Former Pitt WR Jordan Addison Calls Transfer Decision ‘Gut Move’

The former Pitt star Jordan Addison said he considered transferring because of coaching changes in his old program.

PITTSBURGH -- Former Pittsburgh Panthers wide receiver Jordan Addison officially announced that he would transfer to USC ten days ago. The story of his decision to leave Pitt for the warm embrace of southern California has been compressed into a period of less than a month and during that time, Addison didn't comment publically.

But this weekend, while he was at the Steve Clarkson quarterback retreat in Santa Monica, California, the former Panther, Addison spoke to ESPN's Paolo Uggetti and tried to set the record straight.

Even before he entered the transfer portal, rumors that Trojan boosters were offering the star wideout millions of dollars in Name, Image and Likeness deals surfaced. So Addison reiterated directly to Uggetti a sentiment he had conveyed through spokespeople while he was in the transfer portal - this move is about improving as a player and bettering his draft stock.

"I was looking for a great coach and a good football opportunity," Addison said. "I'm still figuring myself out and what I want to do and I feel like I have a great opportunity to do that where I'm at now."

Addison reportedly called it a "gut move" and began to consider transferring in December, when the Panthers underwent some coaching changes. Offensive coordinator Mark Whipple resigned and went to Nebraska and Texas hired his position coach, Brennan Marion. What's more, his quarterback Kenny Pickett was destined for the NFL.

He added that USC's recruitment efforts included detailed looks into the potential for Addison to find even more explosive plays inside an offense coordinated by first-year head coach Lincoln Riley, who's widely considered one of the better play-callers in the sport today.

"A lot of people think like, you won a Biletnikoff, so how much can you get better?" Addison said. "But they showed me that I got a lot of improvements to do within my game, how I need to get better and how to maximize my game."

Transferring to USC also meant that Addison, who has already moved and enrolled in summer classes, could team up with fellow Washington, D.C. area native, Caleb Williams, a star sophomore quarterback who followed Riley from Oklahoma to USC this offseason. The addition of Williams was just one more attractive part of the Trojans' pitch.

"Caleb is Caleb," Addison said. "You don't have to say much more than that. But just where USC is at, everything around it and with Lincoln here now, there's a lot of great things I feel like I can do in his offense."

Addison has faced heavy public criticism for spurning the Panthers, but said he still hopes Pitt wins "every game" this season. He's also comfortable and confident that he made the best decision for himself.

"You can't get everybody to agree with me," Addison said. "So I just had to figure out what I wanted to do and do it."

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