Preferred Walk-On Dorian Singer Chooses USC’s Winning Culture

Wide receiver Dorian Singer ready to step in at USC

The pandemic cost Singer opportunities to showcase his talent coming out of high school, but after two seasons at Arizona, he has joined Lincoln Riley’s Trojans offense

Adam Grosbard (OC Register)  —  LOS ANGELES — Dorian Singer doesn’t need to look far to remember his roots. A quick glance down at his thigh pad and he can see the outline of his home state of Minnesota.

Growing up there, he received 14 offers from FCS-level programs. But he thought he deserved a shot at Division-I college football. So he moved to Arizona, a decision that saw him lose his previous opportunities. As the pandemic hit and took away opportunities to showcase his talent, he found himself a high school graduate with no college team to join.

Two months before the preseason, the University of Arizona offered him a preferred walk-on spot. Singer took that chance and by the time his sophomore season was over, he was the Pac-12’s leading receiver with 66 catches for 1,105 yards and six touchdowns.

“This whole process for me has been different than for everybody else,” Singer said. “If you believe, then things just happen.”

Singer’s journey has now brought him to Los Angeles. He entered the transfer portal after the 2022 season and committed to USC in December.

Even as a sophomore at Arizona, Singer monitored the Trojans in their first year under Lincoln Riley. With the Wildcats relegated to so many night games, he watched USC as he waited for kickoff. He liked the deep shots the offense took, the trust Riley put in his receivers and quarterback to make those plays.

When he got to see the Trojans up close, Singer stole the show for long portions of the game, catching seven passes for 141 yards and three scores, each more logic-defying than the last.

“I remember my family came,” Singer said. “I remember I think it was my second touchdown, I pointed at my family.”

When he entered the transfer portal in December, he was looking for a new opportunity in a winning culture. The day the portal opened, he received a call from USC receivers coaches Dennis Simmons and Luke Huard.

He wasn’t the only Wildcat to get that call. Defensive lineman Kyon Barrs posted his offer on Twitter, and Singer reached out to see what he was thinking. Soon after, Arizona corner Christian Roland-Wallace got in the mix, too.

“We all three came in together. We had a good bond at Arizona,” Singer said.

Singer is working at the X and Z receiver spots for USC this spring. He’s finding that because Riley’s Air Raid is so conceptually focused that if he knows what he’s doing on a play, he also understands what his teammates are doing.

He’s a long way from where he started three years ago, with no offers and nowhere to go. But he doesn’t need to look far for a reminder.

“Hard work goes a long way,” Singer said. “I just believed in myself and the results showed.”

ocregister.com

_________

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Steveg
Noble Genius
Steveg
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March 24, 2023 8:12 am

There is probably nobody on the blog that hasn’t read Steve Bishef’s sports reporting. RIP and thanks for a job well done.

TrojanRJJ
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TrojanRJJ
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March 24, 2023 8:37 am
Reply to  Steveg

I personally knew Steve Bisheff and his family. We lived in the same neighborhood, our kids went to the same schools, and his second son swam and played water polo with mine. We attended neighborhood parties together. I moved out of the neighborhood when my kids started SC (about 30 years ago) but we would run into one another occasionally. The last time I saw Steve was about 8 years ago when my wife and I ran into Steve and his wife Marsha in the Sharkey’s Mexican Grill in Laguna Niguel. Sad to here of his passing. We would always… Read more »

Golden Trojan
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Golden Trojan
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March 24, 2023 8:36 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

The Ruins seemed to run out of gas at the end. They couldn’t make shots they were making earlier and let Gonzaga get back in the game. Still anybodies game at the end. Zags made the shot. Have to admit I was rooting for Bulldogs.

TrojanRJJ
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TrojanRJJ
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March 24, 2023 8:40 am
Reply to  Golden Trojan

GT, I thought the difference between the halves was Gonzaga stopped making turnovers and UCLA went ice cold when they had to run their O without the fast break points. It reminded of the SC/UCLA game, where UCLA had a huge lead against the Trojans at the half and then went ice cold.

RialtoTrojan
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RialtoTrojan
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March 23, 2023 9:42 pm

This is how good the jinx is. I gave Mrs. Rialto the money to bet on Ucla for me. She got waylaid by a quarter machine and spent it. So during the game she was rooting for Ucla and when we left casino when Ucla had a 10 point lead. So by the time we crossed the bridge back to our lodging Ucla had gone cold. She’s still rooting for Ucla but changing the station. I finally explained that the last minute could last 10 minutes. Ucla finally gets a lead and I tell her I am rooting for Gonzaga… Read more »

rleeholder1
rleeholder1
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March 24, 2023 7:13 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Moss has the right attitude and he can look at Matt Cassel and hope his career takes a similar path. Matt played behind Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart, two Heisman winners. Cassel got a big break in his NFL career when he filled in for an injured Tom Brady one season and did very well for the Patriots. It landed him a starting job in Kansas City that didn’t pan out too well and he ended his career as a backup for a couple of teams.

Golden Trojan
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Golden Trojan
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March 24, 2023 8:13 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

If Miller Moss ever has thoughts of becoming a head coach he is in a great spot to learn from the best. Lots of head coaches were back up QBs on college.

TrojanRJJ
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TrojanRJJ
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March 24, 2023 8:46 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

My guess is he stays this year and then transfers. He has a chance to play this year if Caleb goes down. LR is also the best QB coach in the nation and he gets to learn from one of the best ever – a rare opportunity. If he gets the chance to play and shines, his value increases for NIL. Smart kid. It is the right move. If he does not get to play and he gets beat out by Lemon, then he should leave. Right now is not the time.