USC Trojans Land Transfer Portal Kicker Caden Chittenden From UNLV Rebels

The USC Trojans had one of the best kickers in the Big Ten this season in Michael Lantz, a transfer from Georgia Southern. The Trojans picked up his replacement through the transfer portal in Caden Chittenden.

UNLV transfer kicker Caden Chittenden visiting USC. / Caden Chittenden/X

Last offseason, the USC Trojans utlilized the transfer portal to find their starting kicker in Georgia Southern transfer Michael Lantz. This year, USC head coach Lincoln Riley used the portal again to find another kicker, this time picking up UNLV transfer Caden Chittenden.

Chittenden was named as the Mountain West Freshman of the Year and made 24 of 30 field goals with his longest being from 52 yards in his true freshman season.

UNLV true freshman All-American kicker Caden Chittenden is expected to transfer to USC, @mzenitz and I have learned for @247Sports. https://t.co/0iizV24pBM pic.twitter.com/RUqefTww4C

— Chris Hummer (@chris_hummer) December 24, 2024

This is the second consecutive year that the Trojans have poached the Mountain West Freshman of the Year. Last year, USC picked up UNLV quarterback Jayden Maiava, who was the 2023 award winner.

Chittenden was named as a 247Sports freshman All-American, a Lou Groza Award semi-finalist and first team All-Mountain West. He is the sixth transfer portal pickup that the Trojans have made and the second special teams portal pickup after Valparaiso transfer punter Joseph Johnson.

This leaves USC with two solid options at placekicker for next season with Ryon Sayeri, a fellow true freshman kicker on scholarship as well. Sayeri did not see the field this season as Lantz handled all the kicking duties for the Trojans.

Chittenden was pursued by USC coming out of high school. He attended Faith Lutheran High School in Nevada, and was offered by the Trojans but ultimately ended up signing with his hometown school in UNLV.

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Kentucky’s Keeshawn Silver celebrates some good D against Southern Miss Saturday night at Kroger Field. Aug. 31, 2024 / Scott Utterback/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Chittenden figures to slot into the long term plans for the Trojans considering he has three years of eligibility remaining.

USC continues to be on the slower side of the transfer portal cycle with only four non-special teams players picked up. However, Riley and staff have made it a point of emphasis to use the portal to pick up key positions of need.

The Trojans had a glaring hole along the defensive front with Gavin Meyer, Nate Clifton, and Bear Alexander all departing the team. USC acquired two defensive linemen from the portal in the form of Kentucky transfer Keeshawn Silver and Georgia transfer Jah Jarrett. Both players should see a sizable amount of snaps.

Coming into the program is also New Mexico transfer running back Eli Sanders, who will be the Trojans' starting running back come 2025. Another addition to the defensive side of the ball is San Jose State cornerback DJ Harvey. The Trojans are losing a lot of talent on the back end due to graudation, Harvey could easily find himself in the starting unit.

One position that the Trojans will need to address is wide receiver, especially after losing Zachariah Branch, Duce Robinson, and Kyron Hudson to the portal.

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