Ex-promising USC football running back hits transfer portal for second time

Ex-USC Football RB Markese Stepp has entered the transfer portal for a second time. Stepp showed promise in his time at SC until his season-ending injury he dealt with in 2019. After that, he struggled behind a bad offensive line that USC had in 2020. He didn't have much room to run.

SEE MORE: Ranking the 10 best USC running backs of all-time

It was tough to see, as he was the same back who averaged 6.4 yards per carry in the six games he played for the Trojans in 2019. After the 2020 season, he entered the transfer portal and headed to Nebraska, where his fortunes didn't change too much. He had a near identical season to what he had in 2020.

2020: 5 G, 45 carries, 165 yards, 3 TDs/////2021: 6 G, 45 carries, 177 yards, 2 TDs

Ex-dynamic USC Football RB Markese Stepp will not be eligible to play in 2022.

Due to transfer portal rules regarding second transfers and transfers past the transfer portal immediate eligibility deadline, Markese Stepp will not be able to play next year. He'll have to wait until 2023. He still, of course, can sign wherever as soon as he wants to/as soon as he can.

Is USC an option? That's highly doubtful. SC already has two four-star backs in the 2023 recruiting class coming in for 2023, and obviously things didn't work out with Stepp in the past. He chose to leave, and the backfield has only become better since he's been gone.

It's unclear as to where he'll go now, but whoever gets him is getting a talent. Talent is never lost, and Stepp has it in him. He was a four-star prospect coming out of high school (all recruiting ratings and rankings in article are as of 247Sports) and the No. 3 player in the entire state of Indiana.

The No. 14 back in the country, many were clamoring for his services back when he was playing at Cathedral High School in Indianapolis.

Perhaps he'll be a hot commodity again, but the issue is that the talent he has wasn't put on full display in the rough season he had for Nebraska. He'll get picked up, but it remains to be seen when it comes to who specifically is going to take a chance on him.