USC Football: Week Five Depth Chart Observations

Steve Sarkisian released his depth chart for the coming week as the USC Trojans begin their preparations for the arrival of the Oregon State Beavers on Saturday at the Coliseum.

Last game’s stunning upset at the hands of the Boston College Eagles has not reaped any major changes to the Trojan ranks, especially among the starters who have remained the same across the board.

Beyond the first string, there have been some tweaks and a notable lack of change for certain key players.

Here’s some observations from the week five depth chart:

• Tre Madden, who checked in at third on the depth chart leading into Boston College, has returned to italicized status at the bottom of the running back pecking order. That’s unfortunate news as the hope was to see the redshirt junior return following the bye week.With a nagging turf toe injury holding him out, Madden’s status will remain in doubt for at least another week.That leaves redshirt freshman James Toland IV to provide cover for Javorius “Buck” Allen and Justin Davis at running back. Thankfully the walk on has impressed in practice and helps the Trojans depth in a suddenly thin position.
• Lamar Dawson also remains italicized at weakside linebacker. His return from last season’s knee injury has been frustratingly slow-going and it looks like he’ll miss yet another game.
• In some positive injury news, cornerback Devian Shelton has shaken off his injured status and now takes up the position beside freshman Lamont Simmons at fourth on the depth chart behind Kevon Seymour and freshman Adoree’ Jackson and Jonathan Lockett.The redshirt sophomore was poised to be a figure in the cornerback rotation last year before breaking his foot in the opener and he’s had to wait to get back to it this year.
• Greg Townsend Jr. is back from a case of the chicken pox, which kept him out against Stanford and Boston College. He returns to place as the second-string defensive end behind Leonard Williams.
• Walk-on wide receiver Christian Tober is officially out for the season with a broken collarbone so redshirt freshman Steven Mitchell no longer shares an OR, but stays still at fourth on the depth chart behind Nelson Agholor, Jackson and Ajene Harris.
• For the second straight week the Trojans have added a quarterback to the depth chart — last week it was Michael Bowman, this week it’s Andrew Zolintakis, both freshmen. That gives USC nine quarterbacks in total, though just three are on scholarship. To put that in perspective, in four positions across the defensive front, there are just 13 players listed on the depth chart.

For the complete USC depth chart heading into the Oregon State game, click here.

Would you make any changes across the Trojan depth chart? Sound off in the comments below.