USC target Peyton Houston wants to see how teams handle adversity in 2025

In recruiting, everything has to come down to fit. It is great seeing USC have the current top classes. The fact that the Trojan staff has secured the commitments of those players that they have focused on and believe will have a role on the team is more significant than where they are actually ranked.

Listening to Peyton Houston at the Rivals Five-Star event should further illustrate why coach Lincoln Riley is so keen on also securing the four-star quarterback out of the state of Louisiana. According to Houston, as shared by Rivals on X, there are teams that are higher up on the list at the moment for him, but he wants to see what happens this fall.

For Houston, it is important to see how teams react in certain situations when the games actually unfold and how they handle adversity as it comes. To hear a recruit speak of the feeling-out process in this manner is highly encouraging. 

It also shows that even in the event of a couple of losses more than anticipated on the schedule, players will still be on the lookout for how a team performs and how they react when events do not go according to plan.

Proven track record of USC HC is appealing

When asked about USC specifically, Houston mentioned the prior success rate of coach Riley from his days at Oklahoma and how it would be a potentially good fit. The young quarterback also noted how privileged he feels to be held in such high regard by coach Riley, someone whose work he admires and respects.

Based on the interview, anyone eagerly hoping for an announcement soon should lessen those expectations. It is telling that USC is a legitimate contending option as things stand now. His processing and reasoning as to what he will ultimately base his decision on is a promising aspect to see and will bode well for Houston, regardless of where he ends up picking.