USC photo gallery: Trojan newcomers on offense
This week marked the first spring ball practice for all the newcomers for the USC Trojans on the 2024 roster. Here’s a look at all the new faces on the defensive side of the ball, including transfers, incoming freshmen and new assistant coaches, along with some of their recent accolades from their official USC bios.
Quarterback
UNLV transfer Jayden Maiava
The 6-foot-4, 219-pound Jayden Maiava comes to USC after spending last season as the starting quarterback at UNLV. He has three years of eligibility remaining. As a redshirt freshman in 2023, Maiava led UNLV to its most wins since 1984 and a first-ever appearance in the Mountain West Championship. He completed 224-of-353 passes (63.5%) for 3,085 yards and 17 TDs with 10 INTs, plus he rushed for 277 yards on 73 carries (3.8 avg.) and scored 3 TDs while seeing action and starting in all 14 games. He also recorded 2 tackles. Maiava was named the 2023 Mountain West Freshman of the Year and the 2023 College Football Network Freshman Quarterback of the Year. He earned placement on the 2023 All-Mountain West Second Team and the 2023 Phil Steele All-Mountain West Second Team. He set the Mountain West record for Freshman of the Week honors with five.
Running back
Mississippi State transfer Jo’Quaivious “Woody” Marks
The 5-foot-10, 208-pound Marks has one year of eligibility remaining after transferring to USC from Mississippi State. As a senior in 2023, he had 121 carries for 573 yards (4.7 avg.) with 4 TDs and 23 receptions for 167 yards (2.6 avg.) and 2 TDs while appearing in 9 games with 9 starts.
True freshman Bryan Jackson
The 6-foot, 228-pound true freshman is another Texas native in the USC backfield. As a senior at McKinney (Texas) HS, he rushed for 681 yards on 129 carries (5.3 avg.) for 8 TDs. He also collected 2 receptions for 8 yards (4.0 avg.). Additionally, he had 1 passing attempt for 42 yards which resulted in a TD. He was named the 2023 District 5-6A Offensive MVP. He also competed at the 2023 Elite 11 finals.
Running backs coach Anthony Jones Jr.
Tight end
True freshman Joey Olsen
Freshman Joey Olsen checks in at 6-foot-5, 248 pounds as an early enrollee. Olsen is the statistical leader in two Lakeridge (Ore.) HS football records: career receptions (119) and career yards (2,303). As a senior, he tallied 36 receptions for 650 yards (18.1 avg.) with 11 TDs helping Lakeridge finish 5th in the state, the team’s best finish in a decade. He earned 2023 Oregon All-State 6A First Team and 2023 All-Three Rivers League First Team honors. He was also selected to the 2023 Preseason All-State Team.
Wide receiver
Tufts transfer Jaden Richardson
The 6-foot-1, 210-pound transfer from Tufts has two years of eligibility remaining. As a senior in 2023, he was named to the All-NESCAC First Team and also was awarded the 2023 NESCAC Co-Offensive Player of the Year. Additionally, Richardson earned placement on the D3Football.com All-Region First Team and the D3Football.com All-American Fourth Team. He recorded 46 receptions for 830 yards (18.0 avg.) with a team-leading 13 TDs while playing and starting in all 9 games. He was second in the NESCAC in TDs and third in receiving yards. He recorded five multi-touchdown games which led all NESCAC receivers. He also had 1 kick return for no gain.
True freshman Xavier Jordan
The 5-foot-11, 170-pound true freshman arrives as the nation’s No. 97 overall prospect and No. 20 wide receiver in the 2024 class. In his senior season at Sierra Canyon (Calif.) HS in 2023, Jordan caught just 30 passes but turned it into 600 receiving yards (20.0 avg.) and 8 TDs. He was the Wide Receiver MVP at Under Armour Next Camp in 2023.
Offensive line
True freshman Justin Tauanuu
The 6-foot-6, 305-pound Tauanuu was a flip from Stanford in the 2024 class. He finished as the nation’s No. 561 overall prospect and a three-star recruit as an offensive tackle. After his 2023 senior season, he was named a JPWest Media Player of the Year finalist. He helped Huntington Beach (Calif.) HS win the 2023 Surf City Lineman Competition.
True freshman Kalolo Ta’aga
The 6-foot-7, 293-pound Ta’aga is still new to football but became a three-star recruit and a coveted recruiting target in the 2024 class. Ta’aga’s first season of football was the fall of 2023 at Archbishop Riordian (Calif.) HS, after playing primarily basketball throughout his athletic career. The quick, rising star was named to the 2023 All-West Catholic Athletic League Second Team after his first season of football and earned Archbishop Riordian’s 2023 Tyrone McGraw Award.
True freshman Jason Zandamela
The 6-foot-3, 306-pound Zandamela is the center of the future for the Trojans. He was the nation’s No. 118 overall prospect and No. 6 inside offensive lineman in the 2024 class. He was named to the 2023 USA Today Florida Network Preseason All-State Team and the 2023 MaxPreps Preseason All-American Second Team before his senior season at Clearwater Academy (Fla.).
Long snapper
Michigan State transfer Hank Pepper
The 6-foot-1, 204-pound Pepper will take over as the starting long snapper for the Trojans this season after coming over from Michigan State. He has two years of eligibility remaining. Pepper snapped in all 13 games for the Spartans as a true freshman in 2021. He missed seven games due to injury in 2022 and elected to sit out all but the first four games of the 2023 season in order to preserve a redshirt season.
