USC reels in big-time Oregon RB Travis Dye from transfer portal
Two days, two impact running back additions from other Pac-12 foes for USC.
After landing Stanford transfer Austin Jones on Thursday, the Trojans reeled in Oregon running back transfer Travis Dye on Friday, per his announcement on Twitter.
To say USC has addressed its running back needs would be an understatement.
Dye rushed for 1,271 yards and 16 touchdowns on 6.0 yards per carry with 46 catches for 402 yards and 2 TDs this past season.
Overall, Dye has 3,111 career rushing yards, 869 receiving yards and 29 total touchdowns over four seasons with the Ducks. The former Norco High School star has one year of eligibility remaining.
USC lost its top two rushers from last season in Keaontay Ingram (NFL draft) and Vavae Malepeai (out of eligibility) and had suspended RB Kenan Christon enter the transfer portal.
That left Darwin Barlow, who is entering his second season with USC after two years at TCU, second-year RB Brandon Campbell and incoming five-star freshman Raleek Brown, who is expected to be used more as an all-purpose back spread around the field.
Adding Jones and Dye solidifies the backfield in a big way.
Dye had nine games with at least 80 rushing yards last season:
-15 carries for 87 yards and a TD vs. Stony Brook
-5 carries for 92 yards vs. Arizona
-19 carries for 96 yards vs. Stanford
-19 carries for 145 and a TD vs. Cal, plus 7 catches for 73 yards
-28 carries for 211 yards and a TD vs. Washington
-18 carries for 88 yards and a TD vs. Washington State, plus 6 catches for 25 yards, TD
-20 carries for 99 yards and 2 TDs vs. Oregon State
-15 carries for 82 yards and a TD vs. Utah
-18 carries for 153 yards and a TD vs. Oklahoma
Overall, a position that was a significant depth concern as Barlow is the only returning RB with any significant experience (mostly at TCU), now projects as a position of strength for Lincoln Riley's offense.
Dye is the ninth transfer addition for the Trojans this offseason and the fifth this week alone.