When Pittsburgh Panthers wide receiver Jordan Addison decided to enter the transfer portal earlier this month, it came with rumors and accusations of other programs tampering with the reigning Biletnikoff Award winner.
In this new era of NIL deals and the transfer portal being as “hot as fish grease,” the rumors and accusations of tampering are probably valid, but what are you going do with a model that currently has few restrictions?
With that being the case, the USC Trojans are the big winner in landing the top two prize transfers in this year’s portal. In fact, the transfer portal is lot like free agency, and the Trojans landed the top two free agents available.
The top prize is new QB Caleb Williams, who followed Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma to USC. Now Williams has the best wide receiver in the nation to throw to.
Addison took to social media on Thursday to announce his intentions.
“The last few weeks have been very difficult. I struggled with my decision as to whether I should exercise my right to enter the portal. Student athletes have not always had that opportunity, and I made that choice. I am and will always be grateful to the University of Pittsburgh, to Coach Narduzzi, all my coaches (past and present), the faculty, the fans, supporters but especially to all my teammates. I love them. Winning an ACC championship is ours forever. Those true friendships will last. A part of me will always be H2P.
“I have now carefully considered the advice of my family and close friends and fully weighed both the risks and benefits associated with my decision. I also respect that others may make a difference choice. But for me, I will continue my full development as a student athlete by enrolling at USC. Much love always, JA.”
Did USC Tamper With Addison? Narduzzi Says They Did
Addison entering the portal came after rumors swirled that USC had tampered — improperly induced him — before he entered the portal.
Reports are when Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi got wind of USC being a possible destination, he called Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley to voice his displeasure about the situation.
That’s when Narduzzi began to accuse USC of premeditated tampering, which he believe had a direct effect on Addison entering and staying in the portal until making it official.
In a May interview with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Narduzzi compared how Addison entered the portal versus how Narduzzi’s new QB and former USC signal caller Kedon Slovis handled it.
“He [Slovis] wasn’t looking for a payday. He was looking for the right place to be, with a great culture. He’s a guy who actually went into the portal the real way, the right way. He had a lot of opportunities with name, image and likeness, but I think he was looking for the right fit. He was looking for the right personnel. We had a lot returning on offense.”
There were rumors that Addison was headed to Alabama after reports of him working out with Crimson Tide Heisman winner Bryce Young surfaced. Maybe USC outbid Saban. The ’Bama coach has had a lot to say about the way schools who aren’t on the level of an Alabama have used these new NIL and transfer rules to their advantage to close the gap.
Addison Is A Huge Get For Lincoln Riley
If the lure of a better NIL deal was the deciding factor in landing Addison, then so be it, as that’s becoming the norm. Riley and the Trojans are getting the top wideout in college football and teaming him with their talented Heisman candidate quarterback Caleb Williams. Addison will join Mario Williams, another Oklahoma transfer, to form arguably the most dynamic receiver duo in the nation. Not a bad haul for Riley’s first year in Southern California.
For his career, Addison has 160 receptions for 2,259 yards and 22 touchdowns. In his Biletnikoff Award-winning season of 2021, the dynamic receiver tallied 100 receptions for 1,593 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Riley and the Trojans will be loaded on the offensive side of the football, as he was in Norman, Oklahoma. But unless he fixes that leaky defense that’s plagued his teams over the years, adding all this top-tier offensive weaponry won’t matter. He could always dip back into the transfer portal. Why not?
