Lincoln Riley Comes Clean on Husan Longstreet Decision as Locker Room Revelation Turns Heads

The college football world was abuzz with hot seat rumors surrounding Lincoln Riley this offseason. After a stunning 11-win debut in 2022, USC fans dreamed of championships, but the reality in LA proved tougher. Still, the Trojans came out strong, dominating Missouri State in their season opener, with a well-oiled offense and impressive quarterback play. The decision to involve freshman Husan Longstreet raised some eyebrows, but Riley is embracing it, calling it strategic and maintaining the team’s championship focus. Trojan fans are already anticipating what’s to come.

Southern California demolished Missouri State in a historic rout, scoring 73 points and showcasing a dominant offense to start Lincoln Riley’s fourth season. The Trojans scored on 10 of their first 11 drives, gaining 602 total yards before a packed Coliseum. USC moved the ball quickly, made big plays, and left Missouri State struggling, signaling their readiness for a high-octane 2025 season. Now, quarterback Jayden Maiava set the pace early, demonstrating composure, precision, and command of the offense. Best part? Maiava threw for 295 yards and two touchdowns just in the first half.

And then Husan Longstreet took over the reins in the second, completing all nine of his passes and rushing for two scores, keeping the Trojans rolling and the opponent’s defense overwhelmed. But replacing Maiava in the second half did raise some questions on Lincoln Riley’s decision-making. His plan? “Well, we were, you know, the game was pretty well in hand. I mean, Jayden had played pretty darn well at that point. And so, obviously, Husan hasn’t gotten to play college football yet, and he’s our backup quarterback. So, it was great to be able to get him some game reps and get that first roll,” Riley said after the game to the media.

As the Inglewood native scored a 5-yard rushing touchdown on his opening drive, he fumbled on his second possession, but then rallied to lead four more scoring drives. Longstreet finished strong with a 17-yard rushing touchdown and a touchdown pass to Carson Tabaracci, showing both composure and explosiveness. The freshman’s performance solidified USC’s already talented quarterback room, setting the stage for an exciting 2025 season.

Best part? Even Lincoln Riley seems pretty satisfied with his decision to let Husan Longstreet take over the entire second half. As he praises him, saying, “So, yeah, I thought they were both really good. I mean, I thought Jayden came with the blueprint with how well he played in the first half, and Husan was pretty steady. He obviously wanted the fumble back, but, you know, he was pretty steady and ran with the ball. You see some of his athleticism, so it’s a good start for him.”

And it wasn’t just the QBs that made an impact. As USC’s skill players also shone, with multiple athletes finding the end zone. Lake McRee turned a short pass into a 64-yard touchdown, and Eli Sanders added a 73-yard screen pass touchdown. Waymond Jordan, Bryan Jackson, and King Miller all ran for touchdowns, and Bishop Fitzgerald returned an interception 39 yards for a score. Riley’s offensive strategy was executed flawlessly, keeping Missouri State off balance and highlighting the Trojans’ depth and athleticism in every aspect of the game. But along with that win Lincon Riley’s team also proved in a very evident manner that his team is one.

Lincoln Riley gets real on his team move

Before the game began, Chris Treviño shared some news on X that excited Trojans fans: “No more Drip Check for #USC. The team arrives as one in matching warmups.” The team arrived in identical gear, foregoing individual styles for a unified look, which immediately signaled a change.

This team prioritized togetherness, focus, and unity. Fans and media took note of the synchronized style, setting the stage for USC’s intent to dominate from the start. Later, Keely Eure, USC’s director of creative content, explained the reasoning behind the change. Head coach Lincoln Riley had asked the team over the summer if they wanted to adopt an “NFL-style” approach with individual choices or commit to a team-wide uniform.

The players chose unity, and Riley wasn’t surprised. He emphasized that this decision went beyond warmups, representing a shared mindset and a commitment to being on the same page, ready to perform together. Now, let’s wait and see how well they build on this momentum.