Austin talks to coach about transferring

Having played only two minutes before sustaining a serious back injury last month, USC sophomore forward Kyle Austin has broached the possibility of transferring.

Coach Tim Floyd said Austin met with him Thursday and mentioned that he was considering seeking another school that would offer more playing time.

“I think that is an option for him right now at this point,” Floyd said. “We would hate to see him go, but he desperately wants to play.”

Austin played briefly in the Trojans’ season opener against Mercer before sitting out victories over the Citadel and South Carolina. He suffered a back injury in practice Nov. 21 and will probably require a medical redshirt this season, Floyd said, regardless of whether he stays at USC.

“I don’t know that he’s going to be able to return physically this year, at our place or the next place, if he does choose to go someplace else,” Floyd said. “We have not encouraged him to go. We would love for him to stay here, but he may view this as an opportunity go find another place at the semester” break.

Austin did not attend practice Friday and could not be reached for comment.

The 6-foot-7, 205-pound Austin played sparingly as a freshman, averaging 1.4 points, 1.6 rebounds and 7.3 minutes in 17 games. The highlight of his season came Dec. 9 against George Washington when he played 19 minutes and was a defensive stopper who helped the Trojans rally for a 74-65 victory.

Floyd had initially said Austin, who turned 19 in October, might redshirt as a sophomore after targeting areas for improvement as a freshman.

But Austin hoped a switch from power forward to small forward would lead to a more prominent role.

If he left, Austin would be the fourth Trojans player to transfer because of concerns over playing time since the beginning of last season.

He has graced the covers of at least five magazines, including Sports Illustrated and Slam, and has had his every move since the seventh grade examined in minute detail.

So what does O.J. Mayo think of the national coverage he has received since arriving at USC?

Nothing, really.

The freshman guard said he hasn’t read any of the articles and has only seen the magazine covers because he has been asked to autograph so many.

“They were pretty cool,” he said. “I guess it’s good for our team and good for the program, but I really don’t pay attention to it.”

Isn’t he the least bit curious to find out what’s being written about him?

“It’s the same old story, I’m pretty sure,” he said, noting that he’s being repeatedly asked “the same questions. They just write it a little different.”

Mayo said he had developed a better understanding of a reporter’s perspective after taking a USC journalism class entitled Entertainment, Business and Media in Today’s Society.

“You kind of get the inside scoop on how if there’s a story that needs to be unraveled ... [reporters] will do anything to break it first,” he said.

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ben.bolch@latimes.com