Lincoln Riley discusses USC's improving NIL efforts
NIL technically means name, image and likeness, but that acronym has become far more than that across the college sports landscape. USC produces results as strong as any program in the nation when it comes to true NIL, with superstar players signing dozens of endorsement deals with major national brands. But the other side of NIL, the area in which every school now operates, is using it as basically a player salary or even a signing bonus when they sign with or enroll at the school. And that’s the area in which USC has lagged behind other national powers since Lincoln Riley’s arrival.
But the Trojans are catching up, or at least have reached a level with which Riley is pleased and feels competitive. Most of USC’s NIL efforts are facilitated through House of Victory, a USC-centric collective that signs Trojan athletes to deals and can pay them for their name, image or likeness at programs such as charitable events or to appear in videos or merchandise.
“NIL has taken some monster leaps since we’ve been here,” Riley said. “It has taken some monster leaps in the last several months, which has been really positive…I think for everybody, it’s just been gaining an understanding of what it is and how it’s not important, it’s imperative. You have to have it.”
Riley called USC’s NIL positioning last year “okay.” But he added that it was “great” outside of the collective world.
“Our guys were able to, obviously being in LA, our guys probably get more outside deals than anybody in the country, which is awesome,” Riley said.
But the core of roster building in college football and athletics now comes down to what deals collectives can make with those players who aren’t getting national deals the way Caleb Williams and JuJu Watkins have companies lining up partnerships.
“We need the support to be right there with it, too, from our donors and from our collectives,” Riley said. “That has taken some massive, massive jumps here in the last several months I think as our people get educations on what this really means.”
USC has done well in the transfer portal ever since Riley arrived in Los Angeles and now high school recruiting is taking off. The Trojans also haven’t really seen their roster poached by other programs the past few offseasons. And Riley understands that the upgrade to NIL is an ever-increasing target.
“It’s got to continue like any part of this,” Riley said. “If you want things to get better, you have to do something about it. Behaviors have to change. You have to tear things down and build new facilities. You have to bring more money in. You have to bring in great coaches. You have to raise more NIL. You’ve gotta keep pushing the issue. We’re trying to do it here and we’re asking all our people on the outside to continue to do that as well.”
