USC Football: 10 Players Who Can Move Up the Depth Chart in Spring Practice
The USC Trojans are in full swing of spring practice. Players and coaches have that fresh excitement that accompanies every new season. A couple spring enrollees have arrived to join the fray, and everyone else is one class older and more experienced.
However, the Trojans are not at 100 percent. Many positions have been vacated by graduated players and are up for grabs. Several competitors for those positions will miss the entire spring while recovering from injuries, so Lane Kiffin won't be able to accurately evaluate his team as a whole until at least the summer.
Earlier this week, I previewed some of the hottest position battles going on amidst all the injuries.
In the meantime, first-team reps are up for grabs among those healthy enough to apprehend them. The depth that USC has is a double-edged sword; they don't lose much production when a starter goes out, but starting roles are fickle and never really set in stone.
Many players are looking to capitalize on opportunity this spring. Here are 10 up-and-comers looking to move up the depth chart as summer and fall practice close in.
Credit to Neon Tommy Staff Reporter Scott Enyeart (Twitter: @scottenyeart) for his updates on spring practice at USC.
Curtis McNeal, RB
1 of 10
The 5'7", 185-pound redshirt junior is the oldest in the group of challengers at running back.
Scott Enyeart, a staff writer for Neon Tommy, noted that McNeal continued to thrive on Tuesday in the absence of injured starter Marc Tyler.
McNeal has put in good work on the practice field so far, but he needs to match it in the classroom. McNeal's academic eligibility is in question for the upcoming season.
Competition on the depth chart
Dillon Baxter, sophomore
D.J. Morgan, redshirt freshman
Javorius Allen, freshman
Brandon Carswell, WR
2 of 10
The 6'2" senior has been Lane Kiffin's "dark horse" of spring camp and has not disappointed in the absence of superstar-in-the-making and probable starter Kyle Prater.
Carswell was among the likely transfers out of the program after the NCAA sanctions came down, but decided to stay with the Trojans in spite of serious competition at wide receiver.
Carswell has emerged to lead charge at split end while Prater sits with a foot injury, and his experience could pay big dividends when the playing time gets distributed.
Competition on the depth chart
De'Von Flournoy, sophomore
Markeith Ambles, sophomore
Victor Blackwell, freshman (likely redshirt)
Kevin Greene, DE
3 of 10
Greene, a 6'3", 260-pound sophomore from Sacred Heart Prep in Oakland, is making the most of incumbent starter Wes Horton's foot injury.
Horton, the junior, is missing most of the spring to get right for the summer, but Greene has the size and quickness to make a permanent dent in the playing time breakdown.
Greene is a football infant, having not played before 2007. This means that the natural progression of his development could lead to big things at any moment. He has the frame and gifts to be a starter in the future, but that time might not be as far off as some think.
Competition on the depth chart
Armond Armstead, senior (primary defensive tackle)
Greg Townsend, freshman (possible redshirt)
Zack Kusnir, senior
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
George Uko, DT
4 of 10
Uko has been the victim of the great talent of his elder interior linemen. The mammoth 6'4", 300-pounder from Chino took a redshirt in his first year with the Trojans because players like Jurrell Casey, Armond Armstead, DaJohn Harris and Christian Tupou had established their territory.
Uko now has the chance to strut his stuff during the spring. Tupou, the starter before last year's season-ending knee injury is slowly progressing toward his return. Armstead is out indefinitely while being treated for a medical condition.
That leaves Harris, a senior, to compete with Uko for all the reps in the spring at one of the Trojans' most injury-plagued positions.
Uko, the No. 3 defensive tackle in the class of 2010, should generate plenty of buzz out of spring camp and into the summer.
Competition on the depth chart
DaJohn Harris, redshirt senior
Armond Armstead, senior
Christian Tupou, redshirt senior
Antwaun Woods, freshman (likely redshirt)
Hayes Pullard, LB
5 of 10
The 6'2", 225-pound redshirt freshman was already in the running for a starting spot alongside Devon Kennard and Chris Galippo, even before his impressive spring started.
Pullard, with other backers Will Andrew and Dallas Kelley, have stood out in practice so far, forcing turnovers on a defense crippled by injury.
Shane Horton would seem to be the favorite to grab the starting Sam (strong side) spot. Surprisingly, the announcement that Galippo would start at Will (weak side) and Kennard would start at Mike (middle), opened up the strong side for whoever could grab it.
Pullard has a great chance to do that in the absence of Horton, who is missing the spring while recovering from hip surgery.
Competition on the depth chart
Shane Horton, redshirt senior
Tre Madden, freshman
Dallas Kelley, junior
Lamar Dawson, freshman
Lamar Dawson and Tre Madden, LB
6 of 10
Both Madden, the 6', 215-pounder from Mission Viejo, and Dawson (pictured), the surprise 6'2", 230-pound commit from Louisville, are top six linebackers in this year's class.
Both will have a chance to compete for playing time, if not a starting spot, when they arrive in the summer.
Obviously neither player is able to make an impact in the spring and won't be listed on the depth chart, but they will assuredly leap over most of the competition based on talent and athleticism alone.
Look for each to make noise in the summer and challenge Pullard and Horton for the last starting linebacker spot.
Competition on the depth chart
Horton
Pullard
Dion Bailey, freshman (converted from strong safety)
Ross Cumming, senior
Marquis Simmons, redshirt sophomore
Anthony Brown, CB
7 of 10
Many believe the 6', 185-pound redshirt freshman from Rialto is ready to bust loose.
Indeed, the events transpiring in practice thus far might support that claim.
Brown capped a strong week of practice in Saturday's practice with a pick that turned Lane Kiffin's head.
The corner spot opposite Nickell Robey is ostensibly wide open, and Brown's playmaking could put him in the lead to grab it.
Currently, T.J. Bryant and former walk-on Tony Burnett lead the way at corner.
Competition on the depth chart
T.J. Bryant, senior
Isiah Wiley, junior
Brian Baucham, redshirt junior
Patrick Hall, redshirt freshman
Torin Harris, redshirt sophomore
Tony Burnett, junior
Max Wittek, QB
8 of 10
The right to back up Matt Barkley is highly coveted and highly competitive.
Many believe that the Trojans' pair of top QB recruits, Max Wittek from Mater Dei and Cody Kessler from Bakersfield Centennial, will redshirt.
For now, the early enrollees are taking snaps and competing to keep the red shirt away.
Wittek, the 6'4", 205-pounder, has reportedly had the cleanest work of the backups, while Kessler has had interception troubles.
None of the freshmen trio is going to supplant Barkley, jockeying for the backup spot is crucial for each player, and for the team as a whole.
Competition on the depth chart
Scroggins, redshirt freshman
Kessler, freshman (possible redshirt)
John Manoogian, redshirt junior
John Martinez, C/G
9 of 10
Martinez, a 6'2", 290-pound redshirt sophomore from Utah, will get long looks at both the left guard and center spots.
Recruited by Pete Carroll to take over for graduated senior Kris O'Dowd, Martinez's plans were involuntarily changed when Carroll departed for the NFL. He struggled in 2010 with the transition and loss of his offensive line coach, who was not renewed by Lane Kiffin.
Now, with the losses of Tyron Smith, Butch Lewis, O'Dowd and Michael Reardon, Martinez is suddenly one of the most experienced linemen in the program.
He will have every chance to win one of the open spots on the line.
Competition on the depth chart
at left guard
Giovanni Di Poalo, redshirt freshman
Jeremy Galten, junior transfer
at center
Abe Markowitz, redshirt junior
Khaled Holmes, redshirt junior
Cody Temple, freshman (likely redshirt)
D.J. Morgan, RB
10 of 10
This is quite possibly the most exciting addition to the active roster this year.
The 6', 175-pound redshirt freshman from Taft High is entwined in stiff competition for carries with the enigmatic Dillon Baxter and starter Marc Tyler.
Morgan, the No. 3 running back in the class of 2010, is making noise in spring ball while Tyler is on the sidelines. His teammate Baxter, the No. 1 running back from that class, has barely been heard of.
The coaches get more worn with Baxter and more infatuated with Morgan with each passing day, and the depth chart could reflect that very soon.
Don't be surprised if Morgan, the second-fastest player on the team, overtakes Baxter on the depth chart and earns significant reps heading into the summer.
Competition on the depth chart
Tyler, redshirt senior
Baxter, sophomore
Javorius Allen, freshman (likely redshirt)
Curtis McNeal, redshirt junior
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
