USC Football players respond to ex-Bruin’s Sam Darnold tweet

USC Football players past and present ripped former UCLA defender Takk McKinley for his tweet asking the Bruins to take out Sam Darnold.

It may be only July, a long way before the USC Football rivalry with UCLA will kick off once more, but the trash talk has already begun.

Former UCLA defensive lineman Takk McKinley got the Trojans going because of a tweet he sent out earlier this week.

The 2017 Atlanta Falcons’ draftee posted a picture of USC quarterback Sam Darnold with the message, “Can someone on the @UCLAFootball d-line please knock him out 11-18-17.”

Needless to say, Trojans on the internet were not pleased.

Former USC offensive tackle and All-American Zach Banner called McKinley out for his limited stat line against the Trojans in 2016.

McKinley had four tackles and a pass break up, but failed to log a sack or tackle for loss in the game, which USC won at the Rose Bowl, 36-14.

Former USC defensive lineman Antwaun Woods praised Banner for his comeback but didn’t leave it at that.

The current Tennessee Titan added a message about UCLA’s chances against USC going forward.

The snowball of USC tweeters continued with former Trojan linebacker-safety Su’a Cravens, who also gave Banner props for his tweet and added some trash talk about the rivalry.

While former Trojans were plenty vocal on Twitter regarding McKinley’s tweet, current USC defensive tackle Kenny Bigelow didn’t address the Bruin directly, choosing a more general message.

But not all current Trojans held their tongue. Wide receiver Steven Mitchell didn’t hold back, commenting directly on McKinley’s tweet.

Taken one way, McKinley’s tweet could be read as advocating the injuring of an opposing player, which is a major problem.

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

However, even giving the Bruin the benefit of the doubt that he simply meant he wanted to see UCLA hit Darnold within the rules of the game, the tweet was certainly ill-advised.

For one, it opened UCLA up to trash talk going the other way, a battle the Trojans could win by simply pointing to the scoreboard, along with McKinley’s own record in games against USC.

On another level, the tweet could be used as bulletin board material for USC as they prep for the UCLA game at the Coliseum in November.

CHECK OUT: USC’s Best Players vs. Every Pac-12 School

Either way, USC probably came out on top in this particular dust-up.