Lincoln Riley says USC plans to redshirt wideout Gary Bryant Jr. this season
Gary Bryant Jr. was spotted at USC practice Tuesday morning working with the scout team, according to multiple reports.
“Right now, the plan is he will redshirt,” head coach Lincoln Riley said of the third-year wideout when he met with reporters after practice.
That’s a pretty significant development in the USC receiver room. Bryant has just two catches for 15 yards this season. A year ago, he produced 579 yards and seven touchdowns on 44 catches for USC. As USC loaded up the receiver room this offseason via the transfer portal, Bryant and Tahj Washington stood out as potential difference-makers returning. Among all Pac-12 receivers, those two were the leading returners from the 2021 campaign.
Bryant has only seen 23 snaps on offense so far this season. He saw seven in the opener against Rice, six the following week against Stanford, and then 10 last week. Most of that usage has been in the slot.
Mario Williams and Washington have dominated those slot snaps through the first three games. Williams has seen more snaps so far this season than anyone — 100 total, with 81 of those coming in the slot. Jordan Addison and Brenden Rice have dominated the outside snaps.
The 5-foot-11 Bryant appeared in five of a possible six games in 2020, his first year on campus. He was the team’s lead kickoff return man. Last season, he solidified himself as a primary receiver in the pass game.
With three appearances already this season, Bryant will only be able to play once more this season in order to redshirt. USC plays Oregon State in Corvallis on Saturday, with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m. PT on the Pac-12 Network.