USC Football Announces Stevie Tu’ikolovatu, 5 New Players for 2016

USC football officially announced the arrival of transfer defensive tackle Stevie Tu’ikolovatu and blueshirt kicker Michael Brown on Thursday, along with four walk ons.

Utah transfer Stevie Tu’ikolovatu is officially a member of the USC football team.

The Trojans announced the transfer along with five other new players for the 2016 season after the first fall camp practice of the season Thursday.

Along with Tu’ikolovatu, USC is adding blueshirt kicker Michael Brown and four walk ons including tailback Chis Edmondson, linebacker Christian Herrera, defensive tackle Connor Rossow and quarterback Thomas Holden.

Tu’ikolovatu announced his transfer earlier this summer, giving the Trojans a major boost on the defensive line with an experienced and big-bodied lineman. Last year he appeared 13 times and started twice for Utah, logging 28 tackles, six tackles for loss and four fumble recoveries.

With Tu’ikolovatu in the fold, the USC adds depth in the trenches at worst. At best, the grad transfer could become a key starter on the defensive line.

Brown was added to USC’s 2016 recruiting class, but his announcement was delayed because of his status as a blueshirt.

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The Linfield Chrisitan grad was an All-State first teamer for small schools and will compete with Matt Boermeester for the starting kicking job this season.

Rossow is the most intriguing walk on addition, listed at 6-foot-2, 305 pounds. He was an unrated prospect coming out of Mater Dei after totalling 32 tackles and 4.5 sacks last year.

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Though USC has done a decent job of rebuilding defensive line depth for the coming fall, having another body at the tackle spot should help the Trojans avoid any more major depth crises upfront.

Herrera comes to USC from El Camino Junior College as a junior. He played linebacker at Serra in 2012 then played a season at Los Angeles Harbor Junior College in 2013. The 6-foot-1, 210 pound inside linebacker had ten tackles for El Camino in 2014 before redshirting last year.

Edmondson hails from Cibolo, Texas and joins the Trojans as a freshman tailback.

Finally, Thomas threw for 3,107 yards and 36 touchdowns at Brentwood School last year after spending his first three years in high school at Oaks Christian.

Tu’ikolovatu will wear No. 96 while Brown will don the No. 49 with Rossow in No. 79, Herrera in No. 52, Thomas in No. 16 and Edmondson in No. 38.