Lincoln Riley thinks USC football transfers will make a significant impact

USC didn’t go big in the transfer portal this season. The Trojans didn’t add as many players as they did in previous seasons under Lincoln Riley. USC frankly needed a high-impact defensive tackle or two. It could have used another high-end offensive tackle as well. The Trojans didn’t get those additions in the portal. Nevertheless, USC did beef up its defense in the portal this offseason, and Riley is optimistic that the portal newcomers will make a big difference, as he told Steve Wiltfong of On3 Sports:

“We’re certainly counting on several portal guys — we certainly didn’t go nearly as heavy into the portal as we did the first two years. Which, again, I think is a sign of a program that’s getting more healthy by the minute. But listen, any portal guy that you bring in, you certainly are counting on,” Riley said. “I brought one here today, Kamari Ramsey. Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, Akili Arnold — there’s several guys, DeCarlos Nicholson, John Humphrey. Several guys, especially I think defensively, that certainly come to mind in the beginning — Woody Marks on offense — that we expect big things out of. If what we’ve seen is any indication, that’s what we’re going to get.”

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