Redd boosts RBs at Southern Cal

Silas Redd, formerly of Penn State, is fitting in after transferring to Southern California. GENE J. PUSKAR / AP
Silas Redd, formerly of Penn State, is fitting in after transferring to Southern California. GENE J. PUSKAR / AP
Associated Press
Posted: August 09, 2012

LOS ANGELES - Silas Redd is already fitting in at Southern California despite having only practiced with the Trojans for two days.

"Obviously we know he's a great football player," Southern Cal center Khaled Holmes said Tuesday. "But he's a great character guy as well. He'll be able to contribute leadership on and off the field."

Heading into the season, the Trojans' running game was seen as a weakness by critics, one that relied on Curtis McNeal and D.J. Morgan. Now, with Redd, who transferred from Penn State, that position has added depth.

"We would have found somebody to step up, but it's a nice comfort because he's making everybody better," running backs coach Kennedy Polamalu said.

Morgan, who had 42 carries for 163 yards last season, sees the competition the same way.

"I came here knowing I was going to compete," Morgan said. "No matter who it was going to be, no matter if it was a late transfer or a new recruit, this program is based off competition. A lack of depth is a lack of competition."

While it's likely that McNeal will be the Trojans' main running back, the second spot could be between Redd and Morgan.

Polamalu believes that Redd's coming in as a junior gives him a natural maturity and leadership that will be helpful to a group made up of Morgan, a redshirt sophomore, and Allen, a redshirt freshman.

"[Redd] is a humble young man, and he works hard. And then he runs hard, and he wants to be great," he said. "It's a really good complement to Buck, D.J., that young group. He has some maturity to him because he's played a lot of snaps."

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