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Recruiting Rivals100 OT Kodi Greene talks latest USC visit, Trojans making strong impression

This would be a heck of a flip if they can pull it off. Greene has been out to USC a bunch, which is a great sign.

Football Spring Practice 14 (Thursday, April 24)

Jeff and Matt are handling practice today. I have to pick a visitor up from LAX. They'll have everything taken care of.

A couple programming notes:

-We're getting all the assistant coaches next Wednesday over two hours (six one hour, six the next). It's going to be a free-for-all, so Jeff, Matt and myself are going to divide and conquer and get as much from all of them as possible. It's a luncheon setting, with the coaches (and media) eating, so I don't know yet what the plan will be video-wise, but it will be very useful as we haven't gotten to talk to any of them this spring. I was going to do my "What we learned about ..." each position group all this week (like I started with TEs on Sunday), but once they announced the assistant coaches luncheon I think it's best to wait until we have that insight to add into each one. So we'll do that coming off of Wednesday, a couple a day.

-I have some columns to write in the meanwhile now that we've gotten everything we're going to get out of spring otherwise.

-I just did a 25-minute Zoom interview with Prince Strachan for a feature story on his path from no organized football in the Bahamas, surviving a massive hurricane there, to living with three different host families in Florida to pursue his football dreams. I'm still hoping to talk to his father and high school coach and make that one of our patented long-form in-depth feature stories in the coming weeks.

-As noted in another thread, I've already done a feature interview with DeCarlos Nicholson, his mother and others for a feature story about how the program has embraced his son as like part of the team and his decision to stay here for his final year. That one is far along, but we're probably looking at early next week for it as I am slipping out to Stagecoach festival for the weekend. Also, I talked to Sam Huard's HS coach/Cal Poly OC for like 40 minutes last night and have a great story on him to put together for next week as well. So the point being, the end of spring may be coming Saturday but we've got a lot of ground to cover in the weeks ahead. But yeah, those were three stories I targeted for wanting to go more in-depth on and USC was great about setting up the interviews needed to make it happen, so I look forward to rolling those out for you.

-Meanwhile, Matt is working up a weekend recruiting preview for tomorrow as USC will have a big visitor list.

Football Trojan Talk: My five stock-risers this spring for USC

As we enter the final week of spring practice, we'll be doing a lot of position-specific and overall evaluation of what we've learned. Today, I spotlight the five players who boosted their stock the most in my eyes this spring.

Trovon Reed with interesting perspective on the NIL era of recruiting

Trovon Reed was on Trojans Live last night and said this about recruiting:

"I think now it's too much about the money. I think some kids pass up on great opportunities to get an extra $20,000, right? And in reality we trying to get you $20 million from the NFL in the first round. So I think if parents and young men actually sit down and break this thing down, they would go back to old tactics -- go back to the school that you fall in love with and let the money be the money. Because if you do that, one, you'll be happy and no money can buy happiness. And you'll be around some people who actually care about you -- whether you catch a pick or you get burned for a touchdown, they'll still love you. Because nowadays with the money involved it's hard to go back to that at some programs. But here, you walk in here, it's all love from everyone -- from the players, to the coaches to the staff, it's love everywhere. So I can't see why a kid wouldn't want to come here if they step foot in this building."

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Going through all of it right now.

We also get to talk to all the assistants next Wednesday (a week from tomorrow). They haven't been available to us all spring.

Football Scholarship distribution chart UPDATED April 22 2025

Players are listed based on the eligibility they have remaining (not counting potential medical waivers yet to be received, etc.)

We'll get clarity soon in the wake of the House Settlement, but the expectation is that roster limits should be going to 105 and everyone can be on scholarship (no more walk-ons). So the count is less important than it used to be.

Scholarship Distribution Chart

Football Spring practice 11 (April17): Notes and takeaways, video clips, recruit visitor list, Riley transcript, interviews

We just came off the field. Jeff did video today, I took photos -- swapping roles!

Didn't notice any notable missing players, but we'll take a second look through everything.

Five-star QB Ryder Lyons is here, so that's notable.

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Jeff will have the rest of the visitor list. And as noted the Mater Dei coaches are here.

Interviews: Lincoln Riley, Jadyn Walker (The Barber!), Keeshawn Silver (our first time with him), DJ Harvey, Devan Thompkins, Braylan Shelby, Braylon Conley.
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