Lincoln Riley probably didn’t know that his 2025 prized possession, Husan Longstreet, would transfer to LSU in January. Since the move happened just two days before the portal closed, the team also didn’t add any transfer QBs. That leaves only Jayden Maiava with QB room experience, and incoming freshman Jonas Williams, who still has to learn a lot. With these dynamics playing out, Riley’s offensive coordinator finally opened up on the team’s QB situation.

“Well, we’ve got three quarterbacks on scholarship here. And we have a fourth right now, a walk-on. We may add another later on,” USC’s OC Luke Huard said. “We are going to coach the guys that are on our roster at an elite level. And we are going to recruit guys who are going to represent USC at an elite level. And give us an opportunity to win and compete for national championships.”

Husan Longstreet’s departure hurt USC more than people might think. The 6’1″ and 195 lbs was 4th ranked in his position in the 2025 class and 21st overall. He showed elite arm talent and came after passing 4,000 yards in the 2022 season, followed by a 3,013 passing yard performance in 2023. Not just that, in his one year at USC, he appeared in 4 games and took meaningful snaps.

Husan totaled 103 passing yards at 86.7% efficiency and rushed for 76 yards, totaling 3 TDs. The buzz was high around the 5-star freshman at USC, but he unexpectedly transferred. Apart from Husan, USC’s redshirt senior QB Sam Huard also lost eligibility, making the QB room thinner than ever. Currently, apart from Jayden Maiava, the team has Dylan Gebbia and redshirt junior Gage Roy in the QB room. Plus, the arrival of 4-star Jonas Williams in the 2026 class is a slight boost.

Moving ahead, Lincoln Riley is finally trying to find loyal players, and for the 2026 season, having Jayden Maiava is a silver lining. “For us, it’s identifying those guys that USC is important to ’em. They want to truly be here,” Luke Huard said. “They want to stay and develop. But at the end of the day, we’re going to have quarterbacks on our roster. And we’re going to coach them up as hard as we can, and make sure they help our offense and our football team win games.”

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Jayden Maiava is coming this year after passing 3,711 yards and rushing for another 157 yards. The USC #14’s passing yards stood highest in the Big 10 in 2025, and he also had more passing yards per game (285.5) than any other Big 10 QB. Yet, the QBs behind him haven’t played a single snap yet for the team, and that inexperience could crash USC’s season if Maiava suffers an injury setback. To counter that, Riley, known for developing Heisman QBs, will likely develop 4-star Jonas Williams swiftly this offseason. 

The reason for Husan Longstreet’s transfer is now making Riley’s life hard in recruiting QBs for 2027

Lincoln Riley has entered his 5th offseason with the team and will have to finally earn a playoff berth. His 35-18 record at USC also doesn’t fit into the program’s standards, and that’s why Riley is one of the hottest seats this year. In a time when 5-star QBs look for quick starts, along with program stability, Riley offered none to Husan Longstreet, and the California native moved away from his in-state program.

“He wants a chance to compete, that’s how you get better — only by playing,” Husan Longstreet’s father, Kevin, said. “Everyone is saying, ‘sit for another year, only need one good year.’ But there’s no guarantee Lincoln is back next year. What if we struggle, and a new staff comes in? Then he has to learn a whole new system. He wants to play now and give himself his best shot.”

At LSU, Husan Longstreet will not be a starter and will wait for a year behind Sam Leavitt. However, LSU has hired Lane Kiffin as its new head coach, and the program is expecting him in Baton Rouge for the foreseeable future. That essentially gives Husan the required stability and offensive continuity. On the contrary, Lincoln Riley might have a hard time convincing even top 2027 QB prospects to join him due to his ‘hot seat’ status.

Riley hasn’t yet managed to land a single QB commit to his 2027 class, and most of the top QBs are already committed or moving away from USC. Five-star Elijah Haven will likely choose between Alabama and Florida. Kavian Bryant is already committed to Texas Tech, and Israel Adams has 88% chance (per On3) to go to Auburn. 4th-ranked QB Trae Taylor is committed to Nebraska, and Jayce Johnson has laid down his future to Texas A&M. Despite OC Luke Huard’s assurance, landing QBs is looking herculean for Lincoln Riley as of now.