USC football mailbag: Will Bru McCoy have to sit out a year?

Will Bru McCoy have to sit out a year if he completes a transfer back to USC football? Who else would the Trojans like to “pull a Bru” in 2019?

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The Bru McCoy saga has dominated this week’s news cycle when it comes to USC football.

So it’s no surprise that the topic also dominates this week’s Reign of Troy mailbag.

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It’s time to open up the floor to questions:

Q: When a player transfers out using the portal system (NC2A) goes to another University for a semester and then wants to come back to play at the original University they left…Do they have to wait a year to play? — @mjays228i

A: This truly is uncharted territory, so take this answer for what it is: A guess.

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That’s just about all you can do when dealing with the NCAA, which has handed out transfer waivers like candy, except when they don’t.

The simple answer is yes, Bru McCoy will have to wait a year to play if he does indeed opt to transfer back to USC after spending the spring in Texas. (He has yet to decide on that score.)

It’s hard to imagine a scenario where he convinces the NCAA that he warrants a waiver. Homesickness isn’t generally an acceptable concern. And based on current information, there is no sick relative requiring his presence back home in Los Angeles. His coaches in Texas are all still on staff, so he can’t claim that hardship either.

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The delay will be unfortunate for USC, who can’t bank on keeping McCoy beyond his third year in college if he does land in cardinal and gold. But it’s also the bed that McCoy made for himself.

Q: What player besides Bru would you most prefer to change his mind and come back to USC? — @dgeske

A: If we limit this to transfers who would still have eligibility remaining in the 2019 season, for simplicity’s sake, then the answer is Velus Jones Jr. or Trevon Sidney.

Both slot receivers would have been key contributors in USC’s new Air Raid offense, even if they weren’t technically starters.

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Having even one of them available during Spring Camp would have given the Trojans a significant boost to their depth. In season, the touches would certainly be there as well.

As it stands, USC will have to cope with limited depth in the receiving corps, putting extra faith in young receivers who will have to be thrown into the fire earlier than is ideal.

Q: If all schedules were open, Which team would you most prefer to play a home and home with? — @dgeske

A: This one is easy: LSU.

Death Valley is considered one of the best venues in college football and the chance to head out to Baton Rouge for a home-and-home would be a dream.

The Trojans and Tigers have only played twice in history, first in Baton Rouge in 1979 and again in Los Angeles in 1984. The away team won each game.

Back during the Pete Carroll era, it was a shame the two powerhouses never got to meet despite challenging regularly for the national title.

Plus, the home-and-home now would carry extra intrigue now (as in this hypothetical it could happen in the very near future) with former USC coach Ed Orgeron managing LSU.

Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images /

Q: What game are you looking the most forward to this year? — @ubbergoat

A: Every offseason, the most exciting game feels like the first one.

So maybe it’s Fresno State, which will not only debut the renovated Coliseum, but kick off the 2019 season with an intriguing opponent for the hopefully-new look Trojans to test their mettle against.

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Of course, that’s not the marquee match up with the potential to truly excite fans. That title probably belongs to the trip to Seattle to take on Washington.

The last time USC faced off with Chris Petersen’s squad at Husky Stadium, it was one of the better nights in recent Trojan memory.

Back then, USC proved that it’s strong run was no fluke. This time around, Clay Helton’s squad could be looking for legitimacy again. All of it hinges on the team’s early season performance.

If USC goes into that game 4-0, with wins over Fresno State, Stanford, BYU and Utah, then excitement could be off the charts. If the first four weeks play out differently, dread would be a better description for the emotion Trojan fans are likely to be feeling that week.

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