The Times of Troy: Five thoughts on USC’s first week of the transfer portal

Hello again, and welcome back to another week of the Times of Troy newsletter. I’m Ryan Kartje, the USC beat writer at The Times and your guide on this harrowing journey through the transfer portal and the new, chaotic world that it’s wrought. We’re one week into the portal being open, and already, 16 Trojans have announced they’re transferring. That’s almost 15% of USC’s 2024 roster.

I know that sounds like a horrifying number. But Lincoln Riley is right when he says that this is just the way of the world now. We’ve felt that more than ever this offseason. Not only are athletic departments readying for revenue sharing next fall, but they’re also reducing roster sizes to 105. On the other side, players and their agents are shrewdly assessing market value and, in many cases, asking for raises.

“We’re a college model that’s becoming a professional model,” Riley said last week. “I know some people don’t want to say that. But it’s here. It is what it is.”

It’s true. And holding onto what college football once was would only ensure that Riley and USC get passed by. That’s been an issue that’s plagued USC since the advent of NIL, when athletic director Mike Bohn refused at first to even acknowledge the existence of a collective at USC. The athletic department has been one (or more) steps behind ever since.

Progress is being made. But if USC hopes to truly follow “a professional model”, then more work still needs to be done. More infrastructure needs to be added to actually function in the fashion Riley is describing.

That approach is the right one for this new era. But I’ll admit, it still bums me out to hear a college coach say that he tries not to get “too attached” to his players. Even if he’s probably right to think that way.

Here are a few other USC thoughts after a week of the transfer portal …

—Riley has had no problem plucking top running backs from the transfer portal, and I don’t expect that to change this season. USC has already been aggressive in offering several transfer backs, among them Washington State’s Wayshawn Parker, Bowling Green’s Terion Stewart and Arizona’s Rayshon “Speedy” Luke. USC even mined the junior college ranks for a running back, offering No. 1 back Waymond Jordan from Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College. Riley will find a lead back, one way or the other. (My money is on Stewart, who has already visited and whose style meshes with Riley’s offense.) But will any new lead back be better than Quinten Joyner, who USC allowed to enter the portal? We don’t know what USC offered Joyner to stay. We do know that Ohio State is now circling the former Trojan back, while USC is left to go back to the well in search of one.

—Finding adequate offensive linemen in the portal, on the other hand, has been a mixed bag at best. In fact, it has really only worked one time for Riley at USC. Emmanuel Pregnon arrived from Wyoming ahead of last season and developed into a mauling guard by the end of this one. But even he took his lumps along the way. The reality is talented offensive linemen don’t often leave their respective schools. And if they do, it usually means they require some time and development to reach their ceiling. USC doesn’t really have that luxury next season. The interior of the offensive line is threadbare, with question marks at center and one guard spot. At least one of those holes, I expect, would be plugged by a transfer. Arizona’s Wendell Moe could be an option — and has already been offered. He’s a Long Beach Poly alum who started every game for the Wildcats a year ago.

—Riley says USC’s history and his offense should be convincing enough for receivers. But after the last two seasons — and looking ahead to the next one — why would a transfer receiver choose USC? Riley’s first class of transfer wideouts was by far his best, with Jordan Addison, Tahj Washington and Brenden Rice all making a major impact. But since, transfers have barely made a dent in USC’s receiver rotation. Dorian Singer was one of the top receivers available ahead of 2023, then struggled to find his stride at USC. Jay Fair came from Auburn last season with his sights set on a big role, then caught eight passes. Charles Ross of San José State said he wasn’t “coming to [USC to] sit in the back,” then played a bit part in just three games. Even Kyle Ford was frustrated by his lack of opportunity upon returning to USC. Then, consider Riley’s recent comments: He suggested last week that USC could narrow its receiver rotation next season, to give its top targets more reps. One entrenched receiver — Duce Robinson — already left because he wasn’t going to get the opportunities to develop. USC has offered at least two transfer receivers: Tulsa’s Jo Williams and Purdue’s Jaron Tibbs. Would either be able to break the Trojans’ current rotation?

—It has been a good few weeks for defensive backs coach Doug Belk. After helping flip four-star cornerback Alex Graham on signing day, Belk secured two cornerback commits in the portal in Central Florida’s Chasen Johnson and San José State’s D.J. Harvey. Johnson has since flipped — which is something you can do in the portal apparently — but Harvey, who had four interceptions last season, will add much-needed depth to the room. Belk’s biggest move of the month came from the 2026 class, as he secured a commitment from Rancho Cucamonga cornerback RJ Sermons, who’s currently ranked as the top cornerback in the 2026 class. That won’t help USC’s dire defensive back problem next season, but there are several others that USC has already offered.

—Jayden Maiava said this week that he’s staying at USC. “It’s the place to be,” he said, when I asked him Thursday. And I believe Maiava when he says that he has every intention of staying. But I also think it’s best to proceed with caution when it comes to quarterbacks. Especially when there’s so much to sort out. The NIL deal that Maiava signed when he transferred to USC is now woefully below the market for a starting quarterback. His deal, going into next season, will need to be renegotiated soon. At the same time, Riley has said he plans to bring in another quarterback to fill out the room. He’s suggested that quarterback would step in behind Maiava, but he could always change his plans for the right player. No quarterback has looked worthy of that treatment yet, though. I’d expect Maiava is still QB1 when spring rolls around, with five-star freshman Husan Longstreet behind him.

On USC’s 2025 schedule

Georgia Southern coach Clay Helton reacts during a game.

(Kathleen Batten / Associated Press)

After enduring a brutal slate in its Big Ten debut, USC’s second season in the conference shouldn’t prove nearly as grueling. It doesn’t hurt that USC opens with two weeks worth of walk-over nonconference opponents in Missouri State and Clay Helton-led Georgia Southern, while its first Big Ten road trip is to Purdue, the worst team in the conference this season. A home matchup with Michigan State offers a smooth path to 4-0.

It’s what happens over the four weeks that follow that will determine the direction of USC’s 2025 season. Illinois could be tricky in Champaign. Michigan is going to pack the Coliseum in mid-October. A trip to Notre Dame in October might be the toughest test of the season, while a trip to Nebraska in November is no walk in the park. Remember, USC was 1-4 on the road this year.

So much is bound to change between now and then, making it impossible to predict what might happen next week, let alone next season. If you asked me for a way-too-early over/under, I’d set it right now at 8 1/2 wins.

USC hasn’t won in South Bend or Eugene in 13 years. Chalk those up as losses, and the Trojans would probably have to win three of four against Illinois, Michigan, Nebraska and Iowa to finish on the “over” side of that prediction.

A feel-good NIL story

JuJu Watkins looks on during the first half against Fresno State.

(Jessie Alcheh / Associated Press)

While you’re cursing the changes that NIL has brought upon college sports, consider for a moment JuJu Watkins’ latest big-name deal.

USC’s sophomore superstar recently announced an NIL deal with Chipotle. Which comes as no surprise given her already impressive portfolio. But this deal was a bit different, in that it wasn’t just for Watkins. Instead, Watkins pushed the company to make it a team-wide deal, the first Chipotle had done.

A rep from Chipotle told me Watkins was “essential” in making sure it happened that way. Now all 15 members of the team reap the benefits of an NIL deal with Chipotle — i.e., free burritos whenever they please. Sounds like a pretty sweet deal to me, and another example of Watkins paying it forward.

ToT picks the Playoff (poorly)

The first round starts Friday. Here goes nothing …

Texas over Clemson

Ohio State over Tennessee

Penn State over SMU

Indiana over Notre Dame

In case you missed it

NCAA, Pac-12 and USC seek dismissal of Reggie Bush’s lawsuit over lost NIL pay

Lincoln Riley shrugs off USC receiver defections to portal, still expects to improve

USC coach Lincoln Riley suggests there is no reason to panic as Trojans shop in portal

USC women hold Elon to 30 points for their 10th victory of the season

No. 5 USC unleashes press and rolls to a 49-point win over Fresno State

UCLA and USC football transfer portal tracker: Who’s in and who’s out?

What I’m Watching This Week

Jimmy O. Yang as Willis Wu and Chloe Bennet as Lana Lee in “Interior Chinatown.”

(Mike Taing / Hulu)

This rec comes from my wife, who’s convinced that I don’t listen to her recommendations. But “Interior Chinatown” on Hulu definitely has my interest piqued. Based on a book of the same name, the show follows a waiter in Chinatown who witnesses a crime and uncovers a lot more from there. That might sound conventional. But it’s a show unlike anything else on TV, that’s for sure.