Tag: USC Football

Deijon Laffitte enters transfer portal, increases pressure on USC

USC loses another defensive lineman, increasing the urgency surrounding portal recruitments.

The USC Trojans know they need to add to their defensive front in the transfer portal. However, the current amount of depth of the defensive line unit is going in the wrong direction this spring. Deijon Laffitte has entered the transfer portal, removing another depth piece from the Trojans’ roster.

Trojans Wire’s Tim Prangley wrote more about USC’s defensive line situation:

“On Thursday, multiple online sources announced that 6-foot-2, 305-pound redshirt freshman Deijon Laffitte had entered the transfer portal. Laffitte was considered a project and was not expected to play a significant role on the defensive line in 2024, but after Isaiah Raikes entered the transfer portal two weeks ago and recently signed with Auburn, USC needed to add — not lose — depth.”

This is why USC’s pursuit of Michigan State transfer portal prospect Derrick Harmon is such a big deal. The Trojans badly need to land Harmon and get the quality — and depth — they need on their defensive line for their first season in the Big Ten Conference.

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USC hosts Derrick Harmon, the top defensive tackle in the transfer portal

Can Coach Henny close the sale with Derrick Harmon?

USC came into the offseason with the goal to create a physical defense. That transformation starts up front. It was a given that new defensive line coach Eric Henderson would attract talent in the spring transfer portal that would shore up the Trojans’ defensive line. However, the Trojans have gone in the wrong direction, losing two of the four defensive line players north of 300 pounds on the roster.

On Thursday, multiple online sources announced that 6-foot-2, 305-pound redshirt freshman Deijon Laffitte had entered the transfer portal. Laffitte was considered a project and was not expected to play a significant role on the defensive line in 2024, but after Isaiah Raikes entered the transfer portal two weeks ago and recently signed with Auburn, USC needed to add — not lose — depth.

In a move reminiscent of Bear Alexander’s brief flirtation with the transfer portal, 6-foot-4 nose tackle Christen Miller from Georgia created a stir when he toyed with the idea. However, a day later, Miller put the speculation to rest by reaffirming his commitment to the Bulldogs.

Trojans need two to three big interior linemen in the portal with the loss of Raikes and Laffitte. The Trojans have pivoted to Derrick Harmon. He is a 6-foot-5, 320-pound defensive lineman from Michigan State who entered the transfer portal at the end of last season, but eventually withdrew his name and returned to the Spartans. Harmon is currently on an official visit to USC. The Trojans hope that Henderson can sell the development that has been so successful with high school defensive line recruits.

The spring portal window closes on Tuesday, April 30, so if USC wants to make a splash on defense in 2024, it needs to close the sale on at least two impactful 300-pound interior defensive linemen. If not, the Trojans run the risk of having Bear Alexander double- and triple-teamed all season and being bullied at the point of attack by huge offensive lines in the Big Ten.

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Caleb Williams revealed a Chicago-themed shirt under his NFL Draft night suit after Bears pick

It’s almost like Caleb Williams already knew he was going to Chicago.

With the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears surprised no one by selecting USC quarterback Caleb Williams.

After he heard his name called, Williams discussed some of the most original elements of his outfit. While most fans probably saw his fantastic Chrome Hearts suit in a Bears-themed navy blue, they didn’t see what he was wearing underneath.

The quarterback revealed to the social media team that he was wearing a “one-of-one, custom-made” shirt that said Chicago at the bottom. Williams said that it was either like he “knew” or maybe it was just meant to be, citing manifestation.

Considering how obvious it was that Chicago’s front office was going to select Williams at No. 1 overall, we really wish that the Bears had not been so coy about it.

Williams is already an incredibly popular player in Chicago and around the league, breaking records for most jerseys sold on draft night.

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Reggie Bush Heisman return should lead to restored 2004 BCS title for USC

Heisman? Check. Reggie Bush got what he deserved. Now let’s get back the 2004 BCS championship.

Reggie Bush has his Heisman Trophy back, but there should be unfinished business to take care of at USC. When the NCAA conducted its investigation of USC in 2010, a crackdown on the school began. USC ultimately endured several very stiff penalties, one of them being the vacating of the 2004 Bowl Championship Series national championship, won over Oklahoma in the 2005 Orange Bowl. Now that Reggie Bush has his Heisman, it’s time for USC to get that BCS title back in the official record book and to also have its vacated victories restored as well.

USC won two national championships in the Pete Carroll era, but 2004 was the only unanimous title. The 2003 championship was a title the Trojans split with LSU. The Tigers won the BCS championship while USC won the Associated Press national title due to finishing atop the final AP poll of that season.

USC still has some work to do. Reggie Bush getting his Heisman back is not the final chapter in this long-running drama.

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Now that Reggie Bush has his Heisman back, what about USC’s wins?

Reggie has his Heisman back. Now restore 14 USC football wins which were vacated after the NCAA’s witch hunt.

Reggie Bush has regained his 2005 Heisman Trophy. USC can officially say it has eight Heisman Trophy winners again. The school can now celebrate Reggie Bush’s achievements the way it has always wanted to. We can be sure the school will have some big celebrations planned for home games this year. Now that Bush has his stiff-arm trophy back where it belongs, however, there’s a matter of unfinished business: Restoring the USC wins which were vacated.

USC football collected 14 wins which were later vacated due to the NCAA’s 2010 investigation of the program, which included Reggie Bush. If the Heisman Trust is going to acknowledge that the landscape of college sports is different now and that it was both unfair and illogical to deprive Reggie Bush of his Heisman Trophy, the same thought process should apply to USC’s wins, which — like Reggie’s Heisman — were earned on the field. Nothing can undo the fact that USC walked off the field 14 times and won football games. The idea that those wins no longer count doesn’t make sense.

Restoring honors to USC from two decades ago isn’t over. Getting Reggie Bush’s Heisman back is just one part of the process.

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IMG Academy four-star linebacker is still considering USC

USC is in the hunt for the younger brother of an NFL player.

Bradenton (Florida) IMG Academy linebacker Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng announced his list of top 13 schools. The USC Trojans made the cut. Michigan, Georgia, Ohio State, Texas, Notre Dame, Louisville, Florida State. Oregon, Miami, Florida, South Carolina and Stanford are also in the running.

Owusu-Boateng is a consensus four-star recruit, ranked the highest by Rivals.com at No. 24 overall in the Class of 2025. The On3 industry rankings put him at No. 62 nationally and as the No. 4 linebacker in his class, while the 247Sports composite has him at No. 69 in the nation overall and the ninth-best linebacker in the class.

The On3 recruiting prediction machine favors Florida with 27.9% odds to land a commitment from him, but South Carolina (19.6%), Georgia (12.7%) and Miami (10.6%) are still in the race, too.

After spending his sophomore season at Hyattsville (Maryland) Dematha Catholic, Owusu-Boateng transferred to IMG Academy for his junior season. In eight games tracked by MaxPreps, he collected 45 tackles, six for loss, a sack, a fumble recovery, and a pass breakup.

Owusu-Boateng is the younger brother of former Notre Dame All-American and current Cleveland Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.

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2025 offensive tackle Nick Brooks includes USC in top six

USC could really use a quality offensive tackle from Iowa.

Four-star Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Kennedy offensive tackle Nick Brooks has released his top six, part of another recruiting episode in which Lincoln Riley is interested. The schools that made the cut for Brooks are Georgia, USC, Texas, lowa, Colorado and Tennessee.

The 6-foot-8, 355-pound junior was a former Iowa Hawkeye commit, but Brookss backed off his commit when moving to Georgia. He has now moved back to Cedar Rapids and still has Iowa in his top six as listed above.’

The 247 Sports composite rankings show Brooks as a four-star prospect, the No. 12 offensive tackle nationally in the 2025 class, and the top in-state player in the cycle. The On3 Industry ratings show him as the 14th-best offensive tackle in the country for 2025.

The Trojans have done a lot of work recently to let it be known they want to get better up front. Specifically they’d like to get more players from the Midwest; the transition to the Big Ten is fully underway. Brooks would be an intriguing prospect to add to the mix in L.A. for head coach Lincoln Riley.

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Georgia nose tackle Christen Miller enters transfer portal

Every USC fan is hoping — fervently — that Eric Henderson can land Christen Miller.

Gerogia’s 6-foot-4, 305-pound nose tackle Christen Miller entered the transfer portal. He has instantly become USC football’s most wanted prospect and a natural target for defensive line coach Eric Henderson.

It is not a secret that USC badly needs defensive tackles — plural, not just one — in the transfer portal. The Trojans need big, thick, nasty run-stuffers who can help USC become a tough and rugged team which is ready for the rigors and challenges of the Big Ten Conference. Miller would be exactly what the doctor ordered if the Trojans can land him.

Everyone at USC knows that Eric Henderson flipped Justus Terry from Georgia to USC. A lot of people who follow USC recruiting are also aware that Miller was a USC target a few years ago. The Trojans have reason to think they can be a player here.

USC has made a lot of vigorous recruiting pushes in the state of Georgia. The Trojans memorably landed Bear Alexander in the spring transfer portal window one year ago. Trojan fans are now hoping that Coach Henny will be able to enter this recruitment, make a strong pitch, and bring Miller to Los Angeles.

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Carson Palmer is one of the ‘special six’ at USC

Carson Palmer will be mentioned a lot on draft night in 2024.

Former USC Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer has been elected to the 2024 Senior Bowl Hall of Fame. As we arrive at the 2024 NFL draft, it is worth noting that Palmer is one of the five USC football players who have been a No. 1 NFL draft pick. When Caleb Williams goes at No. 1 in 2024, that list will increase to six Trojans. USC would have more No. 1 NFL draft picks than any other school, a very special six in the history of football.

In terms of the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame, Palmer will join notable players such as former New York Jets defensive tackle Marty Lyons, former Houston Texans linebacker and current head coach DeMeco Ryans, former San Diego Chargers safety Eric Weddle, and former Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White.

“Getting an invite to the Senior Bowl was one of the big goals I set for myself as a college freshman,” recalled Palmer. “It was a proud moment and I viewed it as the start of my professional career. Competing every day at Senior Bowl practices gave me an opportunity to see what my competitors looked like up-close and personal, while also showing me things I needed to continue to work on and develop as a player. I’ll always remember the great week I had in Mobile.”

The No. 1 overall pick from the 2003 NFL draft, Palmer was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals. He appeared in 182 games with 181 starts in eight years. Palmer also spent two years with the Oakland Raiders (2011-2012) and five years with the Arizona Cardinals (2013-2017), whom he led to the NFC Championship Game in the 2015 NFL season.

At USC Palmer was a four-year starter (1998, 2000-02). Palmer set or tied 33 Pac-10 and USC total offense and passing records, becoming the league’s career leader in total offense (11,621 yards) and passing yards (11,818 yards).

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Three best team fits for USC’s Brenden Rice at 2024 NFL draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers would be an interesting fit for Brenden Rice in the NFL.

In Brenden Rice’s four years as a college starter (two years at Colorado and two years at USC), he collected 109 receptions for 1,839 yards (15.6 yards-per-catch average) with 21 TDs. Rice added 22 kickoff returns for 555 yards (25.2 avg), an 81-yard punt return touchdown, and 6 carries for 54 yards (9 yards per carry) while appearing in 31 games. Where Brenden Rice lands at the 2024 NFL draft is a genuinely intriguing storyline after his productive years with USC football.

Rice is an exciting evaluation thanks to his bloodlines. He is the son of Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, who is arguably the greatest receiver of all time.

What Brenden Rice lacks in nuance and the route running his dad excelled in, he makes up for with dominant physical traits.

Rice can win at all three levels of the field. He has the athleticism and body type to make a career as an outside receiver in a variety of offensive systems.

Brenden Rice’s 2024 NFL combine results:

  • Height: 6’2″
  • Weight: 208 lbs
  • 40-Time: 4.50
  • 10-Yard Split: 1.55
  • Vertical: 36.5″
  • Broad Jump: 9’11”
  • 3-Cone: DNP (Did Not Participate)
  • Shuttle: DNP

The best three fits for Rice are the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants and the L.A. Chargers. Given his playing style, Rice should be a main player at wideout. He’ll be an immediate WR2 or WR3 on those NFL teams listed above.

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