The Trojans may already know where the top of their running back depth chart stands, but the real difference in that room could come from who fills out the rest of it.
Waymond Jordan and King Miller are back as USC’s two leading rushers from last season, and both are expected to handle plenty of the workload again. But the name drawing attention underneath them is Riley Wormley, a redshirt freshman who could give the Trojans something valuable: a dependable third option.
Kendell Hollowell recently flagged Wormley as an underrated player to watch on offense, and the case starts with how much he has already had to push through. The Texas native suffered a season-ending knee injury in the middle of his senior year, which kept him out of spring practice and fall camp a year ago. Even so, he still managed to get on the field late in the season.
Wormley made his debut in early November against Northwestern, then finished the regular season as the No. 2 running back against UCLA. He appeared in three games last season and, perhaps just as important, finally got his first full offseason with the program this past semester.
That matters for a backfield that already has competition baked into it. Wormley is still battling Deshonne Redeaux and Shahn Alston, two four-star running backs, for the No. 3 spot. But the door is open, and the Trojans could use that kind of insurance behind Jordan and Miller.
For USC, the upside is obvious. If Wormley takes another step, this backfield doesn’t just look deep - it starts to look complete.
In Other News...
Lincoln Riley Made One USC Staff Decision Fans Should Love
USCs defensive overhaul under Lincoln Riley came with the kind of staff reshuffling that usually sends fans scanning for both stability and upside, and this one delivered a little of each. The Trojans brought in former TCU head coach Gary Patterson as defensive coordinator and added assistants Paul Gonzales and Sam Carter, while also hiring Mike Ekeler to coach linebackers and oversee special teams. In the middle of that turnover, Riley also elevated Chad Savage from inside receivers and tight ends coach to pass game coordinator, a move that reflects how much USC values the work he has done on the trail and in developing players.
Savages rise fits the larger theme of the offseason: USC is trying to strengthen the defense without losing the staff members who have helped build relationships and keep the roster moving forward. Trovon Reed, the cornerbacks coach, was also retained, a sign the Trojans did not want to lose the recruiting momentum and player trust he has built. With Patterson setting the tone on one side of the ball and familiar lieutenants staying in place around him, Riley is trying to strike the balance between a fresh start and continuity, and that is exactly the kind of staff construction fans usually want to see. [Read more 🡒]
USC Faces Another Massive Receiver Battle Fans Know Too Well
USC is back in familiar territory with four-star wide receiver Dennis Tuaone, another highly regarded pass catcher weighing the Trojans against Miami in a recruitment that has plenty of moving parts. The hometown Hurricanes have been a major presence from the start, but USC has stayed in the mix after offering him in March and bringing him in for his first unofficial visit in June, giving the Trojans a real chance to sell their own pitch.
For Tuaone, this decision is shaping up around the kind of things elite receivers tend to remember: coaching relationships, the feel of a program, and how each staff fits him long term. Miami has been making a strong case with its ties close to home, while USC is trying to stand its ground in a battle that has already seen the Hurricanes track another former Trojans target. [Read more 🡒]
USC Has A New Penn State Threat To Worry About
Penn State enters the season with a passing game in transition after losing its top five leading receivers from last year, and that leaves a wide-open path for someone to seize a bigger role. One of the names USC has to keep on its radar is Amarion Jackson, a former safety who ended up at receiver because of injuries and now looks like a real option for an offense that needs answers.
Jacksons path is a little different from the usual freshman arrival, since he followed coach Campbell from Iowa State to Penn State after flipping his pledge. He has also turned heads in spring work, which only adds to the sense that he could be one of the more important new pieces in Penn States offense when the matchup with USC eventually comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]