The 2015 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. USC played their home games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and were members of the South Division of the Pac-12 Conference. On November 30, 2015, Clay Helton was named USC's permanent head coach.
Personnel
Coaching staff
Roster
Returning starters
USC returns 31 starters in 2015, including fifteen on offense, twelve on defense, and four on special teams.
Key departures include Javorius 'Buck' Allen (TB – 13 games), Nelson Agholor (WR – 13 games), George Farmer (WR – 4 games), Randall Telfer (TE – 12 games), Aundrey Walker (OT), Leonard Williams (DE / DT – 13 games), J. R. Tavai (LB – 9 games), Hayes Pullard (LB – 12 games), Josh Shaw (CB / S – 2 games), Gerald Bowman (S – 10 games), Andre Heidari (K – 11 games).
Other departures : Ricky Town (QB – Freshman – Arkansas), Bryce Dixon (TE), Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick (TE), Charles Burks (LB – Junior RS – Azusa Pacific), Rahshead Johnson (CB / S – Freshman – San Jose State), Lamont Simmons (CB – Freshman RS – Georgia Tech), Devian Shelton (CB – Sophomore RS), Peter McBride (SNP – Junior RS).
Offense (15)
Defense (12)
Special teams (4)
: Co-Started in 2014
Depth chart
2015 USC Football Depth Chart
Freshman : Freshman
Double Position : #
Injured : +
Recruiting class
Scholarship distribution chart
/ / * : Former walk-on
– 85 scholarships permitted, 80 currently allotted to players (Note: Ricky Town is still "counts" for 2015, bringing the total to 81).
–
–
– With four blueshirts, USC can sign 20 players in the class of 2016.
2015 NFL draft
* : Projected Round
Schedule
Game summaries
Arkansas State
(Q1, 0:03) USC – #7 Steven Mitchell Jr. 14 yard pass from #6 Cody Kessler, (#39 Alex Wood kick) – USC 14–0 (Q2, 9:38) USC – #23 Tre Madden 65 yard run, (#39 Alex Wood kick) – USC 21–0 (Q2, 4:40) USC – #48 Taylor McNamara 2 yard pass from #6 Cody Kessler, (#39 Alex Wood kick) – USC28–0 (Q3, 13:07) Arkansas State – #34 Michael Gordon 9 yard run – USC 28–6 (Q3, 6:28) USC – #23 Tre Madden 8 yard pass from #6 Cody Kessler, (#39 Alex Wood kick) – USC 35–6 (Q3, 3:46) USC – #25 Ronald Jones II 44 yard run, (#39 Alex Wood kick) – USC 42–6 (Q4, 10:26) USC – #58 Osa Masina 46 yard fumble return, (#39 Alex Wood kick blocked) – USC 48–6 (Q4, 4:21) USC – #28 Aca'Cedric Ware 6 yard run, (#39 Alex Wood kick) – USC 55–6
Idaho
(Q1, 12:57) USC – #22 Justin Davis 1 yard run, (#39 Alex Wood kick) – USC 7–0
(Q1, 09:28) USC – #22 Justin Davis 7 yard run, (#39 Alex Wood kick) – USC 14–0
(Q1, 04:25) USC – #9 JuJu Smith-Schuster 50 yard pass from #6 Cody Kessler, (#39 Alex Wood kick) – USC 21–0 (Q2, 15:00) Idaho – #5 Austin Rehkow 21 yard Field Goal – USC 21–3 (Q2, 12:05) USC – #23 Tre Madden 7 yard run, (#39 Alex Wood kick) – USC 28–3 (Q2, 05:48) USC – #23 Tre Madden 10 yard run, (#39 Alex Wood kick) – USC 35–3 (Q2, 0:25) USC – #39 Alex Wood 24 yard Field Goal – USC 38–3 (Q3, 09:41) Idaho – #13 Bobby Cowan 10 yard pass from #10 Matt Linehan – USC 38–9 (Q3, 08:04) USC – #15 Isaac Whitney 28 yard pass from #6 Cody Kessler, (#39 Alex Wood kick) – USC 45–9 (Q3, 03:53) USC – #9 JuJu Smith-Schuster 41 yard pass from #6 Cody Kessler, (#39 Alex Wood kick) – USC 52–9 (Q4, 07:32) USC – #25 Ronald Jones II 1 yard run, (#39 Alex Wood kick) – USC 59–9
Stanford
(Q1, 12:09) USC – #23 Tre Madden 1 yard run, (#39 Alex Wood kick) – USC 7–0
(Q1, 02:55) STA – #18 Austin Hooper 15 yard pass from #8 Kevin Hogan, (#34 Conrad Ukropina kick) – USC 7–7 (Q1, 01:00) USC – #7 Steven Mitchell Jr. 6 yard pass from #6 Cody Kessler, (#39 Alex Wood kick) – USC 14–7 (Q2, 12:44) STA – #34 Conrad Ukropina 42 yard Field Goal – USC 14–10 (Q2, 09:49) USC – #9 JuJu Smith-Schuster 54 yard pass from #6 Cody Kessler, (#39 Alex Wood kick) – USC 21–10 (Q2, 04:21) STA – #22 Remound Wright 1 yard run, (#34 Conrad Ukropina kick) – USC 21–17 (Q2, 00:03) STA – #89 Devon Cajuste 17 yard pass from #8 Kevin Hogan, (#34 Conrad Ukropina kick) – STA 24–21 (Q3, 10:14) USC – #7 Steven Mitchell Jr. 1 yard pass from #6 Cody Kessler, (#39 Alex Wood kick) – USC 28–24 (Q3, 04:59) STA – #22 Remound Wright 1 yard run, (#34 Conrad Ukropina kick) – STA 31–28 (Q4, 11:25) STA – #22 Remound Wright 1 yard run, (#34 Conrad Ukropina kick) – STA 38–28 (Q4, 9:25) USC – #39 Alex Wood 36 yard Field Goal – STA 38–31 (Q4, 2:27) STA – #34 Conrad Ukropina 46 yard Field Goal – STA 41–31