In A High-Stakes Season, Lincoln Riley Is Betting USC’s Future On 5 True Freshmen

Lincoln Riley answered growing skepticism by landing the No. 1 overall recruiting class — a major vote of confidence as he enters Year 5 at USC.
USC will start five true freshmen in Saturday’s opener (first Power Four team to do that since 2021) — including five-star edge rusher Luke Wafle and four-star receivers Trent Mosley and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt.
This season feels like a defining test for Riley: his history of plugging freshmen in early could pay off, but relying so heavily on youth is a clear gamble after mixed conference results.