Like every other position, USC is rich with talent and depth at wide receiver and tight end. The Trojans return every major contributor from 2008 with the exception of Patrick Turner (now with the Miami Dolphins). New offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates will have no excuses in his first season at SC; the skill position talent is as good as it has been in three years.

Head coach Pete Carroll always assembles a receiving corps full of blue-chippers, but this group seems especially potent.

The headliner of the unit is junior Damian Williams. Williams led all USC wideouts in 2008 with 58 receptions for 869 yards (15.0 YPC), and he finished second on the team with nine touchdowns. The former Arkansas transfer made a big impact in his debut season with the Trojans last year, quickly establishing chemistry with Mark Sanchez and becoming the most reliable option in the passing game. Williams ended the season with a masterful performance in the Rose Bowl, abusing the Penn State secondary for 162 yards and one TD on 10 catches.

In one year, he transformed from promising prospect to one of the best receivers in the country.

At 6-1 195 pounds, Williams possesses good size and an excellent skill set. He is the most polished route-runner that SC has had since former All-American WR Steve Smith, and he plays with an intuitive feel for the game that cannot be taught. Williams has solid speed (4.5), outstanding hands, and is a very good downfield-blocker (a skill he perfected with the Razorbacks since the passing game was rarely utilized).

The Springdale (AR) native has taken on a leadership role during the spring and summer, teaching the younger wideouts everything he knows in preparation for the 2009 season. Williams enters fall practice as a solid number one on the depth chart, and should help Aaron Corp a great deal as he transitions into being the starting QB.

Joining Williams as the starting split end will be lightning-fast junior Ronald Johnson. The 6-1 190 pound Johnson will provide the Trojan receiving corps with a formidable field stretcher (sub-4.4 speed). As a sophomore, Johnson finished third on the team in receptions, yards, and TDs with 33 catches for 570 yards and eight touchdowns (17.3 YPC). For his career, he has 40 catches for 680 yards and nine touchdowns.

Like Williams, Johnson enjoyed his best game of the 2008 season in the Rose Bowl. He caught four passes for 82 yards and two touchdowns against the Nittany Lions, and showcased his speed in front of a huge national audience.

Johnson has the ability to strike a defense quickly from anywhere on the field, and his presence must be accounted for at all times. The SC coaches have been raving about his off-season improvement, and Johnson himself has made it clear that speed will be only part of his skill set in 2009 as he expects to become a more complete receiver.

Johnson is also a dangerous return threat. He ranks 5th on USC’s career kickoff return chart with 1,000 yards. The Muskegon (MI) native will once again assume kickoff return duties on top of starting at wideout. The former Prep-Star All-American was given a 5-star rating by Rivals.com and rated as the #1 WR prospect in the country when he left Muskegon High School in 2006.

Johnson enters 2009 primed for his best season as a Trojan, and will be taking over the split end position that Patrick Turner manned in 2008.

Johnson’s main backup at split end will be junior David Ausberry. At 6-4 235 pounds, Ausberry is built more in the mold of past USC split ends like Turner, Dwayne Jarrett and Mike Williams, giving the Trojans a physical wideout that can overpower smaller defensive backs. He played sparingly in 2008, catching six passes for 85 yards and one TD. For his career, the junior has 32 receptions for 325 yards and three TDs.

The Lemoore (CA) native was a Parade All-American and Rivals.com gave him 4-star recognition during his prep career at Lemoore High School. He could be a factor in the red zone for SC, and should play quite a bit when the Trojan coaches want to utilize a bigger receiver.

Another reserve receiver that could make an impact in 2009 is junior Travon Patterson. At 5-10 175 pounds, Patterson possesses the quickest first step of any Trojan receiver, and has tremendous straight-line speed as well. He appeared in 11 games during 2008, but only caught three passes for 25 yards. For his career, Patterson has seven receptions for 88 yards. The Long Beach (CA) native was a member of USC’s track team in 2008. Patterson will look to showcase his explosive speed and quickness with more playing time coming his way this season.

Two other wideouts that could see significant time in 2009 are redshirt freshman Brice Butler and junior Jordan Cameron.

The 6-3 200 pound Butler is still very early into his Trojan career, but he may be too good to keep off the field in 2009. Butler impressed everyone that watched him in the spring, and will now look to carry that momentum into fall practice. The former Prep-Star All-American at Norcross High School (GA) is a physical receiver with a big frame, and also possesses elite speed (4.4). He was rated as a 4-star prospect by Rivals.com and was ranked #1 for the “Best Hands” category.

The 6-5 220 pound Cameron started his college career as a forward on BYU’s basketball team in 2006-07 before heading to a junior college and then to USC. He played sparingly for the Trojans basketball team last season, on top of playing receiver and tight end for the football team in 2008 as a reserve. His rare combination of size (6-5), speed (4.4), and leaping ability (40-inch vertical) make him an intriguing option, especially in the red zone. The Newbury Park (CA) native will look to make the most of his opportunities in 2009.

Tight Ends

The starter at tight end for the second year in a row will be senior Anthony McCoy. Last season, McCoy had 22 receptions for 256 yards (11.6 YPC) and one touchdown on his way to earning honorable mention All-Pac-10 honors.

At 6-5 250 pounds, he has the size to be an effective blocker and the athletic ability to be a pass-catching threat. The Fresno (CA) native was a two-sport star at Bullard High School (CA) (football, basketball) and Rivals.com rated him as a 4-star prospect. McCoy will need to play his best football as a senior since he will be called on to make plays as a blocker and in the intermediate passing game for young Aaron Corp.

Behind McCoy on the depth chart is Rhett Ellison. The 6-5 255 pound redshirt sophomore may not be the starter but he should play extensively in 2009. Last season as a freshman, he caught four passes for 58 yards (14.5 YPC). Ellison will be used most when the Trojans go to their two-tight end sets, and he should compliment McCoy nicely. The Portola Valley (CA) native is extremely sure-handed, giving USC yet another red zone option.

Pushing Ellison hard for playing time is ultra-talented sophomore Blake Ayles. Ayles may be significantly better than McCoy and Ellison by the time his SC career is over, but he is only a sophomore right now. At 6-5 245 pounds, Ayles is a balanced tight end with a similar skill set to Arizona star Rob Gronkowski.

The Orange Lutheran High School (CA) standout played his prep football with Aaron Corp. Ayles was rated as the #2 tight end in the 2008 class by Rivals.com and he was given 4-stars, while receiving a 5-star rating from Scout.com. He enters fall right behind Ellison on the depth chart.

Other receivers and tight ends competing for time are: sophomores Brandon Carswell and Drew Ness, and freshman De’Von Flournoy.

My Take

A year ago, most people probably expected the 2009 USC receiving corps to be led by Vidal Hazelton (who has transfered to Cincinnati) but I think it’s safe to say that SC fans are happy with his replacement, Damian Williams. Williams is one of my favorite players in the conference, and a true class act with an infectious personality. He will lead a group of wideouts that are capable of restoring the production that was present when Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith ruled the Pac-10.

I am excited to see the “new” ROJO (Ronald Johnson) because he seems anxious to prove to everyone that he is more than just a vertical, go-route type of receiver. I also want to see if Ausberry can become the next great big-target receiver for USC.

At tight end, McCoy will be serviceable at the very least. He and Ellison give the Trojans a couple of steady providers, but I like Ayles more than either of them. I don’t know when Pete Carroll is going to unleash him, but when he does, watch out.

Overall, its all systems go for the SC receiving corps in 2009.