2019 USC Trojans football team


The 2019 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They played their home games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and competed as members of the South Division of the Pac-12 Conference. They were led by fourth-year head coach Clay Helton.

Previous season

The Trojans finished the 2018 season 5–7, 4–5 in Pac-12.

Preseason

Transfers

The Trojans lost 9 players due to transfer. QB Matt Fink, WR Velus Jones Jr., and CB Greg Johnson all entered the NCAA transfer portal, but ultimately decided to return to USC. WR Keyshawn Pie Young, a redshirt junior, announced his intention to transfer on June 28, 2019, and on July 10 of the same year, freshman CB Trey Davis entered the NCAA transfer portal after just one month of enrollment. After QB Jack Sears was officially listed as the fourth-string quarterback on the depth chart, behind starter J.T. Daniels, true freshman Kedon Slovis and Fink, Sears decided to enter the transfer portal as well but counted for 2020 Transfer portal.
NameNumberPos.HeightWeightYearHometownTransfer to
Oluwole Betiku Jr.#99OLB6'3240JuniorLagos, NigeriaIllinois Fighting Illini
Bubba Bolden#2S6'3190SophomoreLas Vegas, NVMiami Hurricanes
Randal Grimes#87WR6'4205SophomoreLas Vegas, NVUNLV Rebels
Josh Imatorbhebhe#17WR6'2215Sophomore Suwanee, GAIllinois Fighting Illini
Levi Jones#13ILB6'3220SophomoreAustin, TXNC State Wolfpack
Ykili Ross#14S6'1195Junior Riverside, CAUTEP Miners
Trevon Sidney#13WR5'11170Sophomore Pasadena, CAIllinois Fighting Illini
Keyshawn "Pie" Young#85WR5'11170Sophomore Miami, FLMarshall Thundering Herd

The Trojans added 4 players via transfer.
NameNumberPos.HeightWeightYearHometownTransfer from
Bru McCoy#14WR6'2205FreshmanSanta Ana, CATexas Longhorns
Clyde Moore#54LB6'0225FreshmanNewport Beach, CAColorado Buffaloes
Chris Steele#8CB6'2187FreshmanBellflower, CAFlorida Gators
Drew Richmond#53OT6'5316Senior Memphis, TNTennessee Volunteers

Returning starters

USC returns 25 starters in 2019 including 10 on offense, 12 on defense, and 3 on special teams.
Key departures include Aca'Cedric Ware, Tyler Petite, Chuma Edoga, Chris Brown, Toa Lobendahn, Jordan Austin, Malik Dorton, Porter Gustin, Cameron Smith, Iman Marshall, Ajene Harris, Isaiah Langley, Jonathan Lockett, Marvel Tell III, Reid Budrovich, Wyatt Schmidt.
Other departures include Jake Russell, Daniel Imatorbhebhe, Reuben Peters, and Jake Olson.

Offense (10)

Defense (12)

Special teams (3)

Recruiting class

2019 NFL Draft

NFL Combine

The official list of participants for the 2019 NFL Combine included USC football players ILB Cameron Smith, CB Iman Marshall, OLB Porter Gustin, OT Chuma Edoga & S Marvell Tell III.

Team players drafted into the NFL

PlayerPositionRoundPickNFL Team
Chuma EdogaOffensive Tackle392 New York Jets
Iman MarshallCornerback4127 Baltimore Ravens
Marvell TellSafety5144 Indianapolis Colts
Cameron SmithInside Linebacker5162 Minnesota Vikings
Porter GustinOutside linebackerUDFA-New Orleans Saints
Chris BrownOffensive GuardUDFA-Los Angeles Chargers
Toa LobendahnCenterUDFA-New York Jets
Isaiah LangleyCornerbackUDFA-Oakland Raiders
Malik DortonDefensive TackleUDFA-Oakland Raiders
Aca'Cedric WareTailbackUDFA-Indianapolis Colts
Ajene HarrisCornerbackUDFA-Philadelphia Eagles

Pac-12 media days

Pac-12 media polls

In the 2019 Pac-12 preseason media poll, USC was voted to finish in second place in the South Division behind Utah. The Trojans received the fourth most votes to win the Pac-12 Championship Game.
Media poll

Media poll

Schedule

Personnel

Coaching staff

NamePositionSeasons at
USC		Alma materBefore USC
Clay HeltonHead coach9Houston Memphis – Offensive coordinator
John BaxterSpecial teams coordinator / Tight ends coach8Iowa State Michigan – Special teams coordinator
Graham HarrellOffensive coordinator / Quarterbacks coach1Texas Tech North Texas – Offensive coordinator / Quarterbacks coach
Clancy PendergastDefensive coordinator / Assistant head coach6Arizona San Francisco 49ers – Linebackers coach
Greg BurnsSecondary coach5Washington State Oregon State – Defensive backs coach
Keary ColbertWide receivers coach5USC Alabama – Offensive analyst
Joe DeForestOutside linebackers coach2Louisiana Lafayette Kansas – Special teams coordinator
Tim DrevnoOffensive line coach / Running game coordinator / Pass protection coordinator3Cal State Fullerton Michigan – Offensive coordinator / Offensive line coach
Mike JinksTailbacks coach1Angelo State Bowling Green – Head coach
Chad Kauha'aha'aDefensive line coach1Utah Boise State – Defensive line coach
Johnny NansenInside linebackers coach / Defensive run game coordinator6Washington State Washington – Special teams coordinator / Tailbacks coach
Aaron AusmusHead strength and conditioning coach3Tennessee Tennessee – Director of strength and conditioning
Dane StevensOffensive graduate assistant - Quarterbacks3USC USC – Student assistant coach
Viane TalamaivaoOffensive graduate assistant - Offensive Line1USC USC – Offensive Guard
Michael HutchingsDefensive graduate assistant - Linebackers2USC USC – Inside linebacker
Chris HawkinsDefensive graduate assistant - Secondary1USC USC – Defensive back
Steve MurilloOffensive quality control analyst6Cal State Northridge Washington – Director of player personal
Lenny VandermadeOffensive quality control analyst8USC San Diego – Tight end coach
John David BakerOffensive quality control analyst1Abilene Christian North Texas – Offensive quality control coach
Seth DoegeOffensive quality control analyst1Texas Tech Bowling Green – Special teams coordinator
Brett ArceDefensive quality control analyst4Stony Brook Stony Brook – Tight ends coach
Shawn HoweDefensive quality control analyst3Rocky Mountain College Coastal Carolina – Defensive line coach
Joe BoldenSpecial teams quality control analyst1Michigan Washington State – Defensive graduate assistant
Jared KlingenbergAssistant strength and conditioning coach1Idaho San Jose State – Assistant athletic performance coach
Darren MustinAssistant strength and conditioning coach3Alabama UMass – Sports performance coach
Christian TupouAssistant strength and conditioning coach1USC -
Tony "Ty" WebbAssistant strength and conditioning coach1Louisiana College Southern – Head strength and conditioning coach

Roster

Depth chart

True Freshman

Double Position : *

Scholarship distribution chart

PositionFreshman Sophomore Junior Senior 2020 signed
QB 3 Kedon SlovisJT Daniels–
TB 5Kenan Christon
–Stephen Carr

–
WR 10 Kyle Ford
Bru McCoy
John Jackson III
Drake London
Munir McClain		Amon-Ra St. Brown

Michael Pittman Jr.		Joshua Jackson Jr.
TE 4Ethan Rae
Jude Wolfe		–Josh Falo
Erik Krommenhoek		-
OL 15

Gino Quinones
Jason Rodriguez

Austin Jackson





Andres Dewerk
Andrew Milek
Jonah Monheim
Caadyn Stephen
Courtland Ford
Casey Collier
DL 12 Dejon Benton
Drake Jackson
Stanley Ta'ufo'ou




Brandon Pili
Kobe Pepe
Jamar Sekona
Tuli Tuipulotu
LB 13 Ralen Goforth

Tuasivi Nomura
Maninoa Tufono



Palaie Gaoteote IV
Kana'i Mauga
Raymond Scott		–
Jordan Iosefa
CB 8Adonis Otey
Chris Steele


Jayden Williams
Max Williams		Olaijah Griffin
––
S 6Briton Allen
Dorian Hewett
Kaulana Makaula		Talanoa Hufanga
–
SP 4
–Parker Lewis
ATH xxxx

/ / * Commit
- 85 scholarships permitted, 79 currently allotted to players
- 79 recruited players on scholarship
- LB Tayler Katoa into two-year LDS mission.
Projecting Scholarship Distribution 2019

Game summaries

Fresno State

Stanford

BYU

Utah

Washington

Notre Dame

Arizona

Colorado

Oregon

Arizona State

California

UCLA

Iowa

Rankings

Statistics

Non-conference opponents
Pac-12 opponents
All Opponents

Offense

Defense

Key: POS: Position, SOLO: Solo Tackles, AST: Assisted Tackles, TOT: Total Tackles, TFL: Tackles-for-loss, SACK: Quarterback Sacks, INT: Interceptions, BU: Passes Broken Up, PD: Passes Defended, QBH: Quarterback Hits, FR: Fumbles Recovered, FF: Forced Fumbles, BLK: Kicks or Punts Blocked, SAF: Safeties, TD : Touchdown

Special teams

Players drafted into the NFL

RoundPickPlayerPositionNFL Club
1Austin JacksonOTMiami Dolphins
234Michael Pittman Jr.WRIndianapolis Colts