USC is wasting no time getting to work on its 2026 season.
The Trojans open fall practice on Friday, July 31, a head start that makes sense with their Week 0 opener against San Jose State set for Aug. 29 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. That early start gives Lincoln Riley’s group a little extra runway before the season begins, and this camp comes with plenty of unresolved spots despite USC bringing back a massive amount of experience.
Southern Cal returns 15 starters from last season, the most in college football. That group includes quarterback Jayden Maiava, the team’s two leading rushers in King Miller and Waymond Jordan, and all five starters on the offensive line. That kind of continuity gives USC a strong foundation, but the real camp battles are clustered in a few key rooms.
Receiver is one of the biggest ones. USC has to replace its two leading receivers from the past two seasons, Makai Lemon and Ja'Kobi Lane, and that opens the door for a new-look group to sort itself out.
Sophomore Tanook Hines, who started alongside Lemon and Lane as a true freshman, is the name at the front of the line. He’ll be joined by NC State transfer Terrell Anderson and a deep freshman class that includes Trent Mosley, Boobie Feaster and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt.
There are more moving parts beyond that, too. Zacharyus Williams is back after being limited to just five games last season.
Corey Simms, a four-star recruit in the 2025 class, appeared in all 13 games last year as a special teams contributor. Tron Baker arrives as an underrated freshman in the 2026 class.
The bigger question is how many of those young receivers can crack the rotation, and what the tight end depth chart looks like behind five-star freshman Mark Bowman.
Up front on defense, USC may have its deepest unit. The spotlight is on five-star freshman defensive end Luke Wafle, the No. 1 recruit in the 2026 class, along with freshman defensive tackle Jaimeon Winfield, another five-star talent.
Jide Abasiri said at Big Ten Media Days that he will play more end this season, and the Trojans also added Michigan State transfer Alex VanSumeren to help inside and Penn State transfer Zuriah Fisher to improve the pass rush. They’ll be backed by returning pieces Jahkeem Stewart, Kameryn Crawford, Braylan Shelby and Floyd Boucard.
Linebacker is a different story. USC’s play there was inconsistent in 2025, so Desman Stephens and Jadyn Walker are under pressure to keep their starting roles.
The Trojans also brought in Deven Bryant from Washington, while freshman Talanoa Ili arrives with a reputation as one of the most talented linebacker recruits USC has signed in a long time. Elijah Newby and Ta'Mere Robinson are back as important reserves.
The secondary could be just as competitive. USC has five cornerbacks who could realistically start, with Jontez Williams standing out as the top portal addition after coming over from Iowa State.
Marcelles Williams started 11 games last season, and Chasen Johnson is back after a knee injury limited him to just two games in 2025. Then there are the young challengers: redshirt freshman RJ Sermons and freshman Elbert Hill, both of whom are expected to push hard in camp.
For Riley, the offense is usually the easy part. The bigger question has always been what happens on the other side of the ball. That’s why he made his biggest offseason swing by bringing Gary Patterson out of retirement in January to run the defense.
"He's in the Hall of Fame for a reason," VanSumeren said at Big Ten Media Days. " He could have stayed retired, could have kept golfing, but he came back because he loves the game and he wants to win. He's told us many times, he didn't come back for anything but to win."
Patterson steps into a defense that has more talent than he’s ever had to work with. At TCU, he spent two decades building elite units with two- and three-star recruits and junior college players, earning a reputation for development and toughness. Now the question is whether that same formula can take hold in year one at USC.
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USC Is In A Real Fight For Elite California Linebacker
Southern Cal has stayed active with Landon Miller, and the four-star linebacker has given the Trojans plenty of reason to keep pushing. The California standout has been on campus for an unofficial multi-day visit, worked out on the field, studied film, toured campus and met with Lincoln Riley, Chad Bowden, Max Stienecker and linebackers coaches AJ Howard and Mike Ekeler, all while remaining one of the nations most closely watched defensive recruits.
Millers recruitment is still wide open, with USC in the mix against several blue-blood programs and more visits on the calendar. He plans to be at the Trojans Sept. 12 game against Louisiana, then head to Oregon for its matchup with UCLA, with additional trips to other contenders still possible as he keeps sorting through a decision that could shape the West Coast linebacker market. [Read more 🡒]
Drake London Is Paying The Price For Something He Cannot Fix
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One NFL coordinator described London as a solid possession receiver who wins contested catches and shows up in the red zone, but also pointed to the limitations around him in Atlanta. For USC fans who watched him develop into a polished playmaker, the frustrating part is how much of his ceiling still seems tied to factors he cannot control, leaving his reputation a step behind his ability. [Read more 🡒]
USC Defender Is Giving Lincoln Riley A Reason To Believe Up Front
Jide Abasiris offseason became one of those quiet USC developments that can matter a lot once the pads come on. The defensive lineman arrived at the 2026 Big Ten Media Days talking less about depth-chart noise and more about the work he put in away from it, stressing personal development, confidence and the kind of day-to-day commitment that coaches notice long before the box scores do. Lincoln Riley has already singled out Abasiris dedication to the program, a meaningful nod for a player trying to carve out a bigger role up front.
Abasiri also offered a glimpse into the mindset that has shaped his path, including the way his Nigerian heritage has influenced his football journey. For USC, that matters because the Trojans are looking for more than just bodies on the defensive line - they need players who can grow into reliable pieces in a demanding league. Abasiri sounds like someone intent on being that kind of presence, even if the bigger test of how far he has come is still ahead. [Read more 🡒]