Jul sixteen, 2015

  • Greg KatzColumnist, WeAreSC.com

    Shut

    • USC Trojans columnist
    • Football Writers Association member
    • Joined ESPN.com in 2011

LOS ANGELES -- As you lot've probably read or heard about, jersey numbers and the assigning of bailiwick of jersey numbers can impact a player's state of heed, comfort level, and sometimes stress level to live upwards to the number'southward glorious by.

As it pertains to the 2015 USC Trojans, the reality is that with the exception of the already retired Trojans numbers, every bailiwick of jersey number worn by a player can be traced back to a former histrion of some significance -- offense and/or defense.

Here are the 2015 Trojans starters or co-starters on the kickoff depth chart heading into fall practice, and the legacy jersey numbers they wear either knowingly or unknowingly.

Criminal offence

Quarterback

No. 6 Cody Kessler

Legacy No. vi: 2004 All-America linebacker Matt Grootegoed (2001-04) and All-America safety Tim McDonald (1983-86). Kessler volition demand to be as tough as these two All-Americans with all the scrutiny he'll be getting in his Heisman Trophy run.

Fullback

No. 31 Soma Vainuku or No. 38 Jahleel Penner

Legacy No. 31: 2010 All-Pac-ten honorable mention fullback Stanley Havili (2006-10) and 1964 All-AAWU defensive back Gary Colina (1962-64). The big difference betwixt these two current fullbacks and Havili is that Stanley played in a fullback friendly criminal offense (USC'due south all-time career leader in full back receptions).

Legacy No. 38: Fullback Danny Scott (1966-68), a little remembered but tough, minor starting fullback who was the lead blocker during the O.J. Simpson era.

Tailback

No. 22 Justin Davis or No. 23 Tre Madden

Legacy No. 22: 1973 consensus All-America wide receiver Lynn Swann (1971-73), a member of the Higher and NFL Hall of Fame.

Legacy No. 23: Running back Chauncey Washington (2003, 2006-07), a workhorse running back during the Pete Carroll era.

Wide Receivers

No. one: Darreus Rogers

Legacy No. 1: 2003 All-America receiver Mike Williams (2002-03). Big Mike, 6-foot-5, 230-piunds, reset the standards for large receivers at USC.

No. seven: Steven Mitchell

Legacy No. 7: 1988 and unanimous 1989 All-America prophylactic and Thorpe Award winner Mark Carrier (1987-89). Now this No. 7 matchup would have been a classic confrontation in practice.

No. 9 JuJu Smith

Legacy No. 9: Unanimous 2012 All-America receiver and Biletnikoff Award winner Marqise Lee (2011-13). Is it possible that at some bespeak JuJu could follow Marqise in winning the Trojans 2nd Biletnifkoff Award?

Tight end

No. 88: Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick

Legacy No. 88: 1967 All-American defensive cease Tim Rossovich (1965-67). Rossovich was one of the meanest, toughest, and most intimidating players in USC annals.

Right tackle

No. 73: Zack Banner

Legacy No. 73: How nigh 2 All-America offensive linemen from Merced, California? Right guard Elmer Willhoite (1950-52), a consensus 1952 All-America right guard and center Tony Slaton (1981-83), a 1983 All-American, who was too a iii-time, start-squad All-Pac-10 selection.

Right Guard

No. threescore Viane Talmaivao

Legacy No. lx: 1977 All-America linebacker Clay Mathews Jr. (1974-77). Viane and Dirt Jr. have one thing in common -- both continue to exist extremely dedicated to football.

Middle

No. 75: Max Tuerk

Legacy No. 75: 2011 All-America offensive tackle Matt Kalil (2009-11). At that place is a difference between a eye and a tackle, but both play with that "nasty" edge, a quality they brought from their respective Orangish County (Calif.) parochial high school Trinity League rivalry (Santa Margarita Cosmic and Anaheim Servite).

Left guard

No. 50: Toa Lobendahn or No. 51: Damien Mama

Legacy No. fifty: 1967 consensus within All-America linebacker Adrian Young (1965-67). Young once intercepted four passes at Notre Dame in 1967 to assist upset the Irish 24-7.

Legacy No. 51: 1981 All-America linebacker Bit Banks (1978-81). Banks (Atlanta, Georgia) was every bit fierce on the field as they come up. Mama had the opposite demeanor -- soft-spoken, mild in nature but very competitive.

Left tackle

No. 50: Toa Lobendahn or No. 72 Chad Wheeler

Legacy No. l: Come across left guard

Legacy No. 72: 1982 unanimous All-America offensive tackle Don Mosebar (1979-82), who played with a mean streak and in 1969, and All-America defensive tackle Al Cowlings (1968-69), an original starter on the famous Wild Agglomeration D-line.

DEFENSE

Defensive line

No. 52: Delvon Simmons

Legacy No. 52: 1984 consensus All-America linebacker Jack Del Rio (1981-84). Del Rio, now the caput coach of the Oakland Raiders, could exist Simmons' pro coach if Delvon has a great senior season.

No. 90: Claude Pelon

Legacy No. xc: Two-time All-Pac-10 defensive tackle Dan Owens (1986-89). Pelon would be well served to picket film on Owens, who had a non-stop motor and an aggressiveness to lucifer.

No. 99: Antwaun Wood

Legacy No. 99: Forest, relatively built brusque and broad similar 2004 All-America nose tackle Mike Patterson (2001-04), hopes he can consistently command double-team blocks as did Patterson in his brilliant Trojans career.

Outside linebackers

No. 21: Su'a Cravens

Legacy No. 21: Running dorsum LenDale White (2003-05). Now wouldn't this take been a jolting confrontation in practice? The power of LenDale and the speed, quickness, and forcefulness of Cravens, a powerful running back in loftier school.

No. 47: Scott Felix

Legacy No. 47: Fabled walk-on Clay Matthews lll (2005-08). Felix changed his concluding name from Starr to Felix while Matthews inverse his condition from USC walk-on to NFL great with the Green Bay Packers.

Within linebackers

No. 55 Lamar Dawson

Legacy No. 55: 1989 All-American Junior Seau (1988-89), two-time All-Pac-10 Willie McGinest (1990-93), 1998 consensus All-American Chris Claiborne (1996-98). Do we still accept to explicate the significance of wearing No. 55?

No. 56 Anthony Sarao

Legacy No. 56: 1979 All-America linebacker Dennis Johnson (1977-79). Both Sarao and Johnson arrived at USC from out of country. Anthony, a native of Egg Harbor Township, New Bailiwick of jersey, while Dennis, a product of athletically respected Flint, Michigan.

Cornerbacks

No. 2; Adoree' Jackson

Legacy No. ii: 2006 All-America broad receivers Steve Smith (2003-06) and Robert Forest (2010-12), All-America safety Taylor Mays (2006-09) and All-America quarterback Morley Drury (1925-27). In terms of authorisation, will Adoree' find it as a receiver or as a corner?

No. 13: Kevon Seymour

Legacy No. 13: 1933 All-America quarterback Irvine "Cotton wool" Warburton (1932-34). While both are from dissimilar positions, at that place is one affair that Kevon would like to have that Cotton already has - a national championship.

Safeties

No. four: Chris Hawkins or No. 22 Leon McQuay lll

Legacy No. 4: Two-time All-Pac-x safety Kevin Ellison (2005-08). While Hawkins plays in a system that coaches say has ii equal safety positions, Chris could acquire how Ellison applied his arts and crafts in a very concrete way as a stiff condom.

Legacy No. 22: 1973 consensus All-America broad receiver Lynn Swann (1971-73). Maybe old No. 22 could spend some fourth dimension with the present No. 22 and requite him some insider info on how best to cover a player of Swann's legendary ability.

No. 24: John Plattenburg

Legacy No. 24: 1930 All-America quarterback Orville Mohler (1930-32). Moehler, the old Alhambra (Calif.) High Moors standout, led his team 2 national championships (1931-32). Plattenburg, a sophomore, would dearest to have one in the new College Football Playoff arrangement.