The plan had been in place for nearly two years, Lincoln Riley zeroing in on Julian Lewis as his quarterback in the 2025 recruiting class. The coach rarely offered more than one quarterback at a time, so when Lewis committed in August 2023, it gave USC a certain stability in its upcoming class. However, recent weeks revealed that Lewis and USC's plans were changing amid rumors he looked elsewhere.
The addition of Longstreet, who rose rapidly up recruiting boards, is no consolation prize. The Centennial product is a dynamic dual threat who's averaging more than nine yards per carry this season while throwing for 1,641 yards and 19 touchdowns in nine games. This showcases the urgency and excitement in USC's recruitment strategy despite losing five-star Lewis.
By the next morning, Lewis had made his de-commitment from USC official. In almost the same breath, Longstreet flipped his commitment to the Trojans, capping a high-stakes game of musical chairs for USC, just two weeks ahead of signing day. This demonstrates the volatility and intense competition within college football recruiting.
He told 247 Sports on Sunday that he plans to compete for the Trojans starting quarterback job right away. Whether he'll be able to unseat Jayden Maiava, who will enter the offseason as the presumed starter, remains uncertain as Longstreet prepares for a fierce battle for the role.
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