USC Football Creates First Director of AI Position in College Football Under Lincoln Riley

USC football expected to elevate Conor McQuiston to new director of AI role: Source

LOS ANGELES -- USC will elevate Conor McQuiston to director of Artificial Intelligence, a program source confirmed Wednesday. McQuiston joined the program last year and served as the director of football analytics. USA Today Sports first reported the news. Over the last year, McQuiston has worked on projects focused on opponent scouting, tendencies and similar matters. The program source said USC will hire more people to help with analytics as a result of this move. It's unclear what McQuiston's focus will be as the director of AI, but that's understandable because this is the first hire of its type in college football. We're still in the infancy stages in terms of learning how AI is utilized across the college football landscape. It has made its way into recruiting, though. A Power 4 front office staffer told The Athletic this spring that they've worked with an AI company that's developed and formed an agent who watches recruiting film for them and acts as the first set of eyes on some prospects. There's also been talk of utilizing AI to filter recruits, and it's already being used to help with graphics. It's widely unknown how a football program utilizes it in day-to-day operations, though it seems like it could be beneficial as a research tool. USC trustee Mark Stevens and his wife, Mary Stevens, gave the university $200 million to bolster AI research last month. The program is on the front line of AI in college football with this role, but there is surely still plenty of ground for USC and other programs to cover in that space. USC also has a director of game management, Connor Killian, so the program has clearly been considering ways to gain advantages in the margins.

USC football, Lincoln Riley hiring first-of-its-kind director of AI

* The University of Southern California is expected to hire Conor McQuiston as its first-ever director of artificial intelligence for college football. * USC also plans to hire more full-time staff to support the football program's analytics and research department. * The university recently received a $200 million gift from Mark and Mary Stevens designated for AI research. Southern California on the cusp of a first-of-its-kind position in college football, USA TODAY Sports has learned. Lincoln Riley's program is expected to name Conor McQuiston as its first-ever director of artificial intelligence for college football, two people familiar with the move confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. The people requested anonymity because the hiring had not been announced. McQuiston is expected to be named to the post Wednesday, June 10. McQuiston, who has past experience working in analytics in both the NFL and college football, will report directly to USC general manager Chad Bowden, son of former Major League Baseball general manager Jim Bowden. In his previous role as Notre Dame's general manager, Chad Bowden hired the program's first-ever director of analytics Anthony Treash. People in the Southern California program familiar with the move to elevate McQuiston into the position believe the Trojans are the first team in college football to name a director of AI for football -- an emerging element in the sport that former LSU and Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly discussed last month with USA TODAY Sports. Recently, USC received a $200 million gift, targeted for AI research and utilization, from billionaire Mark Stevens and his wife, Mary. Mark Stevens is a USC alum and minority owner in the NBA's Golden State Warriors. Members of the Trojans football program touted the willingness of athletics director Jennifer Cohen to embrace the move of naming McQuiston as the program's initial head of AI People with knowledge of the move told USA TODAY Sports that Southern California also intends to hire additional, full-time staffers to support the football program's analytics department and research. Riley is preparing for his fifth season as Trojans head coach. His team return 15 starters, including quarterback Jayden Maiava. USC opens the 2026 season, their third as a member of the Big Ten, at home on Aug. 29 against San Jose State.