In a season that hasn’t gone entirely as expected for the USC Trojans, running back Woody Marks has emerged as one of the team’s few consistent highlights.
Marks has been impressive on the ground, rushing for 755 yards on 133 carries with an efficient 5.7 yards per carry. When the Trojans put the ball in Marks’ hands, good things tend to happen. With eight rushing touchdowns so far, he has upheld the tradition of making USC’s running back position one of the team’s key strengths.
Some might argue, however, that Marks poses an even greater threat as a receiver than as a runner. Leading the team with 30 receptions and ranking fourth in receiving yards with 234, Marks has proven to be a versatile weapon in both the run and pass game.
Over the first eight games, Marks has topped the 100-yard rushing mark in half of them and came close in the Trojans’ recent game against Rutgers, where he ran for 94 yards and scored three touchdowns to cap off his performance.
Despite USC’s three-game losing streak, Marks delivered some of his strongest performances of the season, rushing for 134 yards against Minnesota and then recording a 111-yard game against No. 4 Penn State.
The graduate transfer’s season-best game may have been during USC’s 42-20 victory over Rutgers, where he rushed for 94 yards and three touchdowns, while also notching a team-high five receptions for 48 yards.
After that game, Marks shared his thoughts on breaking the team’s losing streak. “Just living up to the standard… just be some hungry people out there, just be free and play the game how it’s supposed to be played, play the game how USC is supposed to play,” he said.
Marks also emphasized the value he places on his teammates, especially the offensive line. “I lean on my teammates, the [offensive line] really. I love preaching to them guys, and I like how they preach to me. They always uplift me, I uplift them—even if it’s going wrong or bad,” Marks remarked.
Looking ahead, Marks and the Trojans will face Washington this Saturday as USC heads to Seattle for the first time in the Lincoln Riley era. 2.5 points currently favour USC, according to ESPN BET, and ESPN’s Football Power Index gives the Trojans a 67.9% chance of victory.
