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USC Trojans Running Back Quinten Joyner Enters Transfer Portal, Announces Decision

USC Trojans running back Quinten Joyner has officially entered the transfer portal after weeks of speculation. The former 2023 All-American Bowl and Polynesian Bowl participant will have three years of eligibility remaining.

Kyron Samuels

Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans running back Quinten Joyner (0) runs the ball ahead of Notre Dame Fighting Irish safety Xavier Watts (0) during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans running back Quinten Joyner (0) runs the ball ahead of Notre Dame Fighting Irish safety Xavier Watts (0) during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
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USC Trojans running back Quinten Joyner has officially entered the transfer portal after weeks of speculation. The former 2023 All-American Bowl and Polynesian Bowl participant will have three years of eligibility remaining. The loss to the Trojans running back room, which will assuredly lose their leading rusher Woody Marks to the National Football League, is a massive one. 

Joyner, a 5-11, 216-pound running back from Paige, Texas, totaled 63 rushing attempts for 478 yards and three touchdowns this season. With a 7.6 yards per attempt average, Joyner led the Big Ten conference in yards per attempt. Joyner also added 89 receiving yards on the season with one receiving touchdown.

The news is a surprise, but with the transfer portal and NIL money being offered elsewhere, it makes it difficult to retain players like Joyner. While he was a small piece of the puzzle in the Trojans’ offense, Joyner’s talent wasn’t maximized. The 2024 Trojans had the biggest pass-to-run percentage ratio of any Lincoln Riley-coached team ever. 

That occurrence may have been a driving factor in the decision from Joyner. In any event, the Trojans have a new need to address in the transfer portal themselves. Expect USC to be in the running back market in the coming months. 

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Kyron Samuels
KYRON SAMUELS

Kyron Samuels is a former college and professional football player now a writer, analyst, & digital host. Kyron is a writer for USC Trojans on SI and contributes to Oregon Ducks on SI. A graduate and letterman at Jacksonville State University, Samuels was a three-year starter, two-time all-conference, and won three consecutive conference titles. After a four-year professional stint between the AFL & XFL, Samuels retired from football. In 2022, Samuels was inducted into the Fairhope Athletic Hall of Fame. Post-playing career, Samuels has become a credentialed sports media member covering the NFL, UFL, USFL, & college football. The NFL Combine, Reese’s Senior Bowl, & East-West Shrine Bowl are amongst the events Kyron has covered. As a guest and host, Samuels has been featured on ESPNRadio, FoxSportsRadio, & IHeartRadio. Outside of sports media, Samuels works as a scouting consultant and has experience coaching at the collegiate level.

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