EXCLUSIVE: USC Trojans Recruit Gus Cordova Details Offseason Regimen, Preparation for Freshman Year

A typical day during the week consists of waking up every morning around 7:30 a.m., where he hits the gym before heading to school around 10:20 a.m. Cordova is out around 4:10 p.m. and hits the field to get some work in with his teammates. From there, he hops in the cold plunge outside of his school's indoor facility around 6:30-6:45 p.m. and aims to be in bed around 10 p.m. 

The gym has become a second home for Cordova in the offseason. He’s lifting weights seven days a week, packing on size and strength to handle playing in the trenches in the Big Ten conference. 

“I’m making sure I focus on strength because I wasn’t where I wanted to be my senior season and it’s for sure not going to cut it in the Big Ten,” Cordova said. “I’ve been working my behind off everyday to get heavier and faster to make sure I’ll never be lacking like that again.”

His diet revolves around high-protein and whole foods that are divided into six or seven meals a day. Cordova consumes foods like eggs, sirloin steak, raw cheese, beef, fruit, rice, sweet potatoes, and eggo waffles as he eats more than 5,000 calories. 

For an 18-year-old, sometimes rest, diet and recovery can come secondary to weight training and on-field workouts, but Cordova understands the importance of both as he prepares to play college football at the next level. Establishing great habits at a young age can carry an athlete far in their career.

It’s been over five months since Cordova has strapped on a helmet and shoulder pads in a game setting, but the Trojans incoming freshman has noticed a difference in his game, even as he recovered from a knee injury that he battled through during his senior year. 

“I feel way faster and explosive than when I last really played ball,” he said. “I was playing with some major knee pain and was still producing. I can’t even describe how much more fluid and technical I’ve gotten these past couple of months in the lab.”

Cordova may not have been on campus this spring, but he has been in constant contact with his position coaches, Eric Henderson and Shaun Nua throughout the offseason to help him prepare for the season. 

“Coach Henny and coach Nua are like my long-lost older brothers," he said. "I respect them both immensely and our mindsets are all the same. They tell me all the time about what I need to do to prepare and better my game for this upcoming season and i cannot wait to be developed by such sound defensive line coaches.”

Cordova held an extensive offer sheet coming out of Lake Travis from premier programs like Texas, LSU, Michigan, Miami, Oklahoma, Oregon and Texas A&M, just to name a few. He committed to USC in March 2024 after taking an unofficial visit and never wavered.  

“There was still no place like SC," he said. "I couldn’t imagine ever choosing another place to be my home. I’m so blessed that God has put me in the situation to play here.”

His official visit in June sealed the deal. USC has been known to roll out the red carpet, thanks to a strong personnel department and coaching staff that is filled with excellent recruiters that know how the maximize the glitz and glamour that comes with playing in the "entertainment capital of the world."

However, it’s their ability to build strong relationships and trust not only with recruits but their families that stands out during the process. Henderson and Nua have built reputations as some of the sport’s best recruiters following this philosophy. 

“My OV was truly special but not because of what we did on the OV, but because of how the staff treated me and my family,” he said. “The second we arrived in LA we were treated like royalty. Everywhere I went in Cali the coaches left me and my family with zero doubt that it was home. We felt so welcomed.”

Cordova went on the have a dominate senior season, playing in the 6A division, the highest level of high school football in Texas. He racked up 18.5 sacks, seven of which came in the playoffs. He was constant presence in opponent's backfields, registering 24 tackles for loss.

“There’s no high school ball like Texas 6A ball,” he said. “Everywhere you look there’s a power 4 caliber player you’re competing with week by week, game by game. Lake Travis was the most college ready high school football program I’ve ever seen.“

A year after depth and size on the defensive line was a concern for the Trojans, it could very much be the team’s biggest strength in 2025. USC was busy during the winter transfer portal window, adding a pair of mammoths from the SEC to the middle of the defensive front in Keeshawn Silver and Jamaal Jarrett. Redshirt junior Devan Thompkins, redshirt senior Kobe Pepe, sophomore Jide Abasiri and redshirt freshman Carlon Jones all return from a year ago.

At defensive end, senior Anthony Lucas will return after suffering a season-ending injury in Week 7. In his absence junior Braylan Shelby and sophomore Kameryn Fountain grew into impact players on the defensive front. Redshirt freshman Elijah Newby, moved from linebacker to defensive end during bowl practice and officially made the switch in the spring.

In addition to Cordova, the Trojans signed three other defensive linemen in the 2025 cycle, Jahkeem Stewart, Floyd Boucard and Cash Jacobsen.

“Them early enrollees are my family," he said. "They are all chill, smart, and funny guys that I feel like I’ve already connected with like Floyd, Jah, and Cash. I just know our connection will get even crazier once we play side by side. I’m stoked.”

Conroe (Texas) defensive lineman Jadyn Ramos was late addition to the Trojans recruiting class, announcing his commitment the day before the February National Signing Day. Ramos will join Cordova as a summer enrollee.

USC coach Lincoln Riley has described the 2024 season as a foundation year to help restore the program back to national prominence and the 2025 recruiting class is the first group to be brought to help usher in this new era of USC football.

“The special thing about the '25 class is how we carry ourselves off the field and most definitely on," he said. "Everyone’s mature for our age, and we all got ambition to be great. That’s what’s going to separate us from other team's classes.”