Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans are red-hot on the 2026 recruiting trail. They currently sit with the No. 1 class in the entire country, with some of the top recruits in the nation choosing the Trojans.
USC’s recruiting success has received considerable media attention, with some feeling that their NIL spending is the only reason that they are attracting recruits. While the Trojans do have quite a lot of money to spend, one analyst believes that the hate USC is receiving is unwarranted.
USC Insider Says ‘Embrace the Hate’ to Criticism Over the Trojans’ NIL Spending, Recruiting Push
The USC Trojans’ recruiting success has stepped on a lot of teams and fans’ toes in the 2026 cycle. It seems like every battle that USC is in, they wind up coming out on top, leaving other programs having to regroup.
On3’s Scott Schrader, a USC insider, told Josh Newberg on the On3 Recruits YouTube channel that this is where some of the hate that USC is facing comes from.
The Trojans just got a commitment from Luke Wafle, a four-star EDGE prospect, beating out some of the best programs in the country for the New Jersey native. Schrader explained that recruitments like these are making other teams angry with USC football.
“Right now, you’re talking about high-profile recruits that programs like Ohio State, and in this case, Penn State, were involved as well,” Schrader said. “And you know you’ll get guys like Alabama and Georgia, and teams like that are not considering USC to be a factor in getting these guys. But now they are.”
USC took a while to catch up with the rest of the country’s top programs in terms of NIL spending, but things took a turn in January 2025 when the Trojans hired Chad Bowden from Notre Dame as their general manager.
Bowden is widely regarded as one of the best NIL minds in the sport. He clearly has unlocked USC’s recruiting potential, as the Trojans have the best class in the 2026 cycle. USC reportedly pays Bowden about $1 million annually, significantly more than his previous salary at Notre Dame.
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Aside from fan bases and coaching staffs being salty that USC is now as competitive as anyone else, Schrader believes the hate also stems from an overall dislike of Southern Cal Athletics.
“Maybe it’s politics in California, maybe it’s the Lakers, maybe it’s the Dodgers. People typically hate winners. It’s a different type of lifestyle out here in Southern California,” Schrader said. The hate is nothing new for USC, and Schrader explained that it’s been going on long before the era of NIL.
“People hated Pete Carroll. I don’t know what it’s all about, but anyone who’s denying it kind of has their head in the sand.”
Regardless of the hate the Trojans have received, the current staff is clearly not letting it hold them back as they continue to dominate the recruiting trail. USC’s 2026 class now includes 30 total commitments, putting them well ahead of other programs in terms of both the quantity and quality of recruits.
