Position Switch for Carson Tabaracci Ahead of 2023 Season
USC spring ball is set to kick off with the Trojans’ first practice on Sunday. The official roster isn’t yet updated, but many of the individual player profile pages are receiving 2023 blurbs. One of the interesting notes to pop up deals with a position change for Carson Tabaracci, who came to USC as a transfer from Utah before the 2022 season.
Tabaracci was a high school running back who enrolled early at Utah in 2022 and made a permanent move to linebacker. He appears headed back to the offensive side of the ball now, as his updated USC player bio reads: “Tabaracci moves to the offensive side of the ball and will compete for playing time at tight end as a redshirt freshman in 2023.”
Tabaracci’s social media accounts also reflect the change.
The 6-foot-2, 230-pound Tabaracci is an interesting addition to a tight end room that loses Josh Falo from the 2022 roster. First, he’ll have to prove that he’s healthy. He arrived at USC with an unspecified injury that he spent the entire 2022 season rehabbing.
USC’s Tight Ends
Head coach Lincoln Riley has found success with a number of different body types at tight end and H-back. At Oklahoma, the 6-foot-2, 248-pound Jeremiah Hall finished his career with 68 receptions for 757 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also had 13 carries for 53 yards and a score while playing for Riley. Tabaracci has the offensive background and physical demeanor to excel as a runner, receiver and blocker. The question will be how quickly he can make the mental adjustment to another position.
Lake McRee, Malcolm Epps and Jude Wolfe, who has consistently dealt with injury issues at USC, return at the tight end spot for USC in 2023. True freshman Kade Eldridge will arrive this summer. And the Trojans remain in the mix for five-star tight end Duce Robinson.
USC’s tight ends combined for 17 receptions for 154 yards in 2022. Although, six of those catches were for touchdowns.
USC’s Linebacker Room
USC lost two inside linebackers this offseason. Ralen Goforth is now at Washington and Tuasivi Nomura made the move to Fresno State.
Eric Gentry and Shane Lee are set to return. That duo started most of the season at the two inside linebacker positions. Raesjon Davis is back, as are Chris Thompson Jr. and Garrison Madden.
Two of USC’s more significant offseason additions joined this position as well. Mason Cobb is a veteran starter who tallied 96 tackles at Oklahoma State in 2022. And true freshman early enrollee Tackett Curtis was a huge recruiting win in the 2023 class.
