Travis Dye Catches USC On Rebound

Alexander: Travis Dye gets to be a Trojan after all…

Dye wasn’t recruited by USC out of Norco High, but the former Oregon running back will be part of Lincoln Riley’s high-powered offense

Jim Alexander (OC Register —  LOS ANGELES — Travis Dye is finally a USC Trojan, after four years as an Oregon Duck and a few months of mixed emotions within the process of change.

The puzzle is why it had to take four years for the former Norco High standout to find his way back home.

The Trojans – the Clay Helton Trojans – certainly had their chance to recruit him. Dye was an All-CIF Division 2 performer as a runner, receiver and returner at Norco in 2017, and he was that season’s Big VIII Offensive Player of the Year in a league that features perennial power Corona Centennial, a school that has sent multiple stars to USC including current Trojans Korey Foreman, Gary Bryant Jr. and Tuasivi Nomura.

So, Dye was asked last week, how hard did the Trojans try to recruit him out of Norco?

Did he want them to?

“Of course,” he said. “I was always a big USC fan. My older brother (Tony, a safety) went to UCLA (2008-11), and so it would have been sweet from the jump to come to USC. But I was never a highly recruited running back coming out of high school. I had two offers, Oregon and New Mexico State, and I wasn’t going to go play for New Mexico State, no disrespect.”

Danna Dye, Travis’ mother – and an athletic trainer at Corona Centennial, before taking a leave of absence this school year to more closely follow not only Travis but middle brother Troy Dye, a linebacker with the Minnesota Vikings – noted that USC recruited Troy only late in the game, and he wound up playing at Oregon from 2016-19. And her thought was that USC not recruiting Travis out of high school, while frustrating, was probably for the best.

“I’m not going to say I was sad that they didn’t recruit him because I was not very impressed with the previous staff,” she said in a phone conversation this week.

“Working at Centennial for all those years, I’ve seen a lot of our athletes go to SC and I (was) just not impressed with the culture and what was going on over there. I was OK that both my younger ones chose Oregon at that time.”

It turned out well on both counts. When Troy Dye left Oregon he was the only player in school history to have led the team in tackles all four seasons and was a fourth-round pick of the Vikings in 2020. Travis is No. 5 on Oregon’s career rushing yardage list (3,111) and averaged 6.0 ypc with 21 rushing touchdowns and seven 100-yard games, including a 211-yard game against Washington last season and a 153-yard game in the Alamo Bowl against Oklahoma.

He also caught 83 passes for 869 yards and eight touchdowns as a Duck. The idea that Riley’s offense might give him more opportunities in that department, even with so many offensive weapons coming in, was a factor in his transfer, too.

“His running backs coach (at Oregon, Jim Mastro) did him a great service in that he pressed all of the angles of being in that position,” Danna Dye said. “Not only running routes and looking ahead – and Travis has this uncanny sense of seeing the field, kind of before it happens, so he hits those holes better – but (Mastro) made sure he blocked. And we just watched him go from a really (light) guy to being able to block in these last couple years, and that’s crucial.

“And he’s always had good hands. I think Oregon made him a better all-around back, absolutely. And now I just think this is going to be good for him, to learn a whole different system from a proven commodity.”

Dye didn’t say that he felt he had something to prove after the original snub by USC, though being passed up is never bad motivation. (And he did score what turned out to be the winning touchdown in Oregon’s 31-24 victory over USC in the 2020 Pac-12 championship game at the Coliseum.)

“I don’t take it personally,” he says now. “You know, there’s a billion kids in California. There’s a whole bunch of them that get overlooked with the skill sets like I have. I was just very, very glad that Oregon gave me that opportunity to show my skill set on a high stage, and I’ll always be thankful to them for that.”

The adjustment – from green, yellow and whatever other colors Oregon and Nike have in their palette to USC’s traditional cardinal and gold – was fairly seamless once he got on USC’s campus, Dye said, but there was some transition involved before that point. Dye took the Ducks’ offensive line out to lunch to break the news to them, and loosening the bonds established over four years was tough.

But Dye had the extra year of eligibility because of COVID-19 – he’s pursuing a Master’s degree in gerontology at USC – and the prospect of a coaching change at Oregon, from Mario Cristobal to Dan Lanning, and a new offensive system with the Ducks had an impact. And if he was to have a shot at the NFL, any college football player’s dream, this would be a make-or-break year.

“I needed to worry about my future at that time, and I thought USC (could) bring me a better future in football,” he said. “The decision was easy. But the transition part, and getting comfortable, that was the hard part. But I’m fully settled now, and very, very happy to be here. I’m a Trojan all day now, and whatever colors I’m wearing, I am solely into those colors.”

How hard was it? Danna said there were “probably about six to 10” video calls among family members to help Travis decide. As Danna described it, Troy broke it down to the basics when he referenced the Ducks’ coaching change and asked, “Is that the best coaching staff for you at this time? Will they be in the next couple of years? Yeah, maybe. But that has nothing to do with you.”

So the two sides go their separate ways, and though the Ducks and Trojans won’t square off in the regular season, there is always a possibility of a last hurrah in the Pac-12 championship game in Las Vegas on Dec. 2.

If USC qualifies, at least, there will surely be a caravan up I-15 from Norco to ‘Vegas.

ocregister.com

________

TrojanDailyBlog members  —  Always feel free to add information or new topics to the TDB which don’t necessarily pertain to any particular moderator post or member comment.

 

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Steveg
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Steveg
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August 16, 2022 11:13 am

NOA COMMITS TO USC!!

TrojanRJJ
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August 13, 2022 9:18 am

While I think Clay Helton fleeced SC and was paid about $15 Million to destroy SC football, SC has recovered and not only the football program but the athletic program is now in great hands and has a bright future in the new world of NIL/Transfers and what it is effect the deregulation of sports. By deregulation, I mean the “pay for play” NIL has made the NCAA irrelevant. First, in football, there is, in effect, no scholarship limits. The “pay for play” Texas Tech NIL is paying $25,000 to 100 kids on the football team (85 scholarship players and… Read more »

TrojanRJJ
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August 13, 2022 10:54 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

I think we both agreed that Stanford would not be part of the NIL/transfer “world”, any more than Harvard, Yale, or Columbia will be. Stanford views itself as an elite educational institution that allows elite athletes to attend. It does not view itself as a sports as a critical part of its mission, and hence it sees no need to compete for and to retain elite football athletes. I cannot imagine either Stanford or Cal tolerating its football players making more than its professors or coaches (which are viewed as professorial staff). Thus, I just cannot see either institution as… Read more »

Golden Trojan
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August 13, 2022 11:19 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

For a supposedly intelligent institution like Stanford, that is dumb. SBR obviously didn’t get or need USC permission. Some of these schools are dumb or just don’t care about sports anymore. Schools with NIL/collectives will even use it to get non revenue sports talent. If you don’t have a collective you are done as national caliber college sports.

ATL D.D.S.
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ATL D.D.S.
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August 13, 2022 4:04 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Stanford was the first major football power of what would eventually become the Pac-8, early 20th century. A private university like SC. It hasn’t always been a left-wing, elitist “our dung doesn’t stink,” cesspool of Marxism has it? I wonder when it turned bad?

ValleyTrojan57
August 14, 2022 3:29 am
Reply to  ATL D.D.S.

The “change” started in the early to mid 90’s then went full on Woke by the early 2010’s… For a very long time the ‘ford was a Conservative icon, then the “new money” of Silicon Valley infested it and the rest is history…

TrojanRJJ
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August 14, 2022 7:26 am
Reply to  ATL D.D.S.

ATL, Valley Trojan explained the date. I am far more interested in the “why”. Same transition is now underway at SC.

ATL D.D.S.
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ATL D.D.S.
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August 14, 2022 7:30 am
Reply to  TrojanRJJ

i think that you are indeed correct, unfortunately….

Golden Trojan
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August 13, 2022 11:14 am
Reply to  TrojanRJJ

Your observation on scholarship limits is spot on. I came to that same realization as well. For instance, Caleb Williams doesn’t need a scholarship. SBR can just roll that cost into his NIL. That frees a scholarship further down the depth chart for a walk on. Move on to Addison and so on. Eventually every player on the team has tuition covered.

Here’s a good one. Former Trojan baseball players in or retired from MLB go to SBR and set up NIL for the entire baseball team. No more stupid 7.5 scholarship limit in baseball! Batter Up! 

ATL D.D.S.
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ATL D.D.S.
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August 13, 2022 4:12 pm
Reply to  Golden Trojan

I have it on good authority that the basketball program (mens, of course) will be starting some sort of funding problem similar to the Scholarship Club for SC football, a very successful program copied by many other football programs around the country.

ValleyTrojan57
August 14, 2022 3:35 am
Reply to  Golden Trojan

Exactly! The Baseball team is in shambles… No way it should’ve fallen off the cliff like it has! But alas, the same was said about the football program under Hugs…

If the right group of guys from MLB get together and pool resources the Baseball program can look forward to bookin flights to Omaha on a regular, real soon…

ATL D.D.S.
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ATL D.D.S.
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August 13, 2022 3:53 pm
Reply to  TrojanRJJ

Excellent overview and summary of ramifications, RJJ. I give you a solid “A” for your paper.😎

TrojanRJJ
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August 14, 2022 7:25 am
Reply to  ATL D.D.S.

Glad you liked it. I am extremely grateful for SC having competent administrators and now coaches. The Administration had the vision to grasp clearly what was coming, devised a brilliant plan to adjust to it, and then implemented it flawlessly. SC is now at the forefront of collegiate football, specifically, and collegiate sports, in general.

SC Gator
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August 14, 2022 3:26 pm
Reply to  TrojanRJJ

I don’t want to get carried away about eliminating the need for scholarships.

Assume the collective gives $25K, even $50K, to every football player. They’re still students, and they still have to pay tuition. They’re not going to pay [part of] their tuition out of their NIL money. So who’s going to pay that? Is the collective going to pay everyone full tuition + $25-50K/year, and no one gets a scholarship? I haven’t heard anyone hinting at that.

ATL D.D.S.
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ATL D.D.S.
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August 13, 2022 4:17 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

I am not believing that Drake’s injury is “not serious.” The story in Atlanta is that because the city was built on an Indian burial mound, the sports teams are cursed. The Falcons’ first round pick getting hurt in his NFL debut is par for the course.

ValleyTrojan57
August 14, 2022 3:12 am
Reply to  ATL D.D.S.

Well not sure about Indian burial grounds, but over at GaTech the football stadium (Bobby Dodd) is built over an old septic pit… Which explains why the jackets Stink! So, maybe there’s somethin too the “legend” ahem…

ATL D.D.S.
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ATL D.D.S.
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August 14, 2022 7:37 am
Reply to  ValleyTrojan57

Careful, VT57. I am married to a Tech Alumna. Back in the day, Tech was quite the football power. but lately, your theory has as much validity as any. They do stink since their last NC in the early 90’s….

RialtoTrojan
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August 13, 2022 7:44 am

Riley has addressed concerns over the group “Student Body Right” saying he hopes the school and SBR can work together to stay in compliance. It would be foolish to turn their back on alumni wanting to help. Blvd LLC is only there to help students improve their social media, provide scholarship assistance and guide players towards opportunities in NIL. Student Body Right hasn’t said it, but is probably going to offer NIL money to students. Having read that many schools are forming groups to do just that, USC cannot just sit back and wait. The name part of NIL is… Read more »

John Weld
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August 12, 2022 7:41 pm

Drake London; catch and run for the Falcons…..

https://twitter.com/USC_FB/status/1558218091443601408

Steveg
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August 12, 2022 2:37 pm

Any writer that uses the Helton era to judge or gauge USC is sadly going to be mistaken. Things are so different now. Especially with the new Student Body Right coming to life and putting USC on an even stance with the other major universities. I don’t understand the position the hierarchy is taking about being so overly cautious, is it the fear of the ncaa coming again? I truly doubt the ncaa has the cajones to do it again, especially when SC is putting up such a scared cautious front. As they stand right now they offer about the… Read more »

ValleyTrojan57
August 14, 2022 3:41 am
Reply to  Steveg

One thing in SC’s favor goin forward, No Haden! The Nat’l Commies Against Athletes know full well AD Bohn won’t bend over an grab ankles like Haden did.

Besides, it’s my guess that AD Bohn & Pres. Folt were “read in” on SBR before anything about it dropped. They’re just playin their cards in this manner so as to Not give the Feckless NCAA even a sniff of a prayer they can take another dump on SC!

ATL D.D.S.
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August 14, 2022 7:38 am
Reply to  ValleyTrojan57

maybe,,,,

John Weld
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John Weld
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August 12, 2022 11:02 am
Steveg
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August 12, 2022 3:47 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

I read somewhere some writer predicted they would be in the top ten. Kind of overstating them I believe. Around 15 is a great place to start right now. #1 would be better but give it time.

SC Gator
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August 12, 2022 9:52 am

Clay Helton was a fraud. He was never the adult in the room. He’s not an adult. Adults understand that their actions cause results; competent adults understand why, and are able to change their behavior to produce different and better results. Helton has no idea that the sloppiness his teams display on the field is a product of how he coaches. He thinks the way to fix it is to look at the film on Sunday. He thinks everything will be better in November. When his team wins, it’s “Glory to God.” When his team loses, it’s “credit to the… Read more »

Golden Trojan
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August 12, 2022 10:29 am
Reply to  SC Gator

The Over/Under Wins for Georgia Southern this season, 4.5! What a turn around for the former “great” USC Head Coach! Hope you are happy Eagles fans! Trojan fans are beyond delirious.

volunteerTrojan
Major Genius
August 12, 2022 1:13 pm
Reply to  SC Gator

Since you brought it up, it cracks me up that coaches still use the words “tape” and “film”. Nobody’s used tape or film in 20+ years. Hey Clay, if you’re capable of moving into this century with the rest of us, you might try out this new word “video” in your post-loss pressers.

PN4SC
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August 12, 2022 3:15 pm
Reply to  SC Gator

Well said Gator. Helton repeatedly spews those useless platitudes, which even he knew were horsesh*t. He was like a politician, begging for another term, claiming prosperity was right around the corner. I am so glad we are free of that lying weasel. The folks at Georgia Southern was realize soon how they were duped, and they hired the second coming of Gomer Pyle.

volunteerTrojan
Major Genius
August 12, 2022 6:28 pm
Reply to  PN4SC

Actually, I think Helton out Gomered Gomer.

volunteerTrojan
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August 12, 2022 1:10 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Boom! Nice Friday post, you nailed it!

UtahTrojan
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August 12, 2022 8:22 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Even the look on Helton’s face just screams, How did we win this?

SC Gator
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August 13, 2022 5:06 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

It was clear in 2015 that Helton couldn’t compete against good teams. His first game as permanent head coach he got blown out by Stanford in the CCG. Then a loss to Wisconsin in the Holiday Bowl. And a 1-3 start in 2016 before Darnold rescued him.

Even the wins left you with doubts about Helton. How many “wow, SC looked really good” games can you name after 2016. I can think of one. Stanford in 2017.

ATL D.D.S.
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August 13, 2022 4:25 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

The Jake Olson story continues to be soooo cool!

SC Gator
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August 14, 2022 8:03 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

So the subject changes from how bad Clay Helton is to SC games played in extreme heat. You’re right about the Western Michigan game — it felt like 110 even though it wasn’t. But I remember 3 games at the Coliseum that were hotter than that one. The first was the Oklahoma game in 1963, during a heat wave so bad they shut down LAUSD. The recorded L.A. high, wherever they measured it, was 113. Who knows what it was on the field. So hot my parents wouldn’t let me go even though I had a ticket. Hottest day of… Read more »

RialtoTrojan
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August 11, 2022 8:57 pm

Maybe it’s time to come up with a cool names for our new team standouts. Does anyone remember the Trojan Truck? How about Sam the Bam?
Can we have “Never say Dye?” How about, “The Dye is cast?”

SC Gator
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August 11, 2022 7:07 pm

Even the moms knew Helton was a loser. Pretty harsh take by Mrs. Dye.

I knew in 2015 that Helton was a bad choice. Mrs. Dye knew it all along. You guys knew it. So how is it the people charged with finding a replacement for Sarkisian didn’t know and didn’t even have the foresight to ask me?

UtahTrojan
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August 11, 2022 7:19 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Pat Haden is more Domer than Trojan now. He never really cared.

Trojan5
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August 11, 2022 7:42 pm
Reply to  Allen Wallace

Haden & Swann were victims of EMTD—Everything Max Touches Dies.

rleeholder1
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August 12, 2022 5:01 am
Reply to  Allen Wallace

It’s rarely mentioned that Haden set up a “foundation” to get his kids into USC. Kind of a forerunner to “Varsity Blues”. Haden was a great USC QB, Rhodes Scholar, Rams QB and lawyer, but a little too slick for me after he retired from football. His stint as a Notre Dame football TV analyst further clouds my perception of him. When I first saw him on an ND broadcast, it reminded me of the Batman character “Two Face”.

TrojanRJJ
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August 12, 2022 7:02 am
Reply to  SC Gator

The initial mistake was to hire Clay. The larger mistake was to extend his contract. By the time of the extension, it was obvious to anyone with any football knowledge that Clay was an incompetent. Yet, he was given an extension at a significant pay rate, that made Clay a very wealthy man. The irony of it all is that if Clay had not been extended, we probably would not have gotten LR. I am approaching it with the view “All’s well that ends well.” The decision of both Haden and Swann to go along with Nikias’ desire to have… Read more »

HOF19
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August 11, 2022 6:16 pm

Just saw an interview involving the NY Giants defense including the Giant defensive coaches feeling confident in a certain 26 yrs. old DB being a defensive CAPTAIN ……His Name ? …….Adoree’ Jackson .