"I said, 'absolutely f---ing not.' I am never going to unretire for some random dude, who by the way, now could wear No. 11 and transfer after a year. That kid, probably chance of him staying at USC after two years is slim anyway. So it ain't happening, bro. I'm keeping that up there forever."
"Coach Riley hasn't asked me if a recruit can wear my number so we can settle that right now. I've been asked in the past before and have said the same thing every time. This isn't a big deal!"
"He's like, 'Hey dad, hey, this linebacker, I think he's going to SC, he wants to wear your jersey. Would you let him wear it?' I would do it only for his son, Cole, who committed to SMU in November 2024, or his other two boys if they played football and went to USC."
Matt Leinart has firmly declined multiple requests from USC to unretire his No. 11 jersey for prospective players. On his podcast, Leinart stated he would never allow the number to be worn by recruits, emphasizing that modern players could transfer after one year. He clarified he would only consider unretiring the jersey for his son Cole, who committed to SMU, or his other sons if they attended USC and played football. When posed with a hypothetical $1 million offer from a five-star prospect, Leinart maintained his position that the number is not for sale. He also clarified that head coach Lincoln Riley has not personally requested permission for a recruit to wear the retired number.
Read at ESPN.com
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