Alijah Arenas enters the 2026-27 season as USC’s most important returner, and the reason is simple: the Trojans still have the kind of upside that can swing on one player rediscovering exactly who he is.
Arenas arrived in college with plenty of buzz. The son of former NBA All Star Gilbert Arenas, he was one of the most sought after high school prospects in the class of 2025 and a former five-star recruit. USC expected him to step in and make an immediate impact.
That plan got derailed almost immediately.
In April of 2025, Arenas was induced in a coma after crashing his Tesla Cybertruck into a tree. The vehicle caught fire and filled with heavy smoke, and the 6-foot-6 guard said he feared for his life when the doors would not open, even after he tried to unlock them through the mobile Tesla app.
He was trapped in the burning car until he was able to break through the driver’s side window with help from bystanders. He then spent the next week recovering in the hospital.
Just as he was working his way back, another setback hit. During a summer workout in July, the then 18-year-old tore his meniscus, and it was announced he would miss six to eight months. For a player who had been viewed as a potential lottery pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, it was a crushing blow.
Arenas finally made his season debut on January 21 after sitting out USC’s first 18 games, but the rust was obvious. He finished that night 3-15 from the field.
Across 14 games, he averaged 14.1 points while shooting 34.1% overall and 21.3% from three, along with 2.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists. USC, which entered the year with real expectations, wound up missing the NCAA Tournament altogether.
Now the focus shifts to what comes next. Arenas has had a long offseason to get his health fully restored and work back toward the level people projected when he was still in high school. With USC reshuffling its roster, he is a crucial returner and should have the chance to take over from the start - something he never really got to do last season because of the injuries.
The scouting profile still jumps off the page. In high school, Arenas was described as a scorer who can beat defenders in a variety of ways, including from deep. He also brings length with a seven-foot wingspan and unusually large hands, traits that can matter on both ends, especially defensively.
The hype has never really gone away. If Arenas becomes the player so many expected, USC has a real chance to be dancing in March.
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Lincoln Riley Made One USC Staff Decision Fans Should Love
USCs defensive overhaul under Lincoln Riley came with the kind of staff reshuffling that usually sends fans scanning for both stability and upside, and this one delivered a little of each. The Trojans brought in former TCU head coach Gary Patterson as defensive coordinator and added assistants Paul Gonzales and Sam Carter, while also hiring Mike Ekeler to coach linebackers and oversee special teams. In the middle of that turnover, Riley also elevated Chad Savage from inside receivers and tight ends coach to pass game coordinator, a move that reflects how much USC values the work he has done on the trail and in developing players.
Savages rise fits the larger theme of the offseason: USC is trying to strengthen the defense without losing the staff members who have helped build relationships and keep the roster moving forward. Trovon Reed, the cornerbacks coach, was also retained, a sign the Trojans did not want to lose the recruiting momentum and player trust he has built. With Patterson setting the tone on one side of the ball and familiar lieutenants staying in place around him, Riley is trying to strike the balance between a fresh start and continuity, and that is exactly the kind of staff construction fans usually want to see. [Read more 🡒]
USC Faces Another Massive Receiver Battle Fans Know Too Well
USC is back in familiar territory with four-star wide receiver Dennis Tuaone, another highly regarded pass catcher weighing the Trojans against Miami in a recruitment that has plenty of moving parts. The hometown Hurricanes have been a major presence from the start, but USC has stayed in the mix after offering him in March and bringing him in for his first unofficial visit in June, giving the Trojans a real chance to sell their own pitch.
For Tuaone, this decision is shaping up around the kind of things elite receivers tend to remember: coaching relationships, the feel of a program, and how each staff fits him long term. Miami has been making a strong case with its ties close to home, while USC is trying to stand its ground in a battle that has already seen the Hurricanes track another former Trojans target. [Read more 🡒]
USC Has A New Penn State Threat To Worry About
Penn State enters the season with a passing game in transition after losing its top five leading receivers from last year, and that leaves a wide-open path for someone to seize a bigger role. One of the names USC has to keep on its radar is Amarion Jackson, a former safety who ended up at receiver because of injuries and now looks like a real option for an offense that needs answers.
Jacksons path is a little different from the usual freshman arrival, since he followed coach Campbell from Iowa State to Penn State after flipping his pledge. He has also turned heads in spring work, which only adds to the sense that he could be one of the more important new pieces in Penn States offense when the matchup with USC eventually comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]