Ricky Town (8) is leaving USC. (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
Southern California true freshman quarterback Ricky Town has been granted his release from the program and intends to transfer.
A four-star recruit from Ventura, Calif., Town enrolled early at USC in January and will have to sit out a season per NCAA transfer rules.
“We wish him the best of luck,” Trojans coach Steve Sarkisian said Sunday. “He’s worked extremely hard, he’s been a great member of our program and I’m sure wherever he decides to go, he’ll be a good member of that program as well.”
The Trojans have good depth at quarterback, led by senior starter Cody Kessler and primary backup Max Browne, a redshirt sophomore. Town was competing for third on the depth chart with fellow true freshman Sam Darnold, a highly-recruited dual-threat quarterback. The Trojans also have redshirt freshman Jalen Greene, who has been transitioning to wide receiver.
Town was the No. 6-rated pro-style quarterback in the country by 247Sports.com, and originally verbally committed to play for Alabama before deciding in January to stay closer to home.
Sarkisian said Sunday was the first time he had heard of Town wanting to leave the program.
“(Sunday) was the first I’d heard of it,” Sarkisian said. “I just met with Ricky and he decided that he wanted to move on,” Sarkisian said. “I wished him luck.”
