How The NIL And Transfer Portal Brought USC Football Back

How The NIL And Transfer Portal Brought USC Football Back

A change in the NCAA policy allowing student-athletes to monetize their likeness and receive advertising revenue has opened the floodgates for USC recruiting. Crushed by the NCAA death penalty in 2010, for Reggie Bush‘s cashing in while playing, this ruling benefits the Trojans more than anyone.

Name, Image, And Likeness

In 2021, the NCAA implemented a new rule allowing student-athletes to capitalize on their names, images, and likenesses. The Name, Image, and Likeness ruling aka NIL has been a complete game-changer as far as recruiting is concerned. Los Angeles is the second-largest media market in the entire country, so student-athletes should be able to profit immensely. Here is a closer look at some of the dos and don’ts.

NCAA college athletes now have the opportunity to benefit from their name, image and likeness. All three divisions have adopted a uniform, interim policy suspending NCAA name, image and likeness rules for all incoming and current student-athletes in all sports.

The policy provides the following guidance to member schools, college athletes and their families

• Individuals can engage in NIL activities that are consistent with the law of the state where the school is located. Colleges and universities may be a resource for state law questions.
• Individuals can use a professional services provider for NIL activities.

• College athletes who attend a school in a state without a NIL law can engage in NIL activity without violating NCAA rules related to name, image, and likeness.
• State law and schools/conferences may impose reporting requirements.

Superman has landed

Caleb Williams, transferred out of Oklahoma at the end of the season and landed in sunny Southern California, last week. Since his arrival at SC, Williams has been the big man on campus. Easily the most polarizing player on the team, Williams, is maximizing his own earning potential. Cashing in on a massive deal with Beats by Dre.

Williams’ offers didn’t stop there. He also signed a partnership, becoming part-owner of the grooming brand Faculty. Williams is on fire and has yet to take a meaningful snap for the cardinal and gold. Make no mistake: Williams is a huge acquisition for SC.

Familiar faces in new places

Rejoining coach Lincoln Riley, in Los Angeles, is a mutually monumental move for both parties. Williams will be paired with his former number one receiver, Mario Williams. They will be playing for their former coach and the same offensive scheme they thrived in. This will be a very bad thing for Pac-12 defenses in the fall.

For the first time in years, the Trojans have a potential Heisman Trophy candidate in Williams. Coach Riley, has a history of coaching quarterbacks to win that prestigious award as well. Aided by familiarity at two of the most important positions in his offense, Riley has the luxury of adding to the Trojans’ riches.

Transfer the Pac-12 trophy to Troy

The transfer portal has been kind to Riley and the Trojans. Williams and Williams, by themselves, are nearly good enough to win the Pac-12 South crown. However, the additions of Brenden Rice, Travis Dye, and Austin Davis give Riley lots to work with.

Defensively, the Trojans have brought in a ton of new talent for defensive coordinator Alex Grinch to work with. Key additions at edge/linebacker are Remello Height and Shane Lee, a couple of corners, Latrell McCutchin and Mekhi Blackmon, as well as defensive line coach Shaun Nua.

Will the Trojans be able to turn it around in a year and challenge for a spot in the CFP? Probably not, but they have a very good chance of winning the Pac-12 outright. As it stands two of the three teams in the conference best equipped to defeat them are in the north: Oregon, Stanford. Defending conference champion Utah has earned the right to be considered the favorite and is the only serious threat to the Trojans in the South division.

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