University Southern California Trojans
Players Mentioned
2018 USC Football Pre-Season Notes
July 24, 2018 | Football, Features
WIN STREAKS
USC is riding a:
--16-game home winning streak, its longest since a school-record 21 in a row from 2001 to 2004 (not including 6 wins later vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 35 in a row from 2001 to 2007) and currently the second longest regular season home winning streak in the nation (behind Alabama's 19).
--18-game winning streak in the Greater Los Angeles area, its longest since 23 in a row from 2001 to 2004 (not including 7 wins later vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 30 in a row from 2001 to 2005).
--12-game Pac-12 home game winning streak, its longest since a school-record 15 games in a row from 2001 to 2004 (not including 4 wins later vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 24 games from 2001 to 2007).
In 2017, the Trojans went 11-3 overall (USC's most wins since 2008) despite playing all 12 regular season games without a bye. USC was 8-1 in Pac-12 play and won the Pac-12 Championship Game (the first South Division team to do so), giving Troy its first league title since 2008. The Trojans, who played in the Cotton Bowl, finished 12th in the final AP poll.
 RETURNING TROJANS
*Some 78 USC squadmen return from last year, including 51 who saw action. Thirteen starters are back (7 on offense, 6 on defense), along with both specialists. There also are 13 other returnees who have career starts to their name. They will be joined by 18 newcomers who comprised a recruiting class ranked among the nation's Top 5 (of those recruits, 6 have already enrolled at USC and participated in spring drills).
*On offense, USC returns a pair of starting wide receivers (the Trojans usually started 3 wideouts) in Tyler Vaughns, who had 57 receptions for 809 yards with 5 touchdowns in his 2017 debut campaign, and Michael Pittman Jr., who added 23 catches in 2017 and earned All-Pac-12 first team honors as a special teams performer, as well as veteran tight end Tyler Petite, who has 48 career catches (23 last year). Four of USC's starting offensive linemen return in 2018: versatile Toa Lobendahn, a tackle last year who likely will be used at center this season, guards Chris Brown and Andrew Vorhees (he can also play tackle) and tackle Chuma Edoga. Other offensive players returning with career starts are tailback Stephen Carr (363 rushing yards and 17 catches in 2017), tight ends Daniel Imatorbhebhe (25 career grabs) and Erik Krommenhoek and tackle Clayton Johnston.
*USC's defense returns both inside linebackers in Cameron Smith, a 2017 All-Pac-12 first teamer when he led Troy with 112 tackles (he has 273 career stops), and John Houston Jr. (84 tackles in 2017), and 2 secondary players in safety Marvell Tell III, another 2017 All-Pac-12 first team honoree who had 84 tackles last fall, and cornerback Iman Marshall (6 career interceptions). Also back are part-time starters Jordan Iosefa, who saw work at both inside and outside linebacker, nickel back Ajene Harris (5 career thefts) and defensive lineman Christian Rector (11 tackles for loss, with 7.5 sacks, in 2017). Others back on defense with starting experience are outside linebacker Porter Gustin (14 career sacks), defensive linemen Malik Dorton, Brandon Pili, Marlon Tuipulotu and Connor Murphy and cornerbacks Isaiah Langley and Jonathan Lockett. Smith, Gustin, Tell and Marshall could be in line for post-season honors.
*Both specialists return: placekicker Chase McGrath, who had 2 dramatic field goals against Texas among his 12 total field goals in 2017, and punter Reid Budrovich (41.6-yard punting average in 2017). And USC's leading kickoff (wide receiver Velus Jones Jr.)
