Riley's 2024 class emphasizes commitment, development

Elijah Newby was the first to lock in pen to paper on Wednesday, and his confirmation said a thousand words in the span of precious few.

The Connecticut linebacker had committed to USC in June, back when this program had a different defensive coordinator and an unblemished record and national championship hopes. And Newby remained committed through December, even as USC's defense imploded and the Trojans started shuffling their defensive staff. He didn't waver, head coach Lincoln Riley said on Wednesday. Not for a second.

“I promise to give @uscfb everything I have for the next 3-4 years!” Newby wrote in a social media post on Wednesday morning, the dawn of the early national signing day.

The next 3-4 years. That means something, around USC. It means

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something to a program that's seen a slew of once-hyped recruits head for the transfer portal in the last few days. It means something to a program that, as Riley reflected Wednesday, has felt like it's “starting over” in many ways after a disastrous year — new defensive coordinator, new staffers, new conference.

“If they'll give us the time and put their effort into it, they will develop at USC,” Riley continued later, lips set and words knifesharp. “With this staff, it's not a matter of if. It's to happen.”

It was a relatively calm signing day for USC, reflecting a relatively understated class. Long Beach Millikan receiver Ryan Pellum was the only surprise, nonchalantly telling the crowd at a Millikan signing ceremony that he was flipping to Oregon. Otherwise, USC's 20 other 2024 commits all signed letters of intent, preserving the core of a group with a relatively modest recruiting ranking, depending on your service of choice.

But those signees, and Riley's confident sermon Wednesday established that USC had a clear philosophical mantra for their '24 class: in the tumultuous era of the transfer portal that has both consumed and produced a wealth of Trojans, they were looking for guys who would stick. Players who were steadfast in their commitment and committed to developing as Trojans, rather than jumping ship after it crashed repeatedly into 2023 icebergs.

“The guys that don't waver and have a passion for being here,” Riley said, “they're going to hang in there through the ups and downs, they're going to develop, and then you're going to look up and down the line and they're going to turn into really good players.”

It was apparent in a November loss to Oregon — a program that has straight-up beat USC on the recruiting trail in the Riley era — that USC needed to develop size up front as it transitions to the Big Ten Conference. And as that's been a key point of emphasis under new coordinator D'Anton Lynn, it was a similar key in USC's 2024 recruiting approach, importing a solid amount of size in the trenches.

Florida offensive lineman Jason Zandamela (Clearwater Academy) and Atlanta defensive end Kameryn Fountain (Booker T. Washington High) are the true diamonds of the haul, two players who could see significant playing time as true freshmen. Defensive linemen Carlon Jones (Bay City High, Texas) and Jide Abasiri (Prior Lake High, Minnesota) are 290-pound shakers up front who were both pulled in under the recent Lynn administration. And Makai Saina (Martin High, Texas), Justin Tauanuu (Huntington Beach), Hayden Treter (Cherry Creek High, Colorado) and Kalolo Ta'aga (Bishop Riordan High, San Francisco) add developmental depth on the offensive line.

“Large human beings,” Riley grinned on Wednesday. “Large, large human beings.”

The class also bristles with highly-regarded defensive playmakers, from Newby to St. John Bosco cornerback Marcelles Williams to Sierra Canyon safety Marquis Gallegos.

There is a definite lack of offensive talent, particularly as Pellum flipped. Sierra Canyon's Xavier Jordan is the only receiver in the class, and Bryan Jackson (McKinney High, Texas) the only running back. Riley said Wednesday that USC would look to add some skill position depth through the portal; not a couple hours later, in came a commitment from former Mississippi State back Jo'Quavious “Woody” Marks, who racked up more than 3,000 yards from scrimmage across four years as a Bulldog.

The biggest question mark, still, remains at quarterback, where USC hasn't had a 2024 commit.