Recruiting Rumblings: How USC is pitching its 2021 TE targets

USC's lack of tight end involvement in the passing game has been a perennial frustration among fans, and in fact it was the reason 2020 TE signee Jack Yary backed off his Trojans commitment for a bit in the fall before ultimately rejoining the class.

It's true, USC did not throw to its tight ends much last season in Graham Harrell's offense -- Erik Krommenhoek and Josh Falo combined for 15 catches for 145 yards and 1 touchdown.

But that's largely because USC had another 6-foot-5 athletic playmaker lining up on the inside and delivering a breakout freshman season. Drake London finished with 39 catches for 567 yards and 5 touchdowns, catching TD passes in each of the final five games while emerging as a key cog in the passing attack.

That is the vision USC is pitching to tight ends.

That's what the coaches discussed with Yary while getting him back in the 2020 class, and in talking to several other notable Trojans tight end targets that remains a consistent message.

"They tell me that Jack Yary just went there, we could be a great tandem. … [They see me] more like a big receiver out there," said 4-star Rivals100 2021 TE Moliki Matavao (Liberty HS/Henderson, Nev.)

Ditto for 4-star TE Michael Trigg, who was offered by USC last week: "I think I [would] be used like a flex tight end. I think my upside is that I’m too big for a corner and too fast for a linebacker."