Darnold has played sparingly this season, seeing action in all three games and completing 14 of 22 attempts for 136 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
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The offensive tackle, a true freshman, chose to transfer because he missed home, USC head coach Clay Helton said.
Either way, if Darnold succeeds and keeps the job, or Helton goes back to Browne again, the Trojan season is far from over.
For his part, Helton doesn’t appear to want these players to change their minds, reportedly telling the team: “Anybody who wants out, let me know and I’ll sign the papers”.
In addition to the Price situation, Helton over the past month or so has seen… The Trojans are in their worst scoring drought against Power 5 opposition since being held to two offensive touchdowns in losses to California and Arizona State in 1999.
USC will hope Darnold can turn things around after a rough start to the year for a team that entered the season at No. 20 in the Associated Press Top 25. “I’m confident in it after watching three games of watching him perform, seeing him in the arena and seeing what he can do”. His couple of series showed that he can bring the same accuracy and poise that Browne had with a little more athleticism and versatility.
Darnold said he was “stoked to finally get that opportunity”.
Darnold credited Browne for shaping his own preparations. ‘Which is amusing, ‘ Clay said in denying that any such thing had happened. As a graduate student, Browne is eligible to transfer after the season and play immediately.
“I had no idea”, he said. I owe it to them to stay ready, and I’ll be ready.
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Browne, a redshirt junior, said he already began thinking about his options for the future.
