Woody Marks

The 2023 Trojan backfield was essentially wiped out this offseason, with top rusher MarShawn Lloyd heading to the NFL, followed by second-leading rusher Austin Jones. Marks will join a new-look USC, and he has the chance to make some noise in his final season of collegiate football. The 5-foot-10 running back played his first four seasons with Mississippi State, where his numbers as a rusher were capped a bit due to the air-raid scheme. However, he does have 154 catches to his name through three seasons, so there are no concerns about him being a three-down option. The Trojans offense has plenty of passing game turnover, headlined by quarterback Caleb Williams' reign coming to an end in favor of Miller Moss, who impressed in his Holiday Bowl audition. Marks will get one final year with a clean slate and may be relied on heavily as USC searches for its identity with many key players missing. Read Past Outlooks