A’Marion Petersen – Syndication Server

USC running backs prepare for big test against Michigan

The USC running game will get a stiff and extensive test against Michigan in the biggest Big Ten game of the week on Sept. 21 in Ann Arbor.

The USC Trojans enter Week 4 coming off a 248-yard rushing performance against Utah State. The Aggies dropped their safeties to keep the Trojan receivers in front of them and challenged the USC to run. Naturally, the physical challenge for the Trojans will be considerable when they head to Ann Arobor. Michigan has an elite cornerback in Will Johnson and a defensive line stuffed with future NFL players. The Wolverines did lose a lot of key players from last season’s national championship roster, but most of those key losses were on the offensive side of the ball. The USC offense and, more specifically, the USC running backs should expect a tough and rugged test from the Michigan defense, especially the Wolverines’ defensive line.

Michigan will offer a true measurement of where USC’s offense and the Trojans’ running game stand in the early portion of the season. If the Trojans can ace this test in the Big House, they will know they are in position to do something special in 2024. Here’s a look at some of the photos I have taken of the USC running backs and the Trojan teammates who block for them:

Know your 2024 USC football roster: Running Backs

USC football is Running Back U, and when Lincoln Riley’s offense is hitting on all cylinders it incorporates an consistent run game into the flow of play. Riley’s teams in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 at Oklahoma averaged more than 200 yards per …

This year’s running back room is full of talent and each back brings something special to the team, but it is an inexperienced group with only one back having more than 20 rushing attempts in a career. Anthony Jones Jr. is the new Trojan running backs coach. He is known for developing NFL talent in the backfield, so it will be interesting to see who will make their mark and emerge from this group in the fall.

Here is a brief look at each of the 2024 Trojan scholarship running backs with the projected pre-spring camp depth chart at the end.

USC recruiting Texas running backs has always been a winning strategy

There’s a strong Texas identity in USC’s running back room, and this is not the first time we have seen as much.

The 2024 USC Trojans’ running back group will feature just two returning lettermen from the 2023 campaign, Quinten Joyner and A’Marion Peterson. MarShawn Lloyd and Austin Jones have both moved on to the NFL. Additionally, Matt Columbo and underutilized transfer Darwin Barlow have departed via the portal to San Diego State and North Carolina, respectively.

Joyner is a 5-11, 205-pound redshirt freshman from Paige, Texas, who tallied 6.9 yards per attempt on 18 carries in 2023. He gave Trojan fans a glimpse of what they have to look forward to in his career. Joyner looks like he’s a threat to take the ball to the house on every carry. He flashed in Week 0 when he broke off a 47-yard run for a touchdown against the San Jose State Spartans. Peterson, 6-0 and 215 pounds from Witchita Falls, Texas, was also a redshirt freshman who had only two carries on the year. He runs with a lot of power, he hits the hole hard, and when he gets into the second level, an arm takle is not going to take him down.

Hailing from McKinney, Texas, Bryan Jackson (6-0, 240 pounds) will join fellow Trojans in forming a formidable Texas trio in USC’s running back unit. Jackson, who made his commitment to the Trojans in the spring, chose USC over several other prominent programs including Alabama, Baylor, Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Tennessee, and Texas. His size and strength make him a valuable asset to the power running game, where he is expected to provide quality depth and contribute significantly.

USC boasts a history of relying on talented running backs from the state of Texas. Remarkably, five of the top 20 running backs in USC’s prestigious lineage hail from the Lone Star State. This productive group includes Ronald Jones, Justin Davis, Delon Washington, Shawn Walters, and the legendary Ricky Bell.

Jo’Quavious Marks, a transfer from Mississippi State, will be the sole running back on the team who does not originate from Texas next season if they don’t add an additional player in the spring portal period. The coaching staff places high hopes on Marks, anticipating that his experience will provide invaluable guidance and support to the young running back room at USC.

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