USC Trojans: Kyle Prater
The Trojans will likely see an impact on their roster for the 2012 season due to transfers.
USC gained a transfer in defensive back Joshua Shaw from Florida. A talented player who prepped locally at Palmdale (Calif.) High School, Shaw appeared in 10 games as a safety for the Gators in 2011, including one start, and ended the year with 22 tackles, notching a season-high six against Auburn.
Shaw will begin fall camp at strong safety next month but he could also end up seeing time at corner, as he was the No. 3 ranked corner in the ESPN rankings for the class of 2010. It’s a deep defensive back group for USC this year so it remains to be seen how much of an impact Shaw will have, but he’s certainly good enough to make his mark if presented with an opportunity.
Shaw will be a redshirt sophomore this season with three years of eligibility remaining.
The Trojans also lost several transfers, most notably tailback Amir Carlisle, who was on track to be the primary backup to Curtis McNeal this season but is now at Notre Dame.
Carlisle ran for 123 yards on 19 carries as a true freshman in 2011 and also added seven catches for 41 yards and a touchdown. His future was considered bright in Cardinal and Gold and his sudden transfer caught many in the program by surprise.
There wasn’t as much surprise when fellow tailback Dillon Baxter transferred after last season, first to San Diego State and then to Baker University in Kansas. Baxter had a series of off-field issues with the Trojans and his departure had been expected.
Still, the loss of two tailbacks depleted the group and only D.J. Morgan returns as a reserve with any experience. That position will be key to watch this year to see how the lost transfers impact the offense.
USC also lost a pair of wide receivers when Brice Butler transferred to San Diego State and Kyle Prater left for Northwestern. While both came to USC out of high school with outstanding credentials, the production never matched up and both decided to leave rather than battle for playing time in a strong Trojans receiver group.
USC gained a transfer in defensive back Joshua Shaw from Florida. A talented player who prepped locally at Palmdale (Calif.) High School, Shaw appeared in 10 games as a safety for the Gators in 2011, including one start, and ended the year with 22 tackles, notching a season-high six against Auburn.
Shaw will begin fall camp at strong safety next month but he could also end up seeing time at corner, as he was the No. 3 ranked corner in the ESPN rankings for the class of 2010. It’s a deep defensive back group for USC this year so it remains to be seen how much of an impact Shaw will have, but he’s certainly good enough to make his mark if presented with an opportunity.
Shaw will be a redshirt sophomore this season with three years of eligibility remaining.
The Trojans also lost several transfers, most notably tailback Amir Carlisle, who was on track to be the primary backup to Curtis McNeal this season but is now at Notre Dame.
Carlisle ran for 123 yards on 19 carries as a true freshman in 2011 and also added seven catches for 41 yards and a touchdown. His future was considered bright in Cardinal and Gold and his sudden transfer caught many in the program by surprise.
There wasn’t as much surprise when fellow tailback Dillon Baxter transferred after last season, first to San Diego State and then to Baker University in Kansas. Baxter had a series of off-field issues with the Trojans and his departure had been expected.
Still, the loss of two tailbacks depleted the group and only D.J. Morgan returns as a reserve with any experience. That position will be key to watch this year to see how the lost transfers impact the offense.
USC also lost a pair of wide receivers when Brice Butler transferred to San Diego State and Kyle Prater left for Northwestern. While both came to USC out of high school with outstanding credentials, the production never matched up and both decided to leave rather than battle for playing time in a strong Trojans receiver group.
Lane Kiffin has said all along that he has a plan to navigate the rough waters of NCAA sanctions, including roster limitations. Evidence continues to mount.
When quarterback Matt Barkley and safety T.J. McDonald announced they would be returning for their senior seasons, and USC coaches seemed adamant about taking a full allotment of 15 players in the most recent recruiting class, panic spread as it appeared the Trojans would be well above the NCAA-mandated limit of 75 scholarship players for each of the next three seasons. There were questions as to how the Trojans would be able to trim the roster to fit within that number. But as was the case on the field for the Trojans last year, things have had a way of working out with Kiffin at the helm.
The spring ball roster revealed that fullback Simi Vehikite is no longer part of the team and that, in addition to the losses of Brice Butler, Dillon Baxter, Kyle Prater, Armond Armstead and Patrick Hall, leaves the Trojans with just 64 scholarship players. The addition of 12 freshmen this fall would put USC at 76 total, meaning there must be one additional defection between now and the start of fall camp for the Trojans to head into the reductions at the magic number of 75.
When quarterback Matt Barkley and safety T.J. McDonald announced they would be returning for their senior seasons, and USC coaches seemed adamant about taking a full allotment of 15 players in the most recent recruiting class, panic spread as it appeared the Trojans would be well above the NCAA-mandated limit of 75 scholarship players for each of the next three seasons. There were questions as to how the Trojans would be able to trim the roster to fit within that number. But as was the case on the field for the Trojans last year, things have had a way of working out with Kiffin at the helm.
The spring ball roster revealed that fullback Simi Vehikite is no longer part of the team and that, in addition to the losses of Brice Butler, Dillon Baxter, Kyle Prater, Armond Armstead and Patrick Hall, leaves the Trojans with just 64 scholarship players. The addition of 12 freshmen this fall would put USC at 76 total, meaning there must be one additional defection between now and the start of fall camp for the Trojans to head into the reductions at the magic number of 75.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
Kiffin needs speed from his WR corps 
January, 17, 2012
1/17/12
8:00
AM PT
By
Garry Paskwietz | ESPN.com
LOS ANGELES -- There is a new era underway at the USC receiver position and it revolves around speed and the ability to make plays.
For as long as Lane Kiffin has been associated with the Trojans -- both as an assistant coach and head coach -- he has recruited and played “big” receivers such as Mike Williams and Dwayne Jarrett. Kiffin seemed to know how to use the bigger receivers, especially in complement with a “smaller” receiver on the other side such as Keary Colbert or Steve Smith.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
It’s not too often that there are as many roster changes in one week in college football team as the USC Trojans saw last week.
There were five transfer departures confirmed in RB Amir Carlisle, WR Brice Butler, WR Kyle Prater, DB T.J. Bryant and DB Patrick Hall. There was also an incoming transfer announced with former Florida safety Josh Shaw, who enrolled at USC in time for the spring semester.
Carlisle was the biggest surprise of the group. There weren’t any previously known issues with Carlisle, and his future was thought to be bright within the USC offense. He was a shifty runner with good speed, excellent hands and a surprising amount of toughness in his running style.
There were five transfer departures confirmed in RB Amir Carlisle, WR Brice Butler, WR Kyle Prater, DB T.J. Bryant and DB Patrick Hall. There was also an incoming transfer announced with former Florida safety Josh Shaw, who enrolled at USC in time for the spring semester.
Carlisle was the biggest surprise of the group. There weren’t any previously known issues with Carlisle, and his future was thought to be bright within the USC offense. He was a shifty runner with good speed, excellent hands and a surprising amount of toughness in his running style.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
USC wide receiver Kyle Prater announced today via his twitter account (@DaReal_21) that he would be transferring.
“I will be transferring. I love my teammates, SC, my fans, athletic staff. Will always respect the coaches. God Bless.”
And so the offseason exodus continues. The fact that players are leaving isn't surprising -- there was going to be some roster attrition this offseason if the coaches hoped to meet the 75-man scholarship limit next fall. What was unclear, however, was how the spots were going to open up.
“I will be transferring. I love my teammates, SC, my fans, athletic staff. Will always respect the coaches. God Bless.”
And so the offseason exodus continues. The fact that players are leaving isn't surprising -- there was going to be some roster attrition this offseason if the coaches hoped to meet the 75-man scholarship limit next fall. What was unclear, however, was how the spots were going to open up.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
5 offensive names to step up in 2012
December, 4, 2011
12/04/11
5:53
PM PT
By
Garry Paskwietz | ESPN.com
As we look ahead to the 2012 season, there will be plenty of opportunities for increased contributions from USC players who have yet to prove themselves. Here are some of the offensive players who will look for more of a role beginning in spring ball:
RB D.J. Morgan -- It’s pretty clear that Curtis McNeal will head into the offseason as the main guy, and right now it looks like Amir Carlisle would be the No. 2 back in the rotation. It wasn’t too long ago that Morgan was the one wowing the coaches in practice, but he had early-season fumbling troubles and hasn’t quite earned back that trust yet. It will be key for Morgan to remind everyone of what he can do if he wants to get his share of the reps.
FB Soma Vainuku -- The Trojans lose both fullbacks -- Rhett Ellison and Ross Cumming -- so that means Vainuku will be the only player at the spot in spring. Such was the case last spring, and when Vainuku struggled to pick up the position, the coaches were forced to move players from other spots. There will not be much of a grace period for Vainuku this time around. He will need to show quickly that he is capable of being the guy, or else Jahleel Pinner will be given every opportunity to win the job in the fall.
RB D.J. Morgan -- It’s pretty clear that Curtis McNeal will head into the offseason as the main guy, and right now it looks like Amir Carlisle would be the No. 2 back in the rotation. It wasn’t too long ago that Morgan was the one wowing the coaches in practice, but he had early-season fumbling troubles and hasn’t quite earned back that trust yet. It will be key for Morgan to remind everyone of what he can do if he wants to get his share of the reps.
FB Soma Vainuku -- The Trojans lose both fullbacks -- Rhett Ellison and Ross Cumming -- so that means Vainuku will be the only player at the spot in spring. Such was the case last spring, and when Vainuku struggled to pick up the position, the coaches were forced to move players from other spots. There will not be much of a grace period for Vainuku this time around. He will need to show quickly that he is capable of being the guy, or else Jahleel Pinner will be given every opportunity to win the job in the fall.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
ABOUT WE ARE SC
Garry Paskwietz
Garry Paskwietz is the publisher and founder of WeAreSC.com and has covered the Trojans since 1997. Send him an email at garry@wearesc.com.
Blair Angulo
Blair Angulo covers USC Trojans recruiting. He joined ESPNLA.com in 2010 and also interned at the Los Angeles Daily News. Email him at blair.angulo@gmail.com.