If you’re a USC fan, this is the kind of recruiting week that has you refreshing your feed every five minutes, peeking through your fingers, and maybe even mumbling a nervous prayer or two to the football gods. The stakes are that high because one of the country’s most coveted trench warriors is about to drop the mic on his college future. It’s IMG Academy media day this Friday, and everyone, from LA to Littleton, seems to have an opinion on where he is headed. You want to talk nerves? Trojan Twitter is electric with whispers and gifs, and Lincoln Riley might be chugging coffee like it’s the fourth quarter of the Rose Bowl.
But don’t let the tension kill your optimism just yet, USC faithful. You’ve been through recruiting drama before, and this one’s got all the elements: a 6-foot-6, 320-pound road grader who can flip a run game on its head, a stacked list of blueblood programs, and a player who’s so physically advanced that, even as a junior, he already looked like a Sunday talent mowing down national competition at IMG. For weeks, all signs have pointed West; the Trojans are the buzz pick. He checks all the college football ‘it’ boxes: mean streak, pulling guard agility, and enough position versatility to make any O-line coach drool. But as the hours tick down, the familiar feeling returns: Is USC really about to seal the deal, or is there another twist waiting just offstage?
We are talking about Breck Kolojay, the last of the most coveted recruits and someone USC has been eyeing for a long time to finally complete their 2026 recruiting class, at least before the fall season. Here’s where recruiting gets downright wild, though. While the Trojans have the momentum and not-so-quiet confidence that Kolojay could be the final piece to vault USC over Georgia in the race for the No. 1 class, not everybody is buying the ‘done deal’ hype. Kolojay himself told Rivals that a private decision has yet to be made. And according to several sources, there are two looming threats lurking beneath the surface.
Enter the programs that have been recruiting him the longest, Miami and Georgia, each determined to throw a wrench in Lincoln Riley’s best-laid plans. Those ties run deep; both programs have been relentless in their pursuit, offering everything from early playing time to a chance at SEC and ACC glory. If you’re wondering what makes Kolojay so special, just let the scouting reports do the talking. He towers on the field but stays nimble, operating best in tight quarters where he “unlocks a mean streak and takes assignments into the turf.” If he lands at USC, Kolojay could be the spark that transforms an offensive line and puts the Trojans squarely back in playoff conversations.
So here’s the question for every college football die-hard staring at message boards this week. Will Friday be the day USC lands its anchor and outpaces the Bulldogs in the rankings, or will those long-standing relationships out East pull off a late heist? Friday’s commitment is about program momentum, recruiting bragging rights, and maybe, just maybe, a new ‘Face of the Franchise’ for whichever locker room gets Kolojay’s signature. Buckle up, this is one recruitment that’ll have all of college football talking… at least until the next five-star domino falls.
USC’s late surge
USC has emerged as a serious contender in the recruitment of four-star offensive lineman Breck Kolojay, even after many believed Miami and Georgia were the clear frontrunners. Kolojay has taken official visits to Miami, Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and, most recently, USC. While early predictions suggested Miami and Georgia led the way, with On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine currently giving the Hurricanes a 71.6% chance, the tide has shifted thanks to USC’s increasingly strategic approach.
As discussed on an episode of USC LAFB, host Ryan Dyrud gave insight into the Trojans’ behind-the-scenes progress, explaining, “I would not be shocked if an announcement and a commitment do come here rather quickly. Will it be today? Will it be tomorrow? Will it be this week? I don’t know. I don’t have any information on that. And I’m not confirming anything, but I do think based on what I’ve heard in conversations, I think USC is in a really, really good spot.” Although USC only officially offered Kolojay in April, much later than other contenders, the Trojans, spearheaded by offensive line coach Zach Hanson and head coach Lincoln Riley, have rapidly made up ground. Dyrud noted that USC’s routine pitch “quickly turned into a major turning point.”
What’s quietly fueling USC’s prospects is their ability to operate under the radar, as well as key connections within IMG Academy. Chad Simmons of On3 confirmed that Kolojay is narrowing his choices to four schools, and “USC is very much still in the mix.” A pivotal factor is Kolojay’s close relationship with five-star offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe, a USC commit and his teammate (and former roommate) at IMG Academy. Dyrud summed it up, “The ties with USC obviously are great. So, I won’t rehash that a ton, but just really quickly, he plays at IMG Academy. Teammates and roommates, or was roommates at least last season, with USC commit Keenyi Pepe. So obviously close ties there.” Adding Kolojay could give a major boost to Lincoln Riley’s O-line haul for 2026, cementing USC as a bona fide threat in this high-stakes recruitment.
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