Willie McGinest says USC tradition is ‘being put back in place’

Former USC and NFL linebacker Willie McGinest says the Trojans football program is headed in a positive direction.

“I think they are rebuilding,” McGinest told The Times on Sunday at the Nike Football Opening Regional in Los Angeles, where he helped coach top players in the region.

Coach Steve Sarkisian signed a top-five recruiting class in February that included local standouts Rasheem Green and John Houston from Gardena Serra High and Iman Marshall from Long Beach Poly.

“I’m just glad to see that guys are coming back to ‘SC and that the tradition is being put back in place,” said McGinest, an NFL Network analyst.

McGinest spoke with Green and Houston and welcomed them “to the family,” but said he doesn’t pitch USC to recruits.

“When we are around the kids it is all about trying to make them the best they can be,” he said.

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