2026 5-star QB Jared Curtis offers insight on his recruitment process after visiting Lincoln Riley’s USC

By Aman Sharma

Modified Jun 21, 2024 13:45 GMT

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Jared Curtis, a top-tier quarterback prospect for the class of 2026, expanded his recruitment journey with a visit to Lincoln Riley's USC on Friday. Currently committed to the University of Georgia, Curtis's trip to USC has sparked significant interest, given his status as the No. 1 quarterback and the No. 7 overall prospect according to On3 Industry rankings.

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound QB comes from Nashville Christian School in Tennessee, and his ability to be both big and quick has been a magnet for many football teams. These include Alabama, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Miami, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Texas, Texas A&M, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Curtis's visit to USC, guided by head coach Lincoln Riley, was particularly noteworthy. During this unofficial visit, Curtis received an offer from USC, which he described to On3:

"I definitely have to get back up there for sure," Curtis told On3, highlighting a strong rapport with USC's offensive coordinator, Luke Huard.

The influence of Lincoln Riley left a lasting impression on Curtis.

"Just Lincoln Riley being good with quarterbacks and knowing offensive scheme," Curtis noted.

He also expressed his appreciation for the city of Los Angeles, mentioning its "perfect weather":

“I liked the city of Los Angeles. Perfect weather. I just like the development of quarterbacks out there.”

Despite his experience at USC, Curtis reaffirmed his commitment to Georgia, where he has been a verbal commit since March. He plans to revisit Georgia soon, arriving on Thursday and staying until Saturday.

"I’m locked in with Georgia for sure," Curtis asserted.

Lincoln Riley's tenure at USC under scrutiny amid Big Ten transition

Lincoln Riley faces mounting pressure as USC prepares to join the Big Ten. With a 19-8 record over two seasons at USC, Riley's tenure has not met expectations. This week, analyst Paul Finebaum suggested that his time at USC could be nearing its end.

Finebaum discussed the possibility of USC finishing the upcoming season with a losing record on "The Paul Finebaum Show":

"Bruce Feldman said a minute ago that he thought they are looking at about seven wins, which is pretty dangerous when you are the USC coach and you have two back-to-back bad seasons," Finebaum noted.

"I mean, I think it's over for Lincoln Riley, anyway. To me, he's lost control. And once you lose control, you're like in the middle of quicksand."

Riley’s USC journey began with high hopes after he left Oklahoma on short notice. His rookie season saw USC win 11 games and quarterback Caleb Williams securing the Heisman Trophy. Nevertheless, the team’s defensive issues resulted in a loss to Utah in the Pac-12 Championship and a narrow defeat against Tulane in the Cotton Bowl.

The following season, USC finished 8-5, plagued by defensive issues and losses to four ranked teams, though they capped the season with a Holiday Bowl win over Louisville. Looking ahead, USC faces a challenging 2024 schedule, opening against LSU in Las Vegas and navigating a tough Big Ten slate.

College Football HQ ranks USC’s schedule as the second-most difficult in the conference, with significant matchups against Michigan, Washington, Penn State, and Notre Dame.