Four Trojans enter the NCAA transfer portal Monday

The start of transfer portal season has begun for the USC football team, as four Trojans announced on Monday their intentions to find a new football home.

Redshirt junior defensive tackle Jacob Lichtenstein, redshirt senior outside linebacker Juliano Falaniko, walk-on kicker Alex Stadthaus and redshirt senior outside linebacker Hunter Echols.

Lichtenstein is the biggest loss of that group as he played 556 snaps for the defense, emerging as a central cog along the defensive line while recording 28 tackles, 6 tackles for loss and 4 sacks for the Trojans this fall.

Lichtenstein redshirted at USC in 2017, played in 11 games in 2018 and then missed the 2019 season with injury and the 2020 season due to a decision to opt out during the pandemic. But he emerged as a key cog this year, playing 556 snaps on the defensive line for USC.

He has two years of eligibility remaining.

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Echols has one year of eligibility remaining thanks to the free season awarded to all players last year due to the pandemic. He finishes his Trojans career with 1.5 career sacks (all in 2019) despite significant opportunity as a rotational pass rusher. He did have 9 pressures this season, per PFF.

Falaniko had just 2 tackles while playing a limited role in nine games. He finishes his Trojans career with 1.5 tackles for loss.

And Stadthaus was 6 of 6 on field goals this season, mostly playing behind Parker Lewis, and handled 30 kickoffs with 18 touchbacks.

USC was expected to have significant roster turnover this offseason with new coach Lincoln Riley taking over, and this is surely only the start.