’re good at football.

Besides the Running back verbal commits, what current three-star USC commit had the best shot to getting his fourth star?

I’ll go with OL Elijah Vaikona . He’s now at a high profile Trinity League School (Santa Margarita) and getting coached up. He just needs fresh film.

With a strong season defensively which recruits that USC finished 2nd with do you feel the Trojans have the best chance to ultimately flip?

Don’t have any clue who they have the “best shot” with, but there definitely a few they can still get. We’ll save this topic for Late September or October.

What are the three (3) biggest things you’d advise Riley on if you could travel back in time to when he was hired as HC. This can anything you want it to be (e.g., staffing, recruiting, scheduling, in-game coaching). We’ll place you at the exact moment that he agreed to come to USC and leave Oklahoma.

Move on from Alex Grinch after year one, keep Armond Hawkins Jr. on staff and attend Mater Dei vs Bosco when the game’s played at the Coliseum.

No. 2 though is very important in my opinion. Need a connected and motivated younger dude from SoCal as one of the recruiting point men.

Where would USC NIL rank nationally? The struggles in recruiting seem to suggest it’s below average currently.

There aren’t 10 NIL collectives better than USC.

In your opinion, is the athletic department in better hands under Jen Cohen than it was under Mike Bohn? What differences have you noticed, if any?

Without Brandon Sosna, Mike Bohn sort of shut down. USC’s light years better off with Jen Cohen. She’s really gotten the situation with NIL healthy. It was a nothing burger prior to her arrival.

Any idea on how we’re trending with LB, Madden Faraimo?

USC’s in the mix. I can also add Notre Dame is concerned about the Trojans. If USC has a strong season, I predict Madden Faraimo stays home.

What exactly is the difference in responsibilities between the Offensive and Defensive Graduate Assistant Coaches and the Offensive and Defensive Analysts?

It’s always changing, but I can tell you Chris Claiborne was a defensive analyst and one of his primary functions was breaking down film of the opposing defenses for offensive coordinator Graham Harrell .

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