Why These Players Are The Keys To USC's Success In 2026

The Trojans are eyeing a breakthrough season—can Hayden Treter, Desman Stephens II, and Kameryn Crawford spark a playoff push under Lincoln Riley? Marc Kulkin spotlights the Trojans’ key names under pressure to elevate their game, from offensive line shakeups with Justin Tauanunu to defensive standouts like Alex Graham and breakout candidates in the linebacker and edge rusher rooms. The show explores how individual development could shift the balance in the Big Ten and why the safety position remains under the microscope in Gary Patterson’s 4-2-5 scheme. Recruiting heats up as USC battles for top 2028 prospects like Austin Atallah and Malaki Davis, while intriguing questions swirl around future quarterback targets. Marc dissects Ari Wasserman’s On3 ranking placing USC among the top five programs this offseason, examining roster moves, transfer portal strategy, and whether the Trojans can finally achieve playoff contention. #USCTrojans #USCFootball #USCRecruiting #AlexVanSumeren #DylanWafle, #LukeWafle #USCTrojansnews #NotreDame #NCAA #LincolnRiley #KingMiller #WaymondJordan #Jayden Maiava #OhioState #Oregon, #BigTenfootball #USCrecruiting  #Collegefootballplayoffs #EricMusselman #USCBaseball  Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Odoo Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon.   Gametime Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONfor $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COMto play Daily Dingers and make your free pick on who’s hitting a homer this MLB season.  FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) LISTEN: APPLE: https://apple.co/3Aveb9o SPOTIFY: https://spoti.fi/3Reye1r GOOGLE: https://bit.ly/3bHmlAT Follow Marc! TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MarcKulkinCaIt   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.