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There were a couple of noteworthy NCAA-related announcements that came out Wednesday -- both potentially impacting USC football.

It was first reported by The Athletic's Nicole Auerbach that the NCAA Division I Council had voted to allow voluntary athletic activities in football, men's basketball and women's basketball starting on June 1.

Here's a comment on that decision, via ESPN.

"We encourage each school to use its discretion to make the best decisions possible for football and basketball student-athletes within the appropriate re-socialization framework," said council chair M. Grace Calhoun, the athletic director at Penn. "Allowing for voluntary athletics activity acknowledges that reopening our campuses will be an individual decision but should be based on advice from medical experts."

What that essentially means is that NCAA is clearing the way for university presidents and athletic directors to make a decision at their discretion. The key question will be how much they can all get on the same page so that there is some unification across the Power 5 as to a course of action moving forward. That's the next key part of this ever evolving process to now monitor.

The ESPN report mentioned that the SEC athletic directors are going to meet with health experts Thursday and then deliver a recommendation to the conference's university presidents for a decision on Friday. Expect the other major conferences to follow similar procedures -- as for whether the outcomes will be similar that remains to be seen.

But the news Wednesday -- on the heels of California Gov. Gavin Newsom's comments earlier this week that pro sports could open up in the state without fans as soon as early June -- was at least encouraging for the hopes of an on-time USC football season.

Then there was the other NCAA news, that a one-time transfer exception with immediate eligibility would not be decided on time to be effective for the 2020-21 academic year, per Brett McMurphy.

If you recall, the potential for that proposal going through was said by sources to be a key impetus in the timing of USC QB JT Daniels entering the transfer portal last month, as it would provide a clear path to him being able to play somewhere else immediately next fall.

USC and Daniels both left open the door to a potential return to the program, and USC's QB depth situation remains a major source of concern, but it remains unknown how Daniels will choose to proceed. He may well roll the dice on requesting a transfer waiver for immediate eligibility the old-fashioned way, and of course we've seen quarterbacks in particular (Justin Fields, Tate Martell, etc.) have success getting those pushed through with their spot on the depth chart the key reason in their departures.

There is some risk, though, as well. If the waiver doesn't go through, Daniels would be sitting out a year somewhere else rather than remaining at USC with a chance to be called upon if Kedon Slovis were to be injured at any point. If Daniels returned to the Trojans, it is believed he would be on track to leave as a graduate transfer (with immediate eligibility) after next season.

Again, this will be something to monitor as we wait to see whether Daniels or his family have any comments about where his transfer process stands.

Mac McClung is one of the top basketball players to hit the transfer portal this offseason after he averaged 15.7 points per game last season as a sophomore for Georgetown.

McClung, who also averaged 1.5 3-pointers, 2.4 assists and 1.4 steals per game, would solve a lot of USC's needs for another capable ball-handler and perimeter threat.

And the Trojans are indeed in play for McClung, who included USC in his top 7 list Wednesday.

USC has rebuilt its roster mostly through transfers -- five in all, including three graduate transfers -- and has room to add still.

McClung clearly expects that he'll be granted eligibility next season, as he initially put his name into the NBA Draft only to withdraw it and pursue a transfer instead. That's the move of a guy expecting to play next year.

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