The anticipation surrounding 5-star linebacker Riley Pettijohn’s commitment ended today with his announcement that he will be joining Ohio State, despite USC making a strong late push led by Coach Entz.
Originally, the University of Texas seemed the likely destination throughout Pettijohn’s recruitment, with Ohio State making a competitive late effort. As of Friday, On3’s prediction machine had Texas as the frontrunner at 60.9%, followed by Ohio State at 34.6%, and USC at a distant 1.5%.
Earlier in the week, there was speculation based on comments from Pettijohn’s mother, Juliet Pettijohn, that hinted at USC, possibly influenced by her positive remarks about USC LB Coach Entz. However, today’s decision clarifies that Ohio State was Pettijohn’s final choice.
This outcome represents a setback for USC’s defense, as they miss out on Pettijohn, a key target. The Trojans still have time until signing day to potentially sway him, but their immediate focus should be on demonstrating on-field success in the upcoming season to attract top defensive talent.
Pettijohn would have joined a recruiting class that currently includes 4-star local linebacker Matai Tagoa’i. With only one linebacker committed for 2025, USC will need to pursue additional talent to strengthen their defensive lineup or explore opportunities to flip players like Pettijohn, a strategy they’ve successfully employed in the past with recruits like Isaiah Gibson.
