Lincoln Riley addresses transfers of Domani Jackson, Tackett Curtis

USC lost a couple of notable defenders to the transfer portal over the past week in cornerback Domani Jackson and linebacker Tackett Curtis.

Jackson is a former five-star recruit and top-5 overall prospect, while Curtis is a former four-star recruit who immediately earned playing time this past season as a true freshman.

USC head coach Lincoln Riley was asked about those two departures Monday.

“I’m not gonna get into guys’ individual situations. Everybody kind of has their own reasons for wanting to look around. And at the end of the day, you’ve gotta respect it. You have those conversations, and then you go,” Lincoln Riley said. “And the reality is, for us, having people that are dying to be here at USC, that are dying to be USC Trojans, is first and foremost.”

USC has lost 17 players to the transfer portal so far this cycle, according to On3’s transfer portal wire, and Riley believes there are several factors that have led to that.

Two big ones are changes to the coaching staff and the amount of time between games. The Trojans closed out the regular season on Nov. 18 against UCLA and won’t play again until Dec. 27 against Louisville.

“We’ve talked about it with these guys — look, we’re in a really unique place right now. We’re going to have almost six weeks since we’ve played a game. We’re having, obviously, not just one small change on the defensive staff, but a pretty large change, obviously,” Riley said. “And then we’re kind of caught in this period where transfer portal and NIL have gone up a level in terms of the craziness and the impact on it more than ever before.

“So it’s just going to be part of it when you have the changes that we’ve had. And it’s going to be part of it when you have the huge chunk of time like we have. So my energy goes into the people that are here.”

Lincoln Riley is putting the finishing touches on his second season at USC. The Trojans went 11-3 in Year 1, before taking a step back and going 7-5 this year.

Still, for a USC team that hasn’t won a national title since 2007, Riley believes his program is taking steps in the right direction.

“We’re going to move on with those that are dying to be USC Trojans, because at the end of the day, that’s the only way the history here turns around. That’s the only way some of the struggles in this program over the last 15 years turn around is with people that are dying to be here, that are passionate about this place,” Riley said.

“Because if not, you’re going to have this kind of constant back and forth – sometimes in, sometimes not in. And a lot of times that’s where mediocrity comes from in the first place. So we’re identifying the ones that want to be here, want to do it. And the ones that don’t we certainly wish them the best.”