The USC Trojans weren’t considered a contender for 4-star linebacker Talanoa Ili when the calendar flipped over from 2024 to 2025. In fact, the intel on the ground suggested that the linebacker from Kahuku, Hawaii, was trending for Oregon.
Lincoln Riley and his staff wanted Ili, though, and they were able to switch up their recruiting pitch to him as well as get him on campus.
Riley, primary recruiter Rob Ryan and the USC staff put in the work. They pushed the Trojans’ rich football history as well as the proximity to home.
That all paid off for USC over the weekend when Ili committed to the Trojans.
