Can USC Claim To Be Receiver U? And More USC Football News

USC football doesn’t get as much recognition for producing great college receivers as it should. Plus Trojan news from around the web.

Can’t get enough USC football and basketball news? We’ve got your morning dose of all the best content from around the web concerning the men of Troy.

1st & 10:

First Word… It’s been called Running Back U and Linebacker U. It’s produced a string of some of the all-time greats to play on the offensive line. But could USC also claim a spot among Wide Receiver U’s?

That’s what we were asking after compiling a list of the ten best wide receivers in USC football history which involved snubs for the likes of Nelson Agholor, Kareem Kelly, Curtis Conway, R.J. Soward and many other worthy names.

USC has had six All-American wide receivers in the last 12 seasons, a much greater number than the All-Americans produced in Troy on the offensive line or defensive line, at linebacker, at running back or at safety.

Before those All-Americans — Nelson Agholor, Marqise Lee, Robert Woods, Dwayne Jarrett, Steve Smith and Mike Williams — the Trojans had already had a No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft in Keyshawn Johnson.

Before Keyshawn there were All-Americans Johnnie Morton, Conway and Erik Affholter. And even before those there was the legendary Lynn Swann and Trojan record-holder Hal Bedsole, both All-Americans themselves.

More from Reign of Troy

• Markese Stepp enters transfer portal intending to leave USC football
• USC football’s Alijah Vera-Tucker declares for NFL Draft
• USC football adds Xavion Alford as transfer from Texas
• USC Podcast: RoT Radio Ep. 396 on the Football Season’s Fallout
• Talanoa Hufanga named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, USC football with five first-teamers

USC’s claim to a Wide Receiver U tag certainly holds water in the Pac-12 if not the nation.

Trojans hold four of the top ten spots for career touchdown receptions in conference history. Six of the top 12 single-season touchdown receptions totals belong to USC as well.

Two of the top five career receptions list and five of the top 11 single-season reception leaders were Trojans. And on and on.

Unfortunately, Trojan wide receivers haven’t exactly translated well to the NFL, which hurts the profile of USC as a wide receiver factory. Still, when it comes to the college game the Troy is a veritable receiver paradise.

Considering USC’s Heisman success at running back, the college and professional greats on the offensive line, and the premiere linebackers and safeties produced by the program, it’s easy to lose sight of just how many exceptional receivers has contributed to Trojan greatness.

And Ten USC Football and Basketball News Links…

1. “New USC Football Jerseys Unveiled for 2016 Season” (Reign of Troy)USC made it official Monday, revealing the new jerseys for this season including the Trojan key pattern and a cardinal collar and cuffs for the away uniforms.
2. “Debunking USC’s Semblance of Uniform Tradition” (Reign of Troy)Michael Castillo makes the argument that uniform changes aren’t a threat to USC’s tradition, because the Trojans make subtle alterations on their own terms.
3. “PAC-12 MEDIA DAYS . . . JUST ASKIN'” (USCFootball.com)The latest edition of Dan Weber’s “Just sayin'” series is adjusted to “Just askin” to mark the upcoming Pac-12 Media Days. He has questions for commissioner Larry Scott on the curious timing of the event and one for each coach who will be present, including Clay Helton who needs to live up to his place on the Boddy Dodd watch list.
4. “Rogers ready for veteran role” (WeAreSC.com)Garry Paskwietz profiles receiver Darreus Rogers who says he’s looking to double up his receptions total from last year and feels more mature and stronger than ever.
5. “Adoree’ Jackson Named To Thorpe Award Watch List” (Reign of Troy)Jackson was named to this year’s Thorpe Award watch list as one of the top defensive backs in the nation. He was also listed last year but didn’t make the semi-finalist group.
6. “What if Pac-12 College Football Teams Had an All-Star Game?” (Athlon)Steve Lassan ponders what a Pac-12 All-Star game between the North and South divisions would look like. It’s an interesting exercise and there’s more than a few Trojans representing the South, including Ronald Jones, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Toa Lobendahn, Zach Banner, Chad Wheeler, Cameron Smith and Adoree’ Jackson.
7. “CFB Summer Games, WR: JuJu Smith-Schuster takes gold” (NFL.com)In another hypothetical, if college football position’s were given medals like at the Olympics, Smith-Schuster would claim gold over Calvin Ridley of Alabama and Mike Williams of Clemson. Five of the six judges gave him their first place vote.
8. “Takeaways from USC Recruits’ at The Opening” (Bleacher Report)Tyler Donahue details the takeaways from The Opening for USC, which include Stephen Carr’s aspirations to be like Leonard Fournette, Jack Sears connection to Sam Darnold and good vibes for the Trojans from Hawkins’ teammates Joseph Lewis and Jalen Hall.
9. “5 Trojans Make SI’s Top 100 CFB Players of 2016” (Reign of Troy)JuJu Smith-Schuster, Zach Banner, Adoree’ Jackson, Cameron Smith and Iman Marshall all made appearances on SI’s Top 100 players for this season.
10. “2016 Conference Championship odds & Marquee Games” (Phil Steele)Westgate oddsmakers give USC 3/1 odds to get to the Pac-12 championship game. They’re 3-point underdogs to Stanford and Washington, 2-point favorites over Utah, 17-point favorites over Cal, 2.5-point underdogs to UCLA, 7.5-point favorites over Oregon and 4-point favorites over Notre Dame.

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