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Why USC Transfer Portal Running Back Quinten Joyner Chose Texas Tech Over Ohio State

Former USC Trojans running back Quinten Joyner announced today that he is transferring to Texas Tech. It's a homecoming reunion for the Texas native as he heads back to the Lone Star State after rushing for 478 yards this past season.

Gabriel Duarte

Oct 12, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans running back Quinten Joyner (0) takes a pass form quarterback Miller Moss (7) into the end zone for a touchdown in the first half against the Penn State Nittany Lions United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Oct 12, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans running back Quinten Joyner (0) takes a pass form quarterback Miller Moss (7) into the end zone for a touchdown in the first half against the Penn State Nittany Lions United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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The USC Trojans ended the regular season thinking sophomore running back Quinten Joyner would be the back for the future as Woody Marks is set to head to the NFL. However, things went sideways for the Trojans' plans when Joyner announced on Dec. 9 that he would enter the transfer portal.

It's a homecoming for the the Manor, Texas native. He announced that he will be transferring to Texas Tech hours after taking his official visit to Lubbock. Joyner also visited Ohio State prior to committing to the Red Raiders.

It's a big loss to the USC running back room. As a redshirt freshman, Joyner ran 63 times for 478 yards, good enough for 7.6 yards per carry. He tacked on three touchdowns in a backup role to Marks. With the loss of Marks and Joyner, USC will have lost 1,611 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns worth of production.

247Sports has Joyner listed as the No. 5 running back in the transfer portal. Coming out of high school, he was listed as the No. 4 running back in the class of 2023, and he chose USC over Oklahoma State and Arkansas among others.

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Sep 14, 2024; Auburn, Alabama, USA; New Mexico Lobos running back Eli Sanders (6) carries against the Auburn Tigers during the second quarter at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-Imagn Images / John Reed-Imagn Images

The Trojans have moved quickly to try and retool their running back room, landing one running back after hosting a handful of transfer portal backs over the past weekend. Former New Mexico running back Eli Sanders announced his commitment to USC on Dec. 18.

Sanders toted the ball 147 times for 1,063 yards and nine touchdowns for the Lobos this past season. Before his lone year at New Mexico, Sanders spent three years at Iowa State, where he ran for 703 yards and four touchdowns.

It's a homecoming of sorts for Sanders as he hails from Oceanside, California, but graduated high school from Chandler High School in Arizona. He comes to USC with one year of eligibility left.

The Trojans also hosted Bowling Green running back transfer Terion Stewart for an official visit earlier during the portal cycle. Adding to the running back position room through the transfer portal has been a point of emphasis that the USC coaching staff has been preaching. The transfer portal will close on Dec. 28.

Taking a look at the future of the running back room, The Trojans are also getting two freshman running backs from their 2025 recruiting class in Southlake Carroll's Riley Wormley and Dinwiddie County's Harry Dalton III. Both backs are listed as three-star prospects. On the roster, true freshman running back Bryan Jackson is expected to get a majority of the carries in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 27 vs. Texas A&M.

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Gabriel Duarte
GABRIEL DUARTE

Residing in Los Angeles, Gabriel Duarte is a senior at Cal State Northridge and is pursuing a degree in broadcast journalism. Gabriel is passionate about college athletics and is a writer for USC Trojans on SI and Oregon Ducks on SI. Gabriel has covered many college sporting events around the Southern California area including basketball and football for USC. Gabriel also writes for his local newspaper on high school sports.

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