USC Football

The 2021 NFL draft class has added another name, with USC wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown announcing Saturday he will leave school early to turn pro.

St. Brown posted his farewell message to USC on Instagram:

As was the case with last year's draft, the wide receiver class looks to be loaded with potential stars. Ja'Marr Chase, DeVonta Smith, Jaylen Waddle, Rashod Bateman, Terrace Marshall Jr. and Elijah Moore are among the potential first-round picks.

Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports projected St. Brown as a late-first-round pick to the Buffalo Bills at No. 30 overall in his most recent mock draft, calling the USC star "a smaller but shifty route-runner with reliable hands and explosiveness after the catch."

St. Brown is the brother of Green Bay Packers receiver Equanimeous St. Brown. Amon-Ra was a much-hyped prospect coming out of high school. The Anaheim Hills, California, native was a 5-star prospect and the No. 2 receiver in the 2018 class, per 247Sports composite rankings.

During his three seasons at USC, St. Brown finished second on the team in receiving yards each year. The 21-year-old caught a career-high seven touchdown passes in 2020—including four against Washington State—despite playing just six games because of a shortened schedule.

He led the Trojans in receptions in 2018 and 2020 with 60 and 41 and recorded 77 for 1,042 yards and six scores last season.

One day after losing to Oregon in the Pac-12 Championship Game, USC has announced its season will end as COVID-19 cases rise within the football program.

In a statement Saturday, USC said it has opted out of playing in a bowl game "following a recommendation from the USC medical team and discussions with the Trojan football leadership council."

Head coach Clay Helton addressed the situation in the school's statement:

"I am incredibly inspired by our players and the sacrifices they made these past six months to play the game that they love. They did everything we asked of them to abide by the challenging guidelines they had to follow to stay safe and well, whether it was daily testing or keeping distant from family and friends or training in less-than-ideal ways. It has not been easy, and it is hard for anyone outside the program to understand how immensely difficult these past few months have been for them. We all share the desire to stay healthy and be with loved ones during the holidays and I fully support this collective decision. I thank our players for their remarkable efforts. We are all disappointed by how our season ended, but I am extremely proud of our players and it is an honor to be their coach."

The statement noted the Trojans have experienced "a rise in COVID-19 cases among its players and staff recently, including positive cases this past week."

USC also cited the rising number of coronavirus cases in the Los Angeles area as a factor in its decision. The football program shut down all activities and canceled a scheduled game against Colorado on Nov. 28 due to not having enough scholarship players available to play.

The Trojans were originally supposed to play Washington in Friday's Pac-12 title game, but the Huskies had to withdraw because of their own COVID-19 issues.

Oregon, which finished second in the Pac-12 North Division, replaced Washington in the game. The Ducks upset USC 31-24 to win the conference title for the second straight year.

USC will finish the 2020 season with a 5-1 record.

Barring a shocking turn of events, the Pac-12 will miss out on the College Football Playoff for the fourth consecutive year and will have only had one of its teams make it twice in the seven years since it started in 2014.

Much of that has to do with the league's talent disparity compared to the Big Ten, ACC and SEC. But more than anything, the Pac-12's shortened schedule because of the COVID-19 pandemic has made it almost impossible for any of its teams to prove they belong among college football's elite.

No. 15 USC, the only remaining undefeated team in the league after six weeks, doesn't have a single Top 25 win, and it barely squeaked by an Arizona team that lost by 63 points to Arizona State on Saturday. Now the Trojans, who were only able to play five of their six scheduled games, will face a 3-1 Washington squad that also has no quality wins to its name.

Following Saturday's come-from-behind 43-38 win over UCLA, it's possible that the Trojans move up a spot or two in the College Football Playoff rankings, but even a dominating win over Washington wouldn't get them close to the resumes of one-loss teams like Texas A&M and Clemson. And even Ohio State, which itself has only played five games, at least has a win over a top-15 team, Indiana.

The Trojans will, though, still be playing for a spot in a New Year's Six bowl game, which offers a significant financial boost to a conference that was already suffering in that regard before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. It also provides a chance for much-maligned head coach Clay Helton a way to show his program's progress a year after finishing 8-5 and having rumors swirl about his job status for most of the season.

Chris Petersen's Washington squad was the most recent Pac-12 representative in the playoff, but that was all the way back in 2016-17. After finishing 4-5 in the Pac-12 last season, Petersen decided to step away from football and hand over the reins to assistant Jimmy Lake.

Key Matchups

Kedon Slovis vs. Washington Pass Defense

Kedon Slovis came in as the least heralded—by quite a large margin—of USC's recent quarterback signees in 2019.

The Trojans had just signed JT Daniels, the No. 2 ranked signal-caller in the 2018 class and already had 4-star Jack Sears on the roster. Both Sears and Daniels ended up transferring, and Slovis, just a sophomore, has blossomed into arguably the best quarterback in the Pac-12.

He finished his freshman campaign with the third-highest completion percentage in the country (71.9), and he's maintained his performance level in 2020, throwing for 1,601 yards and 15 touchdowns, while completing just under 71 percent of his passes.

USC's passing offense as a whole ranks among the top 15 nationally, and none of the Trojans' five regular season opponents have had much luck slowing down Slovis and Co. Five USC receivers have caught at least 15 passes, but the Trojans' big-play target is Amon-Ra St. Brown, who has 36 catches and six touchdowns in five games.

The Huskies have been one of the best units in the country against the pass, though, allowing just 185 yards per game through the air while also forcing three interceptions in four games. Much like the Big Ten Championship Game, this will come down to one team trying to win in a knockdown, drag-out slugfest and another trying to light up the scoreboard as many times as it can.

Washington Run Game vs. USC Defense

Part of the Huskies' defensive success has been limiting the number of opportunities opposing offenses get, and leaning on its backfield by committee will be one of the biggest keys to frustrating the Trojans.

Washington's run-heavy offense—nearly 40 run plays per game compared to 28 passes—relies on the trio of Sean McGrew, Kamari Pleasant and Richard Newton, who have run for nine of the Huskies' 11 rushing touchdowns and account for nearly 175 yards per game on the ground.

For a team that doesn't throw the ball around the yard, Washington has been surprisingly good on third down, converting 48 percent of the time, which ranks them right around the top 20 nationally in that category. Keeping that going—and keeping their defense off the field—will be key to nullifying Slovis and his band of receivers.

Prediction

Talent has never been a problem for USC, which regularly ranks among the top 10 in recruiting each year. And that's what makes the difference here. The Trojans' offensive horses will be too much for Washington.

USC 35, Washington 24

Follow Keegan on Twitter, @ByKeeganPope.

USC linebacker Palaie Gaoteote has reportedly entered the transfer portal, according to Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports and Matt Zenitz of AL.com. 

Feldman added that USC is hoping he will stay with the Trojans, while Zenitz tweeted that Gaoteote was a "former five-star recruit who was ranked as the No. 1 inside linebacker in the 2018 recruiting class within the 247 Composite rankings."

Gaoteote, a junior, has registered 105 tackles (7.5 for loss) and two sacks in his career. He's appeared in two games for the Trojans this season, posting nine tackles. Gaoteote looked like he was going to be a starting staple in USC for the duration of his college career, though ankle injuries cut his season short in 2019. 

He's spent the past three weeks this season in the concussion protocol, and it would appear his time at USC is coming to a close. 

It's another hit for USC's linebacker depth, with Jordan Iosefa and Solomon Tuliaupupu out for the season with knee injuries, Eli'Jah Winston likely out for the year after having ankle surgery over the summer and Ralen Goforth battling injuries of his own. 

USC has been forced to play safety Talanoa Hufanga at some linebacker this season given those injuries.

Nonetheless, the Trojans have gone 4-0 in their COVID-shortened 2020 season and came into Monday ranked No. 20 in the nation. They'll conclude their regular season with a matchup vs. UCLA on Dec. 12

Former USC football star Marv Marinovich died on Thursday at the age of 81. 

The school confirmed Marinovich's death was due to natural causes:

Per ESPN's Adam Rittenberg, Marinovich was a two-way star who played on the offensive and defensive lines for the Trojans. The California native played at USC from 1959-62, helping the program win a national title in his senior season. 

USC defeated Wisconsin 42-37 in the 1963 Rose Bowl to cap off its 11-0 season and earn its first national championship in 23 years. 

After his successful college career, Marinovich was a 12th-round draft pick by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1962 NFL draft. He appeared in one game with the Oakland Raiders during the 1965 season. 

When Marinovich's NFL career came to an end, the Raiders hired him to serve as a strength and conditioning coach. He also opened an athletic research center designed to help kids and adults maximize their physical performance.  

Marinovich is the father of Todd Marinovich, who played quarterback for two seasons at USC from 1989-90. 

USC wide receiver Munir McClain is reportedly under investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations for the alleged misuse of the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, which led to his suspension from the Trojans in September.

Ryan Kartje of the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday that McClain filed for the financial assistance because the money he earned buying and reselling high-end sneakers faded during the coronavirus pandemic and he needed a source of income.

His mother, Shan McClain, told Kartje she learned from USC Vice President of Ethics and Professionalism Michael Blanton there's a wide-scale investigation into allegations students from the school were approached about applying for benefits from the Employment Development Department.

"I believe that the truth will always prevail," Shan told the Los Angeles Times. "[Munir] hasn't harmed or hurt anyone, but he's been suspended from the team."

Neither USC nor federal or state investigators have interviewed McClain despite his suspension from the football team, per Kartje.

"We are cooperating with the authorities," USC said in a statement. "We understand there may be many questions and concerns, but we are unable to discuss this matter because of our obligation to protect students' privacy."

An NCAA representative confirmed to the Los Angeles Times its rules about players' income do not cover unemployment benefits, and those type of payments wouldn't impact a student-athlete's eligibility.

The McClain family hired lawyer Mark Hathaway to challenge the receiver's suspension amid the limited information being provided by the school, per Kartje.

McClain made three catches for 19 yards as a freshman in 2019 before suffering a season-ending knee injury.

The Trojans are scheduled to begin a shortened seven-game, conference-only schedule Nov. 7 against Arizona State. The Pac-12 originally planned to move the campaign to spring because of the pandemic before reversing course after other major conferences kept football in the fall.

Members of the USC football team have sent a letter to California Gov. Gavin Newsom urging his assistance in helping the Pac-12 conference resume football activities this fall:

While the Pac-12 conference itself moved to postpone all college sports until January 2021, members of the Trojans program are asking Newsom to help "find a path forward for us to resume competitions later this fall so that we can have the same opportunity around the country to play for a national championship." 

Newsom's office has yet to reply. 

ESPN's Heather Dinich reported Monday the conference's "most aggressive" return-to-play plan would have teams back on the field in mid-to-late November: 

"Schools in the states of California and Oregon still have not been cleared by public health officials to resume contact practices, let alone games. The league's presidents and chancellors wouldn't consider a vote to return until that status changes. Ideally, the Pac-12 would like its teams to have six weeks to practice and physically prepare for the season, the source said.

"To get to a mid-November start between now and when the [ability to conduct rapid tests begins], the Pac-12 would have to be cleared by public health experts, the source said. Late November could be more realistic considering the double crisis with the pandemic and wildfires that continue to singe the Pacific Northwest."

The letter to Newsom from USC players begins to address some of the hurdles that must be cleared in order to reach that point. 

While touting the Pac-12's partnership with the Quidel Corporation to perform daily antigen testing for COVID-19, players pointed to restrictions in California barring practice in groups larger than 12, team gatherings and indoor facility usage as the next barriers to tackle. 

That's where Newsom could potentially help provide relief.

Whether or not he'll provide any as the state continues to fight both the coronavirus pandemic and devastating wildfires remains to be seen.  

Former USC offensive lineman Max Tuerk died, the school announced Sunday. 

Tuerk spent four years with the Trojans and made 33 starts along the line. He was a first-team All-Pac 12 player as a junior in 2014.

"Heartbroken by the loss of Max Tuerk," USC head coach Clay Helton said on Twitter. "Incredible person, teammate, and Trojan. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family."

The San Diego Chargers selected Tuerk with the 66th overall pick in the third round of the 2016 draft. He didn't make any appearances as a rookie and missed the first four games of 2017 after violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy.

The Chargers waived Tuerk in Octoberr 2017 and he finished out the season with the Arizona Cardinals. His only NFL regular-season appearance came on Dec. 24, 2017, in Arizona's 23-0 win over the New York Giants.

The Cardinals released him during the 2018 offseason.

Former USC running back Reggie Bush said he'd like his 2005 Heisman Trophy, which was vacated and returned to the Heisman Trophy Trust in 2010 amid an improper benefits scandal, restored after his 10-year NCAA-mandated disassociation from the Trojans ended Wednesday.

"To say I don't want it back would be a lie," Bush said during an appearance on Fox Sports' The Herd with Colin Cowherd.

USC's announcement of Bush's clearance to rejoin the "Trojan Family" confirmed it wouldn't impact the NCAA's initial ruling, which vacated the program's victories from the 2004 and 2005 seasons (including the 2004 national title) and his stats from those years, along with taking away his Heisman.

Athletic director Mike Bohn released a statement about Bush's impact on the USC community:

"When I was hired to represent the Trojan Family as the Director of Athletics, I committed to listening and learning before leading. Throughout this process, one of the consistent themes that emerged from my discussions was how much Reggie Bush means to our former players, USC alumni, and fans everywhere. I've enjoyed getting to know Reggie and so many of his teammates, and I'm pleased his disassociation has ended so that we can welcome him back to our family. I'm confident that Reggie will use his incredible platform and influential voice to support and empower all of our student-athletes."

Bush recorded 2,218 yards from scrimmage, 672 return yards and 19 total touchdowns across 13 appearances during the 2005 season with the Trojans.

He crushed the competition, led by Texas quarterback Vince Young, USC teammate Matt Leinart and Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn, in the Heisman voting.

When the California native returned the trophy in 2010, he released a statement about his desire to help the Trust educate future student-athletes who chased college football's top individual honor:

"For the rest of my days, I will continue to strive to demonstrate through my actions and words that I was deserving of the confidence placed in me by the Heisman Trophy Trust. I would like to begin in this effort by turning a negative situation into a positive one by working with the Trustees to establish an educational program which will assist student-athletes and their families avoid some of the mistakes that I made. I am determined to view this event as an opportunity to help others and to advance the values and mission of the Heisman Trophy Trust."

Bush, one of the most dynamic college playmakers of his generation, went on to enjoy an 11-year pro career with the New Orleans Saints, Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills after being selected second overall in the 2006 NFL draft.

Now 35, he works as a football analyst for Fox Sports.