AI‑Driven Playbooks Set the New Standard
USC has created a new position, Director of Artificial Intelligence, and tapped Conor McQuiston to head the effort. The move comes as the Trojans celebrate a $200 million gift from alumnus Mark Stevens and his wife, Mary, earmarked for AI research, and as they bring in the nation’s top recruiting class. Head coach Lincoln Riley, now in his fifth season, hopes the technology will help the program improve on last year’s 9‑4 record and finally break into the College Football Playoff.
McQuiston will report to general manager Chad Bowden and will focus on building AI models that turn scouting and game planning from a reactive process into a predictive one. His background includes stints with the University of Michigan, the NFL’s Next Gen Stats group, and PrizePicks, where he honed tools for opponent analysis and tendency mapping.
The integration of AI into college football is already evident, especially in recruiting departments that use AI agents to parse game film. At USC, the new analytics unit aims to give the Trojans a competitive edge that goes beyond traditional statistics, allowing coaches to anticipate opponent strategies before they unfold on the field.
The season opens with a home game against San Jose State at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday, August 29, at 3 p.m. ET, broadcast on NBC. With Riley’s 35‑18 record and a clean slate on playoff appearances, the AI initiative represents the most concrete step yet toward turning the program’s promise into postseason relevance.