Which USC rival handed the Trojans a new recruiting defeat?
Big Ten Rival Hands USC Huge Recruiting Blow originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
USC snatched victory after victory on the recruiting trail. Including winning over recruits courted by rival Big Ten programs. Or even committed to some.
But one Big Ten rival handed the Trojans a huge recruiting blow Saturday.
USC siphoned two previous members of the Oregon 2026 class for this cycle in Tomuhini Topui and Jonas Williams. But there won't be a third.
USC attempted to sway one prized local talent committed to Oregon during the spring. But now Tristan Phillips has no vision of heading to USC or any college football program at this stage.
That's because the Ventura High edge rusher shut down his recruitment Saturday -- according to Matt Zenitz of 247Sports. Phillips' agency confirmed that the Ducks and the pass rusher will remain a pairing for the future. Signaling that Phillips will eventually sign the national letter of intent come December.
Important to note that all verbal commitments can still change between now and the early signing period set for December. But Phillips has assured Duck fans he won't be entertaining anymore schools for the rest of his recruiting process.
USC attempted to coax Phillips during the spring and into the May NCAA evaluation period. But the Trojans tried their first attempt at nabbing Phillips on Feb. 12, per 247Sports' Brandon Huffman.
Phillips mentioned that Bryson Allen-Williams offered him. He even has a former high school teammate of his in Tobias Raymond at USC.
The Trojans then added one more sales man in trying to pilfer Phillips: New linebackers coach Rob Ryan. The longtime NFL defensive coordinator faced timed Phillips -- which excited his father since he's a Las Vegas Raiders fan. Ryan left the Raiders for USC in Jan. 2025.
USC still remains No. 1 for the team recruiting rankings. The Trojans hold 31 total commits.
Related: USC Commit Names Off Two All-Pro Influences Who Helped Sway His Decision
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
