Despite USC’s struggles, Lincoln Riley still has the potential to lead the Trojans to college football’s pinnacle, argues a top insider.

Pate circled the fact that three quarterbacks have won the Heisman Trophy under Riley's tutelage. He believes Riley is one of the 15 best coaches in the sport. At USC, he's coached a pair of consensus All-Americans in Tuli Tuipulotu and Caleb Williams.

Husan Longstreet was a five-star recruit in the 2025 recruiting class, according to 247Sports. He was the #32 player in the class, the #4 QB and the #3 player in the state of California. Longstreet attended Centennial High School in Corona, CA before coming to USC.