Stable spot with USC
The expectation for Lewis when they committed to USC, T.C. said, was to come in and matriculate behind Malachi Nelson, USC’s crown jewel in the class of 2023. Nelson would play two or three years, they anticipated, and then it’d be Lewis’ turn. A natural succession from Williams.
But Nelson, after a quiet freshman year manning the scout team, transferred to Boise State. Suddenly, with Lewis reclassifying to the class of 2025, the timeline has sped up rapidly. USC and Riley have shown clear faith in Holiday Bowl star Miller Moss, but he has just two years of eligibility remaining, and UNLV transfer Jayden Maiava is a question mark entering spring ball.
At the moment, USC seems in a fairly stable situation with Lewis. He’ll visit in two weeks, T.C. said, and is working toward scheduling an official visit likely in early June. And even if USC’s rebuild stumbles slightly in the team’s first year in the Big Ten, T.C. said that’d have “no bearing” on whether they’d stick to their commitment.
But Lewis has still been making his rounds, recently scheduling a visit to Georgia, as reported by 247Sports. Like everything, it’s been done with intention. Coaches change constantly,
T.C. rationalized. What if Riley, or anyone, were to take an NFL job?
“Even under coach Riley, it’s the third quarterback coach (at USC),” T.C. said. “So it’s like, people are like, ‘Oh, you guys are going on the road,’ and that’s what I try to explain to people. The only school with the same quarterback coach from last season is Georgia, Coach (Mike) Bobo. Everybody else has new offensive people.”
USC’s strength in the NIL landscape, too, will likely play a factor in Lewis’ decision. If Lewis handled his on-field business, there’s no better market to earn endorsement deals, T.C. rationalized, seeing what Williams built. But a healthy donor collective was more so important, T.C. said, to attracting talent across the rest of the roster.
“Gotta have an O-line,” T.C. said. “Gotta have the other guys. So that’s more so what I’m worried about. It’s kinda like the Tom Brady approach ... like, ‘I don’t need all the money.’”
Williams’ methods have been notable enough to turn national heads, consistently, for two seasons. But he isn’t the model, T.C. emphasized. If Lewis enters on Williams’ heels, USC could see a program-defining quarterback whose arrival has been even more precisely designed.
“I think his (path),” T.C. said, “is probably the most unique of any quarterback that’s coming through.”