Connectiveness of 2026 USC class shows why Talanoa Ili chose the Trojans

Being on a team with great players is something that most athletes want. There can be a challenge of being on a roster that is constantly in an underdog role that can have its own welcomed challenge. For those like recent USC commit Talanoa Ili, being in a program that is setting up for long-term success and cultivating growth is simply too much of an opportunity to pass up.

Ili had his ultimate decision come down to USC and UCLA. Playing in Los Angeles, continuing his football journey with the Trojans, is something that felt right for the linebacker. Through his conversations with the coaches and visits, he mentioned having a good sense of what the program is building.

The chance of now being able to compete as a member of the USC football team and chase a championship helps to serve as continued fuel for motivation as he enters his final year of high school. 

A lot of his choices had to do with what his interactions have been and continue to be among the Trojan staff and the fellow commits. While speaking with USC J on his YouTube show, Ili shared how the option of being on a team with those he is already familiar with from the local area was a main factor as to why he chose to come back to Los Angeles.

Through youth football, Ili knows and already has a relationship with many of the Trojan commits. For him, the goal is now to keep improving individually and as a unit in order to make a push for a national championship.

Promising incoming unit for USC

This helps to explain why there is a natural, genuine excitement among this 2026 corps. Growing up playing the game they all love, this is now an opportunity to perform on the biggest stage and for the Cardinal and Gold, a program that they all admired from a distance when they were younger.

Hearing the excitement to have the chance to be able to further add to the Trojan legacy and win games for USC should help show why, even with it being a year away, this 2026 class will stay intact.