Trojans swipe transfer running back from Pac-12 opponent

While the Trojans wait on quarterback Caleb Williams to make a decision, they’ve addressed another need via the transfer portal. Former Stanford running back Austin Jones announced his commitment to USC on Thursday.

Ice cold like Polar Bear Toes. #Committed #FightOn ✌️ pic.twitter.com/avv7rSQxsc

— Austin Jones❄️ (@rockwitaust) January 20, 2022

Jones was a bright spot for the Cardinal over the last two seasons. He posted 1,351 yards and 12 touchdowns. In addition to his rushing yardage, the running back added 67 receptions for 531 yards and one touchdown in the receiving game.

Prior to joining Stanford, the former four-star recruit had a bevy of schools from around the country interested in him.

According to On3, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee and Notre Dame were among the schools to offer the running back. The Trojans, however, were not chasing Jones out of high school. Now, they bring him in as a proven commodity in the Pac-12.

The 5-foot-10, 195-pound running back will be immediately eligible to play for Lincoln Riley this season as it is his first transfer.

Former Oklahoma defensive back headed to USC

Another former Oklahoma player is heading to Los Angeles with Lincoln Riley.

Latrell McCutchin, who played cornerback for Oklahoma this past season, took to Twitter to announce his commitment to Riley and USC on Wednesday. He’s the second cornerback transfer the Trojans picked up Wednesday after former Colorado cornerback Mekhi Blackmon committed.

In nine games this year for the Sooners, McCutchin had nine solo tackles and two forced fumbles as a freshman. He was a four-star recruit out of high school and the No. 24 cornerback recruit from the Class of 2021, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Riley and Co. have been hitting the transfer portal hard this offseason as they transition to their new program. USC also landed a commitment from Brenden Rice, son of NFL legend Jerry Rice who transferred from Colorado.

But the Oklahoma connections continue beyond McCutchin. Former Sooners wide receiver Mario Williams announced his commitment on Saturday after a solid freshman campaign under Riley at OU. He had 35 receptions for 380 yards and four touchdowns for the Sooners in 2021.