USC OL Jason Zandamela plans to enter NCAA Transfer Portal
USC true freshman offensive lineman Jason Zandamela plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, he told On3’s Hayes Fawcett on Thursday evening. The 6-foot-3, 305-pound offensive lineman from Clearwater, Florida was ranked as one of the top offensive linemen in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Rankings.
Coming out of high school, Zandamela held 30-plus scholarship offers and was named an Under Armour All-American. According to the On3 Industry Rankings, he was rated as a four-star prospect and the No. 118 overall player in America.
He was enrolled at USC for the spring of 2024 and was expected to compete for playing time along the offensive line as a true freshman in the 2024 campaign. Zandamela is originally a native of Mozambique, Africa, and he was a former rugby player. He actually never even heard of football before coming to America in 2020. In his junior campaign, he helped block for an offensive unit that averaged 7.8 yards per carry and 198.2 yards per game on the ground.
The Trojans offensive line certainly could have used the help. Last season, their unit allowed 2.6 sacks per game, ranking them 96th in the nation in that stat category.
USC finished with a disappointing 8-5 overall record in the 2023-2024 season, but they managed to put on quite a show in their bowl game against Louisville, whom they beat 42-28. Backup quarterback Miller Moss managed to throw for a Holiday Bowl record six touchdowns in the win.
The USC and Arizona game was an instant classic
Perhaps the most exciting win of the year for USC came in their 43-41 3OT thriller against the Arizona Wildcats. Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita demonstrated why he’s one of the nation’s most electrifying quarterbacks in that one, throwing for 303 yards, while tossing in five touchdowns with just one interception. Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams simply put USC on his back in that game, finishing with 219 passing yards and a touchdown through the air, and 41 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
Williams found the freon in his veins time and time again in that one, scrambling for a 23-yard touchdown in the third overtime to lift the Trojans to the heart-stopping victory.
To kick off their 2024 campaign, the Trojans will face off against the LSU Tigers in Las Vegas, Nevada. That one will be played on Sunday, Sept. 1st.