USC head coach Lincoln Riley pays visit to Latrobe linebacker Alex Tatsch

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Tuesday, January 23, 2024 | 7:23 PM

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College coaches are flocking to Latrobe to meet with junior football prospect Alex Tatsch.

Normally, it’s an assistant coach who makes the trip to see the four-star linebacker in person. But on Tuesday, a head coach showed up to sit down with Tatsch. And he came a long way, as in 2,500 miles.

Lincoln Riley, the third-year head coach of the University of Southern California, flew into Pittsburgh to follow up on the Trojans’ scholarship offer.

Special visitor at Latrobe tonight.

USC head coach Lincoln Riley in to see linebacker Alex Tatsch.

A coach doesn't fly 2,500 miles across the country unless he's sold on a recruit.@LATROBEFOOTBALL @AlexTatsch5 @LincolnRiley @GLCATATHLETICS pic.twitter.com/dkKuLVTLIJ

— Bill Beckner (@BillBeckner) January 24, 2024

“It was a fantastic experience for Alex to spend time with coach Riley and learn more about SC,” Latrobe coach Ron Prady said. “Both academically and athletically. It was an honor for our community and our program to host coach Riley and thank him for making the trip.”

The 6-foot-3, 211-pound Tatsch is drawing interest from Power 5 schools from across the country. The all-state pick has offers from the backyard big three — Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia — but his other possible suitors include Temple, Michigan State, Syracuse, Akron, Kentucky, Stanford, South Carolina, Maryland, Duke, Virginia Tech, Liberty, Boston College, Marshall, and Connecticut.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Latrobe