Lincoln Riley, USC are in a great position to raid Jimbo Fisher and Texas A&M this offseason
If you are looking at ways for USC to build itself up to a national championship standard for 2023 and then for its first Big Ten season in 2024, the transfer portal is going to be a central avenue for Lincoln Riley.
Among various head coaches at elite college football programs, Riley has already established himself as a leader in the transfer portal. This is how he immediately built back the USC roster. This is something he will continue to do in future years to stock his roster and address deficiencies.
Actual transfer portal declarations (players entering the portal) have not yet occurred in large numbers, but one can reasonably guess that exoduses and defections will begin to accumulate at the end of the regular season, which is one month away.
Two schools in particular are likely to provide a lot of high-quality transfers to Lincoln Riley’s USC program and other interested programs. Let’s go through the details on why this is true, and what it could mean:
WHY TEXAS A&M IS LIKELY TO BE A BIG TRANSFER PORTAL SOURCE FOR OTHER SCHOOLS
Despite a 3-4 start, Jimbo Fisher remains adamant that the Aggie locker room is not throwing in the towel on the 2022 season: https://t.co/JFs47Rlos6
— TexAgs (@TexAgs) October 24, 2022
FRESHMEN NOT FITTING IN WITH JIMBO
When it rains it pours. I've been told at least three and perhaps four A&M players have been suspended indefinitely by Aggie head coach Jimbo Fisher, all from the true freshman ranks.
— Billy Liucci (@billyliucci) October 25, 2022
STORM CLOUDS IN AGGIELAND
Texas A&M boosters looking for ways to get around Jimbo Fisher’s $86 million buyout. pic.twitter.com/kMLdTdiKyx
— Ben Stevens (@BenScottStevens) October 25, 2022
REMINDER ABOUT A&M'S 2022 RECRUITING CLASS
Since Jimbo Fischer started
Texas A&M recruiting class:
2022: 1st
2021: 9th
2020: 6th
2019: 5th
2018: 17thTexas A&M AP Poll:
2022: unranked
2021: 26
2020: 5
2019: 26
2018: 21— Dirty Mike and the Boyds (@FF_DirtyMike) October 23, 2022
THE NIL REALITY
Texas A&M’s problems today may be your problems tomorrow. NIL + Portal opened a whole new world. pic.twitter.com/rO2fTdbEjj
— Josh Pate (@LateKickJosh) October 26, 2022
INTERESTING POINT
A&M is at a point where they had to sell their soul for 🏈 success & the players are in control. At UGA , Bama & OSU culture & program can thrive without u cause it’s bigger than 1 great recruiting class. U either buy in or leave & the program goes on. At A&M that’s not the case
— Ace Football Analytics (@js_ace_football) October 26, 2022
WHO IS LINCOLN RILEY'S OFFENSIVE LINE COACH?
Josh Henson, who used to work at Texas A&M under Jimbo Fisher from 2019 through 2021. Henson could be the connective tissue which enables an A&M-to-USC pipeline to form.
LOUISVILLE AS A PORTAL SOURCE
.@TySpalding “NIL momentum is STRONG with Louisville. There are some cool NIL things coming out in the next couple days”
— Louisville Sports Live (@LvilleSprtsLive) June 8, 2022
LOUISVILLE NIL SIGNINGS
I’m fascinated to see if NIL is enough to overcome Louisville’s inability to get much traction with highly rated kids out in the state of Kentucky who all grow up thinking going to Louisville would be akin to repudiating the family religion.
— Mark Ennis (@MarkEnnis) June 22, 2022
MORE LOUISVILLE NIL STORIES
5-star DL David Hicks commits to Texas A&M over Oklahoma, others. In the NIL era, Texas A&M, Miami and Louisville seem to lead the nation in late come-from-behind/surprise commitments. Make of that what you will.
— Andrew Nemec (@AndrewNemec) September 28, 2022
LOUISVILLE KEPT LANDING BIG PROSPECTS
NEW: ESPN’s No. 17 overall football recruit, DeAndre Moore Jr. (@DeandreMooreJr) tells ESPN he’s committed to Louisville. He’s the school’s highest rated recruit in ESPN rankings era (since 2006) and the sixth ESPN 300 recruit in Louisville’s 2023 class. https://t.co/nAPoOUCL9a pic.twitter.com/LoA8paIoWC
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) May 31, 2022
LOUISVILLE, LIKE A&M, IS STRUGGLING ON THE FIELD
Louisville was getting some of those kids before NIL in the 2000s. Just a question of giving them a chance to play for a winner. Just as big will be getting the better Louisville kids to stay home.
— Eric Crawford (@ericcrawford) June 22, 2022
SCOTT SATTERFIELD HOT SEAT WATCH
Saturday's Louisville-South Florida game shapes up as a Top 10 matchup in one respect: USF's Jeff Scott ranks No. 1 in Coaches Hot Seat rankings; U of L's Scott Satterfield is No. 8.
— Tim Sullivan (@TimSullivan714) September 23, 2022
IS THIS BAD?
Live look at the hot seat for Scott Satterfield: pic.twitter.com/Dc7DITzGgT
— Will Ojanen (@WillsWorldMN) September 17, 2022
LOUISVILLE MIGHT NEED TO BEAT KENTUCKY TO SAVE SATTERFIELD
Two points here in this file from @ESPNRittenberg
1. Had this convo with @espnVshow – Is bowl eligibility enough for Scott Satterfield to be secure with the recruiting class coming in? Might depend on how they look vs UK?
2. Tony White has been terrific https://t.co/ZHoMXmRJ6c— Andrea Adelson (@aadelsonESPN) October 25, 2022
FLAMES ARE FLOWING
2022 Hot Seat Rankings from @dennisdoddcbs: Jimbo Fisher makes debut with Bryan Harsin, Scott Satterfield among coaches heating uphttps://t.co/PO3hhQ2bvc
— Barrett Sallee 🇺🇸 (@BarrettSallee) October 4, 2022
OTHER POSSIBLE PORTAL SOURCES FOR LINCOLN RILEY AND USC
Nebraska is a natural candidate, given that a new coach will be hired there.
WISCONSIN LINEMEN
The Badgers are bound to experience some roster turnover when Jim Leonhard is named permanent head coach, or when another head coach is named. USC might be able to pick up an offensive lineman in the portal from Wisconsin.
ARIZONA STATE
Eric Gentry last offseason, new ASU transfers this coming offseason.
COLORADO
Mekhi Blackmon and Brenden Rice last offseason, new transfers this offseason.
TEXAS
Steve Sarkisian’s continued struggles open the door for new Trojan transfers. Keaontay Ingram was good for the Trojans. New Longhorns could make their way to L.A.
MIAMI
Mario Cristobal’s mess in Miami could mean that a lot of holdovers from the Manny Diaz era could seek a fresh start.
PITTSBURGH
This miserable season for Pitt could lead some Panthers to do what Jordan Addison did: Transfer to USC.
VIRGINIA
Bobby Haskins was an important portal pickup for Lincoln Riley last season. With coach Tony Elliott struggling in Year 1, some new Cavaliers could think about transferring to Los Angeles.
GEORGIA TECH
With a new coach being hired, some roster turnover at Georgia Tech is to be expected. The Yellow Jackets are bound to have a considerable amount of transfer portal exits.
CAL
The Golden Bears are not heading in a good direction. Someone could try to jump ship from Berkeley.
STANFORD
The Cardinal’s season is in limbo. If Stanford makes a bowl game, players will probably feel good about 2023. If the Cardinal fall short of a bowl, however, some players might feel frustrated enough to transfer. Austin Jones came to USC last season. Lincoln Riley could find someone new for 2023.
AUBURN
Bryan Harsin is almost certain to be fired. Riley got Romello Height from Auburn last offseason. There will definitely be some Auburn transfer portal prospects in the coming offseason.
FLORIDA
As Billy Napier reshapes his roster, there are likely to be several Gator transfers who hit the open market.
BOTTOM LINE
Lincoln Riley will have a lot of options in the portal, from a lot of different schools. If he and his staff do their homework, USC will be in position to plug a lot of roster holes.
