4-star linebacker Talanoa Ili announces commitment to USC

He was going to come home to Los Angeles either way. Talanoa Ili had UCLA and USC as his final two options. On Father's Day, the class of 2026 linebacker made his decision known. The Kahuku High School defensive player from Hawai'i would be joining the Trojans.

During the 247Sports showing of his decision on YouTube, Ili stated that he likes the direction that the program is heading in. Now, he will join a top recruiting class that has just been further bolstered through his commitment.

Throughout the process, the brotherhood among those already committed to USC and the way in which the staff have positioned the Trojan Way to Ili stood out. He believes that he will, of course, bring a lot to the table and be able to  help the defense. For him, it is all about one pursuit. Ili made it known that his goal is to win a championship.

There is certainly a lot to like about Ili's game, and there is a reason why he was rated as high as he was in the rankings and why many schools were hoping to stay in the mix for his commitment until the end.

Instead, he is sold on what this team is continuing to build, and it is very easy to envision Ili in the middle of the coach D'Anton Lynn defense and being mentored by position coach Rob Ryan. 

Major continued boost for USC

By all means, there is a lot of work to do at USC. It is very much telling, however, that a program that has not won at the needed level in recent years has still managed to earn the trust and respect of Ili and so many others.

Now, ready to come to campus and cement a legacy of his own, USC being able to add Ili to the roster in 2026 further points to the strides that have been made within the last couple of months. The time after coach Pete Carroll won national titles has not looked good. With players like Ili, who know of the tradition from those glory days, there is a lot of room to believe that the Trojans are well on their way to where they should be in the world of college football.