California
Do USC Trojans Have In-State California Recruiting Problem? Lincoln Riley Addresses
LOS ANGELES – Part of what made former USC Trojans coach Pete Carroll successful during his dominant run in the 2000’s was his ability to build a mythical fence around Southern California when it came to recruiting. Steve Sarkisian was able to do the same in his short stint in Los Angeles, putting together two top 10 recruiting classes in 2014 and 2015.
The Trojans’ 2016 roster that captured the program’s last Rose Bowl victory was flooded with key starters that played high school football within 60 miles of USC’s campus.
But under the previous regime and as a of late it has been a different story. Of the top 25 recruits in the 2025 recruiting cycle in California, per 247Sports, USC has four commitments. To put in perspective, Alabama also has four, including three of the top seven prospects. Texas A&M has two of the top five and four of the top 13 overall and Oregon also has four commitments.
In 2024, the Ducks signed seven of the top 25 prospects in the state, Alabama grabbed the top two overall prospects, and the Trojans signed two. Competition from other elite programs and the lure of NIL deals is a challenging aspect that has made it difficult to lock down the state’s top recruits.
USC certainly shouldn’t need to limit themselves to recruiting local players, but the Trojans have one of the few luxuries in college football where they can fill the roster with elite talent by not having to hop on a plane. They should branch out, like they have this season where they six commits from the state of Georgia alone. But the reality is they are missing out on a ton of talent in their own backyard and their future success may depend on their ability to win the battle for in-state talent.
“Recruiting California is and will always be incredibly important to us and that is always priority No. 1,” said USC coach Lincoln Riley. “My definition, our definition of recruiting California well is getting the right guys and I’m excited for our staff to continue building relationships inside the state, especially our defensive staff because some of those guys are obviously new.”
The Trojans 2026 recruiting class in the state of California is shaping in a big way as they hold commitments from cornerback Brandon Lockhart, receiver Ja’Myron Baker, athlete Joshua Holland and athlete Madden Riordan. They are also listed as the favorites to land in-state prospects, five-star quarterback Ryder Lyons, cornerback Ryan Sermons, running back Deshone Redeaux, offensive lineman Samuelu Utu, tight end Caleb Tafua and edge Simote Katoanga, per On3.
“USC was great,” Sermons said after his visit in September. “It’s always a good family environment. What excites me about my opppurtunity with the Trojans is the development aspect with the great coaching staff.”
“Just the way the Trojans are bringing the atmosphere and not letting the Big Ten affect them and bringing that heat every game,” Redeaux said after his visit in September visit.” USC is a really good team this year and coach Riley is doing a good job.”
USC will host a couple of more big recruiting weekends this season when they play Nebraska on Nov. 16 and Notre Dame on Nov. 30.
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LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Worshippers across Los Angeles were met with an increased law enforcement presence on Sunday as police and sheriff’s deputies stepped up patrols outside mosques, synagogues and cultural landmarks following the strikes on Iran.
Local officials said there are no credible threats to Southern California, but the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department heightened visibility as a precaution to ensure communities stay safe.
More demonstrations tied to the attack on Iran are expected Sunday and Monday. Several protests were held across Southern California on Saturday.
READ MORE | Rallies for and against military action in Iran draw demonstrators across Southern California
While Iranian-Americans celebrated in Westwood, protesters gathered in downtown Los Angeles to oppose the Trump administration’s attacks against Iran.
While some groups gathered in downtown Los Angeles to protest the strikes, others assembled in Westwood to celebrate “the fall of the Ayotollah,” according to organizers.
Authorities said they will continue monitoring events as the region prepares for additional gatherings in the days ahead.
This is a developing story. This article will continue to be updated as more information becomes available.
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A rare celestial event will be taking place in the sky above California on Saturday night, as six planets are expected to be visible in what is being called a “planetary parade.”
Look towards the western horizon 30-60 minutes after sunset. Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn will all be lined up along an arc, visible to the naked eye creating a literal parade of planets.
The alignment only occurs every few years, with the next one not until 2028.
Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are frequently seen in the night sky, but the addition of Venus and Mercury make this planet lineup particularly noteworthy.
In the San Francisco Bay Area, there will be some cloud coverage Saturday evening, but it should be in the high levels of the atmosphere so hopefully the horizon remains clear. In Los Angeles and San Diego, the forecast is expected to be clear.
Meanwhile, the planetary parade may not be visible in the northern part of the state, with cloudy conditions expected Saturday night in Sacramento, and possible showers and thunderstorms in Eureka and Redding.
People with telescopes and binoculars will also be able to see Uranus and Neptune as well.
For amateur astronomers, this also would be a fun time to test out your telescope skills by checking out Jupiter’s many moons or Saturn’s rings.
Please note that if your view is obscured by buildings, trees or hills, you won’t see the parade because it will appear very low on the horizon.
The nontechnical term is Parade of Planets, but the technical term is planetary alignment. Basically, it’s just the name for what happens when the planets and sun line up in the sky, these happen during events called oppositions and conjunctions.
Opposition is the term for when a planet is directly opposite the Earth from the Sun. Meanwhile, conjunction is when they are aligned with each other and is when we get the best views of the planets.
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