USC Seniors Enter the Coliseum for the Final Time

This group of USC seniors has been through plenty of ups and downs. The members of the 2017 recruiting class that used their Covid year and stuck around for a sixth season bring a 43-25 career record into this regular-season finale against Notre Dame. That group won a Pac-12 championship as true freshmen in 2017 and will play for a second next Friday in Las Vegas. It helped post two double-digit win seasons and also saw the lows of a 4-8 season in 2021. And whatever happens in the coming weeks, they’ll play in their third bowl game at the end of the season, looking for their first win.

Players participating in the Senior Walk tonight took a number of different paths to this point, and include significant one-year contributors who arrived via the transfer portal. This group goes out having played a major role in one of the great one-year turnarounds in college football history.

Here’s a look at the players who participated in the Senior Walk ahead of USC’s final home game of the 2022 football season.

QB Brad Aoki – Former walk-on wide receiver-turned-quarterback. He is not listed on the 2022 USC football roster.

CB Mekhi Blackmon – A massive transfer portal addition this past offseason from Colorado. Blackmon has been USC’s most consistent cornerback all season and is a leader for the defense.

QB Mo Hasan – Hasan came over as a transfer from Vanderbilt and earned a scholarship with the Trojans. He tore his Achilles during the spring and missed this season.

RB Travis Dye – Another significant transfer portal addition for the Trojans. Dye received a huge ovation after serving as USC’s No. 1 running back all season until a lower leg injury against Colorado ended his season prematurely.

K Alex Stadthaus – Previously served as USC’s field goal kicker before settling in as a kickoff specialist for the Trojans this season.

RB Brandon Outlaw – A walk-on running back also earned time on USC’s special teams units.

DL Solomon Byrd – The rush end does have another year of eligibility remaining. He’s made some big plays for the USC defense this year at an important spot.

OL Joe Bryson – A walk-on offensive lineman who transferred to USC before the 2020 season.

OL Brett Neilon – A mainstay at center for the past four years for the Trojans. He’s been a major contributor on and off the field.

OL AJ Mageo – A walk-on offensive lineman.

OL Bobby Haskins – A vital transfer portal addition from Virginia this past offseason. He’s given the Trojans major minutes at left tackle and fought through injuries to do so.

OL Andrew Vorhees – Vorhees could have gone to the NFL draft last season but elected to return. He’s USC’s best offensive lineman and played a huge role in the Trojans’ success this season.

TE Josh Falo – The veteran tight end battled through multiple season’s worth of injuries during his career to make a big impact as a senior.

DL Brandon Pili – Another veteran who battled injuries, Pili missed all of last season but returned to play a vital role along the defensive line this year.

DL Nick Figueroa – A junior college transfer who has been a big part of the USC defensive line throughout his career.

LB Ralen Goforth – A fourth-year linebacker who has played a bunch of snaps for the USC defense.

LB Shane Lee – One of the most important transfer portal additions for the Trojans this past offseason. Lee is the heartbeat of the defense and has been a major contributor.

CB Adonis Otey – The cornerback has dealt with injury issues throughout his USC career, including this season.

Both linebackers in Goforth and Lee have another season of eligibility should they choose to use it. But this is their fourth college season.

USC’s offensive line will take a significant hit next season with the losses of Neilon, Vorhees and Haskins. Neilon and Vorhees have been rocks in the middle of the line this season and throughout their careers. Haskins dealt with injuries this season, but he was a significant transfer portal addition from Virginia.