USC heads into fall camp with the same big-picture goal hanging over everything: a College Football Playoff berth for the first time in program history. And with Big Ten Media Days now in the rearview mirror, the Trojans are turning toward Aug. 29, when they open against San Jose State at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Lincoln Riley’s fifth season brings no shortage of optimism. USC returns key starters on both sides of the ball, adds the No. 1-ranked 2026 recruiting class, and brings in transfer portal help. But as always, the real story is which players can turn that talent into something bigger.
Three returning starters stand out as the ones with the most to prove.
The spotlight in the receiver room now shifts to Tanook Hines after the departures of Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane to the NFL. Hines is coming off a strong freshman season and now has a chance to become the face of the group. He finished the 2025 season with 34 catches for 561 yards and two touchdowns, and he delivered in USC’s two losses last year against Oregon and TCU in the Alamo Bowl, topping 100 yards in both games.
With NC State transfer Terrell Anderson also in the mix, the Trojans need Hines to take the lead in a reworked passing attack.
Waymond Jordan is another name USC is counting on. His season was cut short by a season-ending ankle injury in last year’s 31-13 home win over Michigan, but before that setback he had already flashed real production. Jordan put up 576 yards and five touchdowns while averaging 6.5 yards per carry, and now he’s aiming for a bigger leap: 1,000 rushing yards.
He and former walk-on King Miller are expected to give USC a powerful one-two punch on the ground, a combination the Trojans hope can become one of the Big Ten’s most dangerous backfields.
On defense, Jide Abasiri is one of the most important returning pieces. He broke through last season with 26 total tackles, 3.5 sacks and one forced fumble, and USC needs that momentum to carry over into a season where the defense has to do heavy lifting.
Abasiri was one of USC’s three representatives at Big Ten Media Days, alongside quarterback Jayden Maiava and former Michigan State defensive lineman Alex VanSumeren. There, he talked about the shift in mindset that comes with experience.
"My freshman year, I was really hard on myself when I wasn't getting the playing time I wanted to. And I felt like that really stunted my development.
Instead of focusing on my abilities and improvement, I was focused on playing time. So I think this year will be better to focus on my development, my skills, and not focus on the outside noise."
For USC, that kind of growth matters. If the Trojans are going to reach the CFP, players like Hines, Jordan and Abasiri will have to help drive the push.
In Other News...
USCs New Defensive Identity Is Starting To Feel Very Real
Alex VanSumerens move from Michigan State to USC was one of the quieter offseason additions, but it fits neatly into the kind of defensive makeover the Trojans have been trying to sell around the program. At Big Ten Media Days, the lineman talked about what drew him west, pointing first to the coaching staff, then to USCs tradition, and then to the culture he says has taken shape under Lincoln Riley. For a team trying to convince the rest of the league that its identity is changing, those are the kinds of details that matter.
VanSumeren also described a competitive environment inside the program, one that has pushed him while still making the transition feel welcoming. He said the support from teammates has stood out, which is hardly a small thing for a transfer trying to find his footing in a new locker room. For USC, the larger takeaway is encouraging: the defensive side of the roster is not just collecting bodies, it is beginning to sound like a group that believes in where it is headed. [Read more 🡒]
USC Fall Camp Is Turning Up The Heat On Rising Playmakers
Fall camp is starting to sort out which USC newcomers can push for real roles, and a few names have already begun to separate themselves in practice and scrimmage settings. True freshmen Boobie Feaster and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt have drawn notice for promising early work, while King Miller and Luke Wafle are also among the young players creating enough buzz to keep the coaching staff leaning in. On the other side of the roster, transfer cornerback Williams has been part of the conversation too, as USC keeps evaluating who can help most once the season gets rolling.
For a team still putting pieces together before the opener, those kinds of flashes matter because they can change the depth chart quickly. The coaches have talked about the challenges of transition and what it takes to look ready in camp, and that is where the next few practices will matter most for this group of rising playmakers. The talent is clearly there, but the real question is how much of it will translate when the Trojans stop practicing against each other and start playing for keeps. [Read more 🡒]
Jide Abasiri Is Setting The Tone For USCs New-Look D-Line
Jide Abasiri has spent this offseason doing more than just adjusting to a different spot on USCs defensive front. The junior has embraced a bigger leadership role while moving to the outside of the line more often, a change that asked him to reshape his body and play style for what the Trojans need from him now. Even with the adjustment, he still carries the reputation as one of the strongest players on the roster, which makes his presence especially important for a unit that is trying to come together quickly.
USCs defensive line looks a lot different this year, with returning pieces mixing alongside transfers and freshmen to create more depth and experience than the group had before. In that kind of setting, Abasiris blend of physicality and growing responsibility matters beyond his own snaps. The real question now is how much that expanded role can translate once the Trojans start leaning on this new-look front in games. [Read more 🡒]