In the days since a fake punt involving a jersey switch sparked controversy, USC football Head Coach Lincoln Riley has affirmed twice that the play was legal, contrasting a Big Ten statement that said the Trojans violated NCAA rules.

“We’re very aware of the rules,” Riley said in a post-practice news conference Tuesday. “The fake punt was entirely legal. Our guys did a fantastic job executing it, and there’s not really a whole lot else left to say.”

On the play, which converted a key fourth down early in USC’s 38-17 win over Northwestern on Friday, third-string redshirt senior quarterback Sam Huard lined up far behind the line of scrimmage where a punter would typically stand before throwing a 10-yard first-down pass.

However, Huard, who normally wears No. 7, was wearing No. 80 during the game — the same number worn by redshirt sophomore punter Sam Johnson — which the Big Ten said violated one of the NCAA’s “unfair tactics” rules.

The rule in question — Rule 9, Section 2, Article 2 — states that two players playing the same position cannot wear the same number during the same game. Because Huard’s fake punt occurred before either of Johnson’s punts on Friday, the Big Ten’s interpretation would mean that a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty should have been applied to USC when Johnson came in to punt later in the game.

Huard was listed as a quarterback during the game, so although he lined up in a typical punter position, it is unclear whether he should have been considered a punter or quarterback by officials.

“The Big Ten will continue to review the situation with both institutions,” the Big Ten statement read.

Two top analysts agree with Big Ten

Multiple analysts have concurred with the Big Ten’s interpretation, including Mike Pereira, former NFL vice president of officiating and a trusted broadcast analyst, and NBC analyst Terry McAulay. 

McAulay wrote Monday in a post on X that while the punter position is not explicitly defined in the NCAA’s rules, Huard intentionally impersonating a punter was against the spirit of the rule, which he expects to be reevaluated in the offseason.

“I get a lot of hardcore fans twisting themselves in knots defending their team even though their team clearly and obviously violated the rules. But those trying to explain that USC #80 was not a player in the position of a punter has been something to behold,” McAulay wrote in another X post later that day. “At best, they are being incredibly pedantic. At worst, intentionally daft.”

Pereira differed slightly from the Big Ten, saying live on Fox that Huard shouldn’t have been allowed to line up as a punter since the other No. 80, Johnson, was already listed as a kicker.

“The officials are not going to see this. They are not going to recognize this, but the league will address it at some point with USC,” Pereira said. “I doubt they will ever do it again.”

Northwestern Head Coach David Braun said he blamed himself for not catching the trick, rather than the officials, in a news conference Monday. Braun said he will “totally change” how the Wildcats review rosters pregame.

“It’s my job to put our guys in the best situation to go perform and execute on game day in the situation that we experienced Friday night,” Braun said. “I didn’t put our guys in that position.”

Fake punt was a ‘huge momentum play’

After the game Friday, Riley said the number change had been on USC’s roster for three weeks, and he partially attributed the creative call to the planning efforts of his staff, calling it a “well-thought-out thing.” When asked about the play Monday on Trojans Live, he affirmed its legality and complimented both Huard’s efforts and the sideline grab from freshman wide receiver Tanook Hines.

“It was another huge momentum play,” Riley said on Trojans Live. “Cool to see the guys execute it.”

Redshirt junior quarterback Jayden Maiava attributed the play’s success to Riley and Special Teams Coordinator Ryan Dougherty, who led the team in multiple run-throughs of it in practice.

Maiava said Tuesday that watching the play succeed from the sidelines felt “just like practice,” especially with Huard, who Maiava said has a strong work ethic and consistently brings energy to practice. 

“That’s my dawg,” Maiava said. “Something bad or good happens, [and he’s] just the same guy: stays level-headed, works every single day and pushes the guys.”

After Friday’s game, junior wide receivers Ja’Kobi Lane and Makai Lemon and redshirt senior safety Bishop Fitzgerald were asked about the play, but Lane summed up the group’s response with just one word: “Dime.”