USC football: Freshman Bryce Dixon on track for playing time

USC’s dearth of tight ends is cause for concern, but freshman Bryce Dixon is alleviating some of the anxiety for the Trojans.

The 6-foot-4, 240-pound Dixon made several dynamic plays during the first week of training camp.

It was a welcome sight for Coach Steve Sarkisian, who announced on Monday that junior Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick was academically ineligible.

That leaves USC with only two scholarship tight ends: senior Randall Telfer and Dixon. Senior walk-on Chris Willson also will play.

Dixon caught 64 passes, 14 for touchdowns, as a senior at Ventura St. Bonaventure High. His blocking is a work in progress, but he is expected to make an immediate impact.

“In the short term,” Sarkisian said, “that guy is a weapon in our passing game that hopefully we’ll see early on in the season.”