"Nobody is buying the hyperbole lol": Fans troll Lincoln Riley despite USC's no. 1 recruiting class ranking 

After two consecutive underperforming seasons, Lincoln Riley appears determined to turn things around at USC. The coach has been doing something incredible with the class of 2026 recruiting. The Trojans currently hold the No. 1 class in the 2026 cycle with a wide margin.

With the latest commitment of four-star wide receiver Luc Weaver, USC now has 27 commits in the class of 2026. These include two five-stars, 13 four-stars and 11 three-stars. Without a doubt, this is a testament to the Trojans' return to being a force in the recruiting landscape.

Lincoln Riley himself is very much elated with the work being put together in the 2026 recruiting cycle. The coach expressed his feelings about the development in an interview with the Big Ten Network on Tuesday.

"It's been fun to see the class come together," Riley said. "A lot of guys that, obviously, there's an individual part to these decisions, but there's also, you feel the class, they really want to do it together and they want to do it here. It's been very special to see it come together."

Nonetheless, a section of the fans is seemingly not moved by the ongoing recruiting effort of USC under Lincoln Riley's leadership. Many of them, who have lost confidence in him, don't believe it would lead to anything meaningful. Here's a look at some of the reactions online:

"Nobody is buying the hyperbole lol"

Other reactions from fans:

"Smell another 8-4 season on the horizon," a fan wrote.

"And Lincoln Riley still won’t do shit with it and will choke," another fan wrote.

"If only that meant something on the field for USC," a fan commented.

"Just shows how deep their pockets are cuz it damn sure ain’t in field success," another fan commented.

Lincoln Riley explains the changes in USC’s recruiting effort

Lincoln Riley offered insight into the key adjustments that have fueled USC’s recruiting success this cycle in an interview with the Big Ten Network on Tuesday. The coach highlighted the changes in strategy and approach that have paid dividends after falling short in previous years.

“It's not a pitch," Riley said. "They see what's happening. They see the staff we've put together. They see the facility we're building across the street right now; it's going to be one of the best in college football. They see a chance to get a degree that will change their life no matter what happens on the football field.”

“I think the people that really watched our team play last year — the edge, the toughness that we played with, the improvements that were made. I just think with that, the overall trajectory. I think they see the opportunity to do it at a place that is really unlike any other.”

Lincoln Riley was brought on board by the Trojans to elevate the struggling program back to the pinnacle of the sport following his success at Oklahoma. While his first season gave a glimpse of early success, the last two seasons haven’t gone as expected, necessitating changes.