USC Football suffered a setback this week as two five-star defensive recruits decided to decommit from the Trojans. Justus Terry, a standout defensive lineman and the No. 7 overall prospect, announced his decommitment on social media, following Isaiah Gibson, the No. 36 overall prospect, who had pulled his commitment the day before.
These decommitments come at a crucial time for USC as they aim to improve their defense under the new leadership of head coach Lincoln Riley. Both Terry and Gibson were considered major additions to the Trojans’ defense, and their decisions to explore other options have left a gap in the team’s recruiting plans.
Despite the loss of these two key recruits, USC still holds a strong position in the 2025 team recruiting rankings, thanks in part to the commitments of other top prospects like quarterback Julian “JuJu” Lewis. Lewis has reaffirmed his commitment to USC, even after taking visits to other schools like Colorado and Auburn.
Looking ahead to the 2024 season, the Trojans are preparing to field a team with several new starters on offense and defense. The quarterback position, in particular, is up for grabs between redshirt junior Miller Moss and redshirt sophomore Jayden Maiava, who transferred from UNLV earlier this year.
While the departures of Terry and Gibson are certainly disappointing for USC, the team still has promising talent on the roster and remains a contender for other top recruits. The coaching staff, led by defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn and defensive line coach Eric Henderson, will need to regroup and focus on securing new recruits to bolster the team’s defense for the upcoming seasons. USC fans will be watching closely to see how the team responds to this recruiting setback and builds for the future.