In total, 23 scholarship players transferred out of USC after last season's 7-5 campaign.
Connor Morrissette
Thespring transfer portal windowclosed to new additions at midnight last Tuesday, which means players won't be able to switch schools again until December without having to sit out a full season. Players who entered before Tuesday's deadline can still find new homes if they haven't landed at a new school yet. With the deadline past, let's take a look at the new teams forformer Trojanswho transferred out after last season.
In total, 23 scholarship players left the program. The list below is in alphabetical order.
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RB DARWIN BARLOW - NORTH CAROLINA
2023 stats: Eight carries for 81 yards, one TD, one reception for 10 yards; 46 total snaps.
USC career stats: Three seasons; 94 carries for 466 yards, six touchdowns, eight receptions for 66 yards; 275 total snaps.
Why the fresh start?
Darwin Barlow'stransfer to UNC was all about expanded opportunities. He didn't get much playing time with the Trojans despite making an impact play nearly every time he got on thr field. He will hope to see the field more in Chapel Hill. Barlow started his college career at TCU before playing the last three years at USC.
DL DE'JON BENTON - NEW MEXICO
2023 stats: Made 12 tackles with 1.5 sacks in nine games (two starts); 225 total snaps.
USC career stats: Fourseasons; 32 tackles with 1.5 sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss; 602 total snaps.
Why the fresh start?
With a completely new defensive staff coming in for the second time in De'Jon Benton's USC career, it made sense for him to find a new home. Benton played four seasons at USC.
RB RALEEK BROWN - ARIZONA STATE
2023 stats: Three carries for 16 yards, one TD; three receptions for 18 yards; 26 total snaps.
USC career stats:Two seasons; 45 carries for 243 yards and four touchdowns, 19 catches for 193 yards and three touchdowns; 207 total snaps.
Why the fresh start?
The Raleek Brownsaga at USC has always been confusing to me. Brown arrived on campus as a top 100 recruit, who looked primed for a bigger role in the offense after a promising freshman season where he averaged 5.4 yards per carry. But the coaching staff moved him to slot receiver in his sophom*ore season, which led to Brown choosing to redshirt and then transfer. He's now at Arizona State, where he will play running back.
RB MATT COLOMBO (WALK ON) - SAN DIEGO
2023 stats: One carry for seven yards; 34 total snaps (4 offensive snaps).
USC career stats:Fourseasons; 34 total snaps(4 offensive snaps).
Why the fresh start?
Matt Colombotransferred to San Diego to get more playing time and possibly to be on scholarship.
LB TACKETT CURTIS - WISCONSIN
2023 stats: Made 40 tackles with two sacks, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble, one pass breakup. Played in 12 games with eight starts in his lone USC season; 488 total snaps.
Why the fresh start?
As a top 150 high school prospect,Tackett Curtiswas recruited to help fix the USC defense.He ended up playing a lot in his lone USC season, but the impact the coaching staff hoped he'd have never came to fruition. Curtis struggled mightily earning an overall 44.3 Pro Football Focus grade for defense, which was the lowest on the team. The coaches who recruited Curtis, former defensive coordinator Alex Grinch and former linebackers coach Brian Odom, were both fired at the end of the season. Between Curtis' struggles and the coaching turnover, a transfer out made sense. Now at Wisconsin, Curtis will reunite with Grinch, who was hired as a safeties coach in Madison this offseason.
OL ANDRES DEWERK - APPALACHIAN STATE
2023 stats: Played in three games at right guard logging 18 offensive snaps; 38 total snaps.
USC career stats:Fourseasons; four games; 39 total snaps.
Why the fresh start?
Andres Dewerk never came close to cracking the USC offensive line rotation in his four years at the school. At App State, he'll be looking for more playing time.
CB TRE'QUON FEGANS - CENTRAL FLORIDA
2023 stats: Made nine tackles in six games with two starts; 75 total snaps.
USC career stats:Oneseason;nine tackles; 75 total snaps.
Why the fresh start?
Tre'Quon Fegansdidn't play in his first college season at Alabama, and hewas used sparingly at USC last year. Feganswas a top 125 prospect nationally in the 2022 class, so staying in the Power Five makes sense.He'll be hoping to play more at his third school in three years.
EDGE KOREY FOREMAN - FRESNO STATE
2023 stats: Played in three games making one tackle; 26 total snaps.
USC career stats:Threeseasons; 25 tackles with 2.5 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss, one interception; 374 total snaps.
Why the fresh start?
Outside of his interception against UCLA in 2022, Korey Foremandidn't make much of an impact in his three-year USC career. He redshirted this past season.Theone-time nation's No. 1prospect in the 2021 recruiting class will hope a fresh start at Fresno State will lead to more production. It's possible a new program and coaching staff could turn his college career around.
DB XAMARION GORDON - COASTAL CAROLINA
2023 stats: DNP
USC career stats:Threeseasons; made ten tackles with one interception; 141 total snaps.
Why the fresh start?
Xamarion Gordonwill be in search of more playing time at Coastal Carolina after not being used at all by Alex Grinch and Lincoln Riley in 2023. It was pretty surprising that Gordon wasn't even used on special teams after playing 115 snaps under Grinch and Riley in 2022.
EDGE ROMELLO HEIGHT - GEORGIA TECH
2023 stats: Made 21 tackles with four sacks and one fumble recovery in 12 games (zero starts); 347 total snaps.
USC career stats:Two seasons; made 21 tackles with four sacks, six tackles for loss and one fumble recovery;380 total snaps.
Why the fresh start?
Romello Heightdefinitely could have helped USC this season after being a rotational piece ayear ago. He'll likely start and play more at Georgia Tech though. The Georgia native began his college career at Auburn in 2020 but has dealt with injuries throughout his college career. A starter in 2022, Height suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2 of 2022, his first at USC, but bounced back nicely in his redshirt junior season last year.
CB DOMANI JACKSON - ALABAMA
2023 stats: Made 32 tackles with three pass breakups in 11 games (all starts); 716 total snaps.
USC career stats:Two seasons; 34 tackles, four pass breakups; 781 total snaps.
Why the fresh start?
Former USC cornerbacks coach Donte Williamswas Domani Jackson's primary recruiter at USC. Williams took a job at Georgia this offseason. Between his departure and Jackson's camp being frustrated with USC's overall defensive operation the last two seasons, a divorce made sense for Jackson and the Trojans. Jackson was a five-star prospect in the 2022 class — his services were in high demand when he entered the portal in the winter window. He committed to Nick Saban at Alabama, but Saban has since retired, replaced by former Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer.
WR MICHAEL JACKSON III - GEORGIA
2023 stats: Made 17 catches for 146 yards and one touchdown in nine games (one start); 211 total snaps.
USC career stats:Threeseasons; 46 catches for 498 yards and five touchdowns, two carries for 72 yards;562 total snaps.
Why the fresh start?
Michael Jackson IIIis likely looking for a bigger role after only starting one game last season. He'll hope to get more playing time in Athens.
DL DEIJON LAFFITTE - FRESNO STATE
2023 stats: DNP
USC career stats:Oneseason;DNP.
Why the fresh start?
Deijon Laffitte likely wasn't going to play much this fall after redshirting last season. He left in search of a more immediate opportunity.
OL COOOPER LOVELACE - NORTHWESTERN
2023 stats:Played in three games at right tackle and right guard; 26 offensive snaps.
USC career stats:Two seasons; 47 offensive snaps in five games.
Why the fresh start?
Cooper Lovelacetransferred to Northwestern in search of more playing time after not being able to break into the USC offensive line rotation in his two years with the program.
QB MALACHI NELSON - BOISE STATE
2023 stats: Completed1 of 3 passes for zero yards in one appearance in his lone USC season; four total snaps.
Why the fresh start?
Malachi Nelson, a five-star prospect in the 2023 class, saw the writing on the wall: He wasn't going to beat out Miller Moss for USC's starting quarterback job in the fall. Moss' emergence led toNelson transfer to Boise State, where he's the expected starter.
DL ISAIAH RAIKES - AUBURN
2023 stats (at Texas A&M): Made 17 tackles withone sack and three tackles for loss in 12 games (one start); 255 defensive snaps.
Why the fresh start?
We're still not totally sure. Isaiah Raikes transferred to USC from Texas A&M in January. But after spring practice, he re-entered the portal and transferred to Auburn before ever taking a competitive snap at USC.
CB FABIAN ROSS - HAWAII
2023 stats: DNP
USC career stats:Two seasons; 15 total snaps.
Why the fresh start?
Fabian Ross will be looking more playing time in Hawaii's secondary.
WR DORIAN SINGER - UTAH
2023 stats: Caught24 passes for 289 yards and three touchdowns in 13 games (10 starts) in his lone USC season; 380 total snaps.
Why the fresh start?
Dorian Singer arrived on USC's campus with arguably the highest expectations of any of the new additions last year. In 2022 at Arizona, Singer caught 66 passes for 1,105 yards and six touchdowns, which included a 141-yard, three-touchdown performance against USC. Singer ultimately didn't come close to matching the production from his sophom*ore season at Arizona as a junior at USC and has since transferred to Utah. A fresh start was probably best for both Singer and USC after last season's disappointing campaign.
OL MICHAEL TARQUIN - OKLAHOMA
2023 stats: Played in 10 games at right tackle with eight starts in his lone USC season; 369 total snaps.
Why the fresh start?
Michael Tarquin came to USC from Florida slotted by Josh Henson toplay left tackle. But he lost that job in the spring and was moved to starting right tackle, a job he lost during USC's regular season defeat to Notre Dame. Being relegated to a backup role meant Tarquin was always going to be a transfer portal candidate, and he entered in December, 12 months after committing to USC.
LB CHRIS THOMPSON JR. - TULSA
2023 stats: Made nine tackles in 13 games playing defense in only two games; 154 total snaps.
USC career stats:Threeseasons; made 21 tackles with one tackle for loss; 405 total snaps.
Why the fresh start?
Even though he announced his intention to enter the transfer portal prior to USC's Holiday Bowl win over Louisville, Chris ThompsonJr.chose to stick around and play in the game. Thompson had such an impact during the six weeks of practice leading up to the Holiday Bowl, he was named a captain. Thompson ultimately wound up transferring to Tulsa, where he'll be looking for more playing time, but his team-first mentality in his final year at USC should be remembered.
WR MARIO WILLIAMS - TULANE
2023 stats: Made29 catches for 305 yards and two touchdowns. Had two carries for zero yards; 367 total snaps.
USC career stats: Twoseasons; 69 catches for 936 yards and seven touchdowns, three carries for ten yards;944total snaps.
Why the fresh start?
Mario Williams' offensive snaps fell off a cliff after USC beatArizona 43-41 in triple overtime last season. Williams went from averaging 29 offensive snaps per game during the first six weeks of the regular season to 15 in the second half of the season. His lack of usage likely led to his exit.
TE JUDE WOLFE - SAN DIEGO STATE
2023 stats: Two receptions for five yards and one touchdown in 12 games; 187 total snaps.
USC career stats:Fiveseasons; 12 receptions for 66 yards and one touchdown;702 total snaps.
Why the fresh start?
Jude Wolfe has battled multiple injuries in hisfive years at USC. He was finally healthy last season and didn't feature too much in Lincoln Riley's offense. It will be interesting to see how much run Wolfe gets at SDSU in his final year of eligibility. Former Washington tight end Mark Redman was the primary tight end for the Aztecs last year. He finished the season with 38 catches for 408 yards and three touchdowns.
STILL LOOKING FOR A NEW TEAM
OL Cooper Lovelace
LS Daniel Meunier (walk on)
OL Andrew Milek
DL Stanley Ta'ufo'ou
CB Ceyair Wright
