Before anyone freaks out, as of this writing, Julian Lewis is still committed to the USC Trojans and Lincoln Riley, and at this point, there is no reason to believe his commitment is on the verge of flipping.
However, we are two days from November, just over a month from National Letter of Intent day, and he is still taking visits.
Just last week, he and 4-star USC offensive tackle commit Carde Smith, were both at the Colorado v Cincinnati game in Boulder.
Right now, the two schools that are pushing the hardest for Lewis to flip are Colorado, and the undefeated Indiana Hoosiers.
From what I have heard, NIL should not be an issue, so if he were to flip it would come down to something else.
Many will point to the Trojans’ disappointing season so far, and the success of both Indiana and Colorado. After expectations were at an all-time high after USC started 2-0 and were just outside the Top 10, those dreams came crumbling down after a brutal 3-game losing streak in October.
Sitting at 4-4, questions are swirling about the future of the program, and even with an insane buyout, whether or not Lincoln Riley is the right coach to get things turned around.
Before going any further, let’s just state the obvious, Julian Lewis coming to USC hinges completely on Lincoln Riley being the head coach, which we think will certainly be the case through 2025, regardless of what happens on the field.
Also Read: A True WR1 Has Emerged For The USC Trojans
But let’s get back to Indiana and Colorado, who have both had opposite trajectories.
Colorado has been the talk of College Football ever since Deion Sanders got to Boulder. Sitting at 6-2 this season, Coach Prime has gotten the Buffaloes back in the AP Top 25, sitting at 23rd. The buzz in Boulder is electric.
While the Buffs have been impressive so far, the Indiana Hoosiers and first-year head coach Curt Cignetti should be the talk of College Football. Take out the 2020 Covid shortened season, and this is really the first time the Hoosiers have been relevant (arguably) since they won the Liberty Bowl in 1988 under Bill Mallory.
This year they are 8-0 and ranked 13th in the AP Top 25. They haven’t exactly played a daunting schedule, but the teams they have played, they have absolutely dominated.
So, all of this said, you can make the argument that Julian Lewis’s decision to stay committed to the USC Trojans hinges on the current success of each of the three programs. A valid argument, sure, but to me, it really comes down to another major factor.
Julian Lewis And Playing Time For The USC Trojans
Miller Moss still has one year of eligibility left. Jayden Maiava has potentially three years of eligibility left. I truly believe that Lincoln Riley will play the best quarterback which gives the team the best opportunity to win.
As a true freshman, it would be hard to see that QB being Lewis considering the experience, and talent in the room. Caleb Williams sat half the year behind Spencer Rattler before getting called up.
Even if Moss does decide to declare, Maiava would have a full year in Riley’s system and a full year of experience at UNLV (Mountain West Freshman of the Year) before transferring.
Is Lewis going to be willing to sit a year, or two, before he is handed the keys to start?
Let’s look at Colorado. Current starting quarterback Shedeur Sanders is going to the NFL Draft at the conclusion of this season. The current backup on the roster is redshirt freshman Ryan Staub, a former 3-star prospect. They did not earn any QB commits in their 2024 class and currently have no QB commits in the 2025 class. Most likely, without a big-name transfer portal quarterback, it is pretty clear that Lewis would be the day-one starter as a true freshman.
Related: USC Trojans 2025 Recruiting Class
At Indiana, Lewis would have a bit more competition, but still a fairly clear path.
The current starter (injured at the moment) Kurtis Rourke is in the final year of eligibility. Tayven Jackson, a redshirt sophomore, who transferred to Indiana from Tennessee, would be Lewis’s biggest competition. He has stepped in for the injured Rourke and has kept the winning streak alive, but that should mostly be attributed to the running game and defense.
The Hoosiers do have a pair of freshmen QBs in their 2024 class, 4-star Tyler Cherry and 3-star Alberto Mendoza. They do not currently have a QB in their 2025 class.
So, while you hope this would not be the case if Lewis has put a priority on starting as a true freshman, then he will have a much easier path at either Indiana or Colorado than he would at USC.
It is also worth noting that top 2026 QB recruit, Ryder Lyons, is heavily favored to commit to USC, and his brother, Walker Lyons, is a current tight end at USC.
It is going to be a wild final few months of the 2024 recruiting cycle, buckle up Trojans fans.