Former USC RB Stephen Carr announces commitment to Indiana
Former USC running back Stephen Carr has been in the NCAA transfer portal for less than a week and he's already settled on a new school and football program.
Carr announced on Twitter on Sunday night that he's committed to Indiana, where he'll reunite with former USC running backs coach Deland McCullough, who is the associate head coach/RBs coach for the Hoosiers.
"I want to thank USC, Coach Helton and the entire coaching staff, the faculty and all my teammates over the years for believing in me, helping and allowing me the opportunity [to] live out a childhood dream of being a Trojan," Carr wrote. "Playing in the Coliseum is one of the greatest things[s] I've ever done in my life. Being able to play for and with my Trojan Family gave me the best experience and understanding of what the phrase "FIGHT ON" is truly about. Also, I'm proud to be a Trojan graduate! It's all been a blessing.
"This experience has showed me more than I could've imagined and words can not explain. I will never forget what was accomplished here and I will never forget the great energy that moves through the campus of USC."
Carr made an immediate splash in 2017 when he had at least 70 combined rushing/receiving yards in each of his first four games as a true freshman, including 119 yards on 11 carries vs. Stanford in his second game while playing behind Ronald Jones II at the time.
But injuries mounted for Carr over the years -- starting with offseason back surgery coming off that 2017 season -- and he never fully delivered on that upside he flashed in those early games. In fact, that would end up as his only 100-yard rushing game, although he had some other nice performances scattered along the way (including 94 yards on 7 carries vs. Washington in 2019).
Carr averaged a career-low 3.8 yards per carry during USC's shortened six-game 2020 season, totaling just 176 rushing yards along with 10 catches for 64 yards.
Overall in his time at USC, he rushed for 1,329 yards on 5.0 yards per carry with 12 touchdowns and caught 57 passes for 421 yards and a touchdown.
He was in competition this spring in USC's crowded backfield, along with redshirt senior Vavae Malepeai, transfer newcomer Keatonay Ingram, freshman Brandon Campbell and junior Kenan Christon (who was not active for spring while running track). The Trojans staff has pledged to pare down the backfield to a 1A/1B tandem in the fall, meaning some tough decisions will have to be made. Carr's transfer perhaps eliminates one of those, as it seemed most likely that Ingram and Malepeai would be the favorites for those spots.
Carr has one season of eligibility remaining.
Indiana, meanwhile, has seven other running backs on its roster but none who are established. Sophomore Tim Baldwin Jr. is the Hoosiers' leading returning rusher after tallying 141 yards on 6.4 yards per carry last year, while junior Sampson James had 96 rushing yards last year and junior David Ellis had 61. Leading rusher Stevie Scott (561 rushing yards, 10 TDs) signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent.