USC Football: 9 Players You Need to Know for Fall Camp

Can you feel it Trojan fans?

USC Football is now officially back.

The start of fall camp marks the beginning of the season that fans of the men of Troy have been waiting months for.

Amid the sounds of grunts and the happy sounds of football pads crunching, there are tons of newcomers hoping to make their mark for the cardinal and gold.

Both the immediate and foreseeable future of the the Trojans will rest on the shoulders of these youngsters and how quickly they mature will direct the fortunes of USC for years to come.

This slide show will look at some of these new and lesser known Trojans.

While most fans of the program are familiar with Matt Barkley, Robert Woods and other returning star players, they will only be part of the story of USC's upcoming season.

For the Trojans to make 2011 the kind of success story they hope for, it will take a complete team effort and that may include many of these youngsters that are new to the program.

And although Lane Kiffin hopes to redshirt many of these players, some will force their way onto the field this year.

Already some of these players have turned the heads of the coaching staff and are making a solid case for playing right now instead of later.

Now, without further delay, lets find out who they are...

No. 9: Isaiah Wiley

Lost somewhat in the glamor of USC's 2011 recruiting haul was a monster of a defensive back that goes by the name of Isaiah Wiley.

Wiley, a junior college transfer from Arizona Western college, played mostly safety in JC but is getting a long look at cornerback in camp.

Tremendously athletic, Wiley also brings great size (6'1", 190 lbs.) to a position that normally is manned by a much smaller athlete.

One of the attributes that his coaches love is his ability to turn his hips in man coverage, something that is tough to teach on the fly.

If Wiley can continue to progress at his new position, he can challenge for a position opposite Nickell Robey who has the other cornerback position locked up.

Also, with his experience at safety, Wiley's versatility will make him valuable throughout the defensive secondary.

No. 8: Rhett Ellison

Okay, so this slide show is supposed to be about the Trojan newcomers but if we are to believe his coach, Rhett Ellison is going to do some big things for USC in 2011.

Lane Kiffin recently bestowed some heady praise on Ellison calling him a "consummate Trojan," and to watch him out on the field, it is easy to see why he holds his senior tight end in such esteem.

Ellison does everything and he does it well.

Running routes, catching the ball, blocking, you name it, Ellison will get it done.

That includes playing fullback in some formations as well if needed.

And he will be needed in 2011, wherever that may be.

That's why, if you don't already, you need to know about Rhett Ellison.

No. 7: Shane Horton

Despite the fact that the linebacker unit is largely unsettled, expect redshirt senior Shane Horton to have some say in who joins middle linebacker Chris Galippo as a starter in 2011.

Horton, who came to the Trojans from UNLV, has done everything asked of him by the Trojans.

After starting out as a safety, Horton has now focused on linebacker and USC will ask him to bring to bring that defensive back athleticism to a position that will need it to compete with the quick spread offenses that are found in the conference.

Although his brother, defensive end Wes Horton, may make more headlines, Shane has the kind of desire and ability to shine this year.

Whether or not it is as a starter is still up in the air but Shane Horton is a name you need to know in this fall camp.

No. 6: George Uko

For those who follow Trojan football closely, the name George Uko is one they are already very familiar with.

Though the redshirt freshman defensive lineman didn't play last year when it counted, he was voted defensive service team player of the year and his play in the spring served notice that Uko would be a force to be reckoned with in 2011.

And he will be needed this year with interior lineman Christian Tupou slow to come back after knee surgery and Armond Armstead still not being medically cleared after being stricken with an as of yet unrevealed medical condition earlier in the year.

In addition to being a beast on the inside with a motor that just doesn't quit, Uko is big (6'3", 305) which belies his tremendous athleticism.

Look for Uko's name to be called often in 2011.

No. 5: Amir Carlisle

As of this writing, the big news coming out of the fall camp is the tremendous showing of true freshman running back, Amir Carlisle.

Carlisle, whom the Trojans stole at the last moment from Stanford, has everything you would want in a tailback, including good size (5"11", 195 lbs.) and excellent speed (4.43 forty).

Combine that with the elusiveness he has displayed and its easy to see why he has drawn so much praise from Lane Kiffin.

Just for good measure, the kid is also an excellent student both on the gridiron and in the classroom.

Though Carlisle is a long shot to see significant playing time in 2011, he is setting himself up to be the next big thing at running back for "Tailback U."

No. 4: Soma Vainuku

Another unsettled position at USC is who will take over at fullback for the departed Stanley Havili.

As anyone who follows the Trojans knows, fullback is a critical position in USC's pro set offense and the need to establish someone as a fixture at the position will be crucial for the Trojans in 2011.

Heading into the fall camp, that person will be Soma Vainuku.

Vainuku certainly brings the proper credentials to the table.

At 6'2", 250 lbs., Vainuku combines a rare blend of size and athleticism accompanied by a pair of very soft hands to form a menacing package coming out of the Trojan backfield.

Though he is only a freshman, Vainuku has displayed the talent to excel at the position which is good because he will be counted on in the upcoming season.

No. 3: Cyrus Hobbi

A lot of noise has been made about the state of the Trojans 2011 offensive line and most of it centers around its unsettled nature.

Because of that, speculation has run rampant about what the O-line will look like in the upcoming year and who will assert himself as a starting "big ugly."

One of those candidates, and a serious one at that, is a big incoming freshman from Arizona, Cyrus Hobbi.

Hobbi, who came to the Trojans as one of the most coveted prep guards in the nation also is one of the most polished as well.

With only two slots along the offensive line etched in stone (LT Matt Kalil and C Khaled Holmes), the opportunity for Hobbi to shine this year is more than available.

Look for Hobbi to seize it at some point or another.

No. 2: Lamar Dawson

It's not often a freshman is honored by the Trojans before he even plays a down at USC.

Yet that is exactly what occurred when Lane Kiffin bestowed the #55 jersey on Lamar Dawson, a middle linebacker who was last years prep "Mr. Kentucky."

Dawson, who is expected to be a fixture in the middle for years to come, has all the tools to be dominant at this level and beyond.

Big (6'2", 230 lbs.), athletic and relentless, Dawson roams sideline to sideline with a single minded ferocity that marks the characteristics of all the Trojan greats who made the "double nickel" number iconic.

Look for Dawson to see the field of play at all three linebacker positions because he is just too good to keep off of the field for long.

The sooner you get to know Dawson, the better off you will be.

No. 1: Aundrey Walker

As mentioned previously, the offensive line has a lot of questions surrounding it in 2011.

One of those answers will come in the very large package of incoming freshman Aundrey Walker.

Walker, whom the Trojans stole from his hometown Ohio State, is already probably the biggest player on the team.

At 6'6", 364 lbs., Walker is simply massive.

But size isn't his only positive attribute.

Despite his mammoth frame, Walker is surprisingly nimble.

When you combine all that size with the athleticism he possesses, it is obvious that the name Aundrey Walker will be a fixture for the Trojans for years to come.

With the talent to vie for an Outland Trophy in the coming years, Walker is a name that Trojan fans will know real well in the near future.

Conclusion

The problem with lists of this nature is that so often players, for the sake of stream lining, are left out.

Such is the case with list as well.

Beyond the names included in this compilation are other Trojans, too numerous to mention, that true fans of the program need to know as well.

Both of the kickers, place kicker Andre Heidari and punter Kris Albarado, will become very familiar to fans as the 2011 season unwinds.

Other young players of note, such as cornerback Ryan Henderson, linebackers Tre Madden and Anthony Sarao, defensive linemen Greg Townsend and Antwaun Woods and many others have the talent to make an impact in the upcoming season as well.

This does not even take into account celebrated new Trojans such as mega recruit, wide receiver George Farmer Jr.

Whether or not these players make their mark now or take a redshirt year and star later is still a matter for the coaching staff to determine.

But all of them, as well as those players featured in this list, will become names that will craft the destiny of the men of Troy now and in the future and that is why every Trojan fan should know these names as soon as possible.

So you might as well start now.