USC HC Lincoln Riley Reveals Who he 'Challenged' to Become a Better Leader in 2025

USC HC Lincoln Riley Reveals Who he 'Challenged' to Become a Better Leader in 2025 originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The USC Trojans need new leaders to step up for 2025. Lincoln Riley pinpointed one he especially challenged during Big Ten Media Days.

And per Riley's words, this particular returner answered the bell immediately.

Riley is placing his trust in returning cornerback/safety Kamari Ramsey. The college football veteran comes back from a dismal 2024 performance out of the entire defense. Now Ramsey gets a new CB coach to work with in Trovon Reed -- who comes over via UCF. Ramsey also has Doug Belk back coaching him for another year.

Riley shared via 247Sports what he hoped to see out of the 20-year-old defender.

"He's another guy that we've really challenged to step up vocally, just as a leader, and have a presence beyond just the plays that he makes on the field, because he has that capability," Riley said.

The fourth-year head coach is immediately noticing a changed Ramsey.

"It's been fun to see him become more vocal, not just with our DBs, but with our defense and our team as a whole," Riley said. "That's something I don't know that he really wanted to do last year, but I think he sees that it's vital for our defense, our team, our program right now."

Riley includes that the cornerback brings a bright future ahead.

"Kamari is a guy that's going to have an opportunity to play football for a long time, and it'll be important for his career as it goes on, to develop that, so he can bring as much value to whatever team or organization that he's a part of," Riley said. "Then I think as a player, he made a lot of great plays last year, but I think there's still another level he can go to in terms of his consistency, our ability to move him around in different spots which coach [D'Anton] Lynn and our staff are very, very talented at."

The former Sierra Canyon High star was a massive college football transfer portal swoop back in Dec. 2023. And he didn't have to move far. Ramsey left UCLA to join USC.

The Palmdale native delivered career highs in his Trojans debut: 60 total tackles, 43 solo stops, five pass deflections and two sacks.

"We're obviously thrilled that he's back, and it's a little bit of a new position for him being such a leader and being counted upon in that way. But so far, he's certainly risen up to the challenge," Riley said.

Ramsey returns to a far younger DB room. Although San Jose State transfer D.J. Harvey and fellow safety Bishop Fitzgerald (North Carolina State transfer) help fill voids in the room.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 25, 2025, where it first appeared.