The departure of three-year starter Cody Kessler comes as a relief to the other USC quarterbacks eager for playing time. But perhaps just as excited as the Trojans’ wide receivers, who often felt like Kessler focused too much on a marquee receiver.
Last year, JuJu Smith-Schuster caught 89 passes for 1,454 yards. The No. 2 receiver in yardage, Adoree Jackson, caught 27 passes for 414 yards. That 1,040-yard difference between the top two receivers is the greatest disparity since Keyshawn Johnson played in 1994.
“It was real frustrating,” senior wide receiver De’Quan Hampton said. “We were all feeling that.