USC’s depth chart comes into focus

USC’s spring-ending depth chart, already loaded with receivers, got deeper today when Coach Pete Carroll announced that junior college transfer Jordan Cameron had been admitted to school and would join the Trojans for the upcoming season.

The 6-foot-5, 230-pound Cameron played high school football at Newbury Park and attended Brigham Young in 2006 on a basketball scholarship. But Cameron, the brother of USC women’s basketball player Brynn Cameron, redshirted as a freshman and then transferred last season to Ventura, where he caught 22 passes for 438 yards and five touchdowns.

With freshmen Brice Butler and D.J. Shoemate scheduled to arrive this summer, Cameron gives the Trojans 11 scholarship receivers. Cameron also gives the Trojans another big receiver in the mold of 6-5 senior Patrick Turner and 6-4 sophomore David Ausberry, who are listed as co-starters and split end opposite flanker Vidal Hazelton.

Turner caught 48 passes last season, Ausberry 26.

“David’s caught up and he’s different,” Carroll said. “He has a different style than Patrick.”

The depth chart, as expected, featured no real surprises, with junior Mark Sanchez the starting quarterback, sophomore Stanley Havili the fullback and tailbacks Joe McKnight, C.J. Gable, Stafon Johnson, Allen Bradford, Broderick Green and Marc Tyler listed as co-starters.

Junior Anthony McCoy and redshirt freshman Rhett Ellison are co-starters at tight end.

The offensive line is a work in progress, Carroll saying it “remains kind of wide open. It’s still in question who’s going to be the starters.”

Sophomore Kris O’Dowd, however, is the starting center and senior Jeff Byers the left guard. Junior Charles Brown is listed at left tackle with junior Alex Parsons at right tackle and sophomore Zack Heberer and junior Thomas Herring listed as co-starters at right guard.

Sophomore Butch Lewis, who started three games at left tackle but sat out part of spring practice following ankle surgery, is listed as Brown’s back-up.

Sophomore Everson Griffen and senior Clay Matthews are co-starters at one defensive end spot opposite senior Kyle Moore. Senior Fili Moala is the starting tackle, junior Averell Spicer and sophomore Christian Tupou co-starters at nose tackle.

Seniors Brian Cushing and Rey Maualuga are slotted at two linebacker spots with junior Luthur Brown and senior Kaluka Maiava co-starters at the weak-side spot.

Senior Cary Harris and junior Shareece Wright are the cornerbacks, junior Taylor Mays and senior Kevin Ellison the safeties.

“It has the chance to be the best we’ve had,” Carroll said of the secondary.

Kicker David Buehler and punter Greg Woidneck are entrenched. Cooper Stephenson is the snapper and Garrett Green the holder. McKnight will handle punt returns and Gable and sophomore receiver Ronald Johnson are listed as co-starters on kick returns.

USC Two-Deep Depth Chart

Offense

SE Patrick Turner or David Ausberry

LT Charles Brown, Butch Lewis

LG Jeff Byers, Matt Meyer

C Kristofer O’Dowd, Michael Reardon

RG Zack Heberer or Thomas Herring

RT Alex Parsons, Nick Howell

TE Anthony McCoy or Rhett Ellison

QB Mark Sanchez, Mitch Mustain

FB Stanley Havili, Adam Goodman

TB Joe McKnight or C.J. Gable or Stafon Johnson or Allen Bradford or Broderick Green or Marc Tyler

FL Vidal Hazelton, Damian Williams

Defense

DE Kyle Moore, Gerald Washington

NT Averell Spicer or Christian Tupou

DT Fili Moala, Derek Simmons

DE Everson Griffen or Clay Matthews

SLB Brian Cushing, Michael Morgan

MLB Rey Maualuga, Chris Galippo

WLB Luthur Brown or Kaluka Maiava

CB Cary Harris, Josh Pinkard

FS Taylor Mays, Marshall Jones

SS Kevin Ellison, Will Harris

CB Shareece Wright, Kevin Thomas

P Greg Woidneck, Billy O’Malley

K David Buehler, Joe Houston or Jordan Congdon

SNP Cooper Stephenson, Alex Parsons

HLD Garrett Green, Greg Woidneck

KOR C.J. Gable or Ronald Johnson

PR Joe McKnight, Brandon Carswell or Stafon Johnson or Ronald Johnson