As we close the book on spring and USC embarks on its summer conditioning and player-run practices, it's time to revisit the depth chart and examine which players separated themselves at their position and/or carved out a bigger role since the end of last season. Below is a list of the most notables cases on offense. (Here are five defensive players.)
5. TB Markese Stepp
He’s in the rotation. What that will look like exactly remains to be seen. But Stepp is too good and too impactful between the tackles to sit on the sideline. The redshirt freshman can help himself even more this summer if he’s able to progress as a pass blocker and receiver. I thought he was the best back in spring regardless. He showed the physicality needed to move a pile while also demonstrating enough speed to work outside the tackles. He also brings an attitude to USC’s run game that’s been sorely lacking for most of the past decade. There’s still a lot to learn about how the workload will be divvied up at the running back position. Stepp, I suspect, has at least played himself into being used in key situations while building the foundation for a possible feature role.
