The usual offseason roster attrition continued Monday for USC, as redshirt senior safety C.J. Pollard announced he will enter the NCAA transfer portal.
Pollard totaled 31 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 1 pass breakup over 27 career games at USC, but he played just 92 snaps on defense this past season including only one game with more than 13, per PFF College's data.
Pollard has one year of eligibility remaining and will seek to find a larger role at another program. As a graduate transfer, he would be immediately eligible next season.
With Isaiah Pola-Mao and Talanoa Hufanga locked in as USC's primary starting safeties when healthy, there was no path to regular playing time for Pollard. When Hufanga missed time with injury, Chase Williams was the one who stepped in to replace, and Briton Allen will be pushing for a larger role as a sophomore this year as well.
Walk-on Jordan McMillan is the other returning safety on the depth chart. While its not one of USC's deepest positions, the Trojans have ample depth at cornerback and nickel and could certainly slide one of their many young players at those positions -- such as third-string nickle Kaulana Makaula, who was recruited as a safety -- over to safety if needed. Starting nickel Greg Johnson also got some snaps at safety last season.
With talented redshirt freshman Max Williams -- the Trojans' No. 2 nickel last fall when healthy -- looking to push for a larger role in his second season, it makes sense that USC could reassign a player like Makaula. But those questions will be addressed when spring practice starts in March.
Pollard's decision makes sense for him as he'll likely find a better path to playing time elsewhere, and if he does indeed transfer out it gives USC another scholarship to lose at a time when the Trojans are very limited in that department. USC signed 12 players during the early signing period and has only a few more scholarships to give out at this time.
Pollard is the third USC player to enter the transfer portal this offseason, following WR Velus Jones (who transferred to Tennessee) and OT Clayton Bradley.
