USC TE Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick out in 2015 over Academics
Written by Ryan Wright
Playing tight end for USC seems like a cursed proposition waiting to happen as the 2015 college football season nears. An already thin position for the Trojans took a big hit on Wednesday with the announcement that Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick would miss the entire 2015 season due to academics.
Cope-Fitzpatrick missed the entire 2014 season due to academic ineligibility, and now a second consecutive season of disappointment and frustration for USC fans. The 6’4”, 245 pound, athlete was a Super Prep All-American out of Whitney High School in Rocklin, California. Over the course of his freshman and sophomore seasons he played in 23 games as a reserve totaling three receptions for 16 seeing the majority of his playing time on special teams. His junior season was supposed to be a breakout year in new head coach Steve Sarkisian’s spread offense highlighting the passing game.
The tight end position was bolstered in the 2014 recruiting class with St. Bonaventure second-team Parade All-American Bryce Dixon. Dixon played in 12 games totaling 198 yards on 14 receptions with four touchdowns. For a second consecutive season yet another USC tight end was poised for a breakout season but Dixon’s career in Los Angeles has been put on hold after an alleged sexual misconduct charge was brought against him.
In May Dixon was expelled from school but a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge put the expulsion on hold until USC’s investigation into the matter was completed. Dixon is on an athletic scholarship at USC but is not allowed to participate with the team until the charges are resolved. The 19-year-old was reportedly considering legal action against USC for the right to play football this season but that option was stopped by Dixon on Tuesday.
The Trojans are left with redshirt sophomore Connor Spears at tight end. Spears (6’6”, 245) is a walk-on from Dakota Dunes, South Dakota (Bishop Heelan HS). Spears played his first collegiate season at Columbia appearing in five games coming up with three receptions for 32 yards.
Offensive coordinator Clay Helton might be able to lean on true freshman Tyler Petite for production. As a senior at Campolindo High School, Helton turned 37 receptions into 969 receiving yards and nine scores. He was a 2014 Prep Star All-American and a MaxPreps All-American Small Schools first-team.
If all of the troubled but talented tight ends can take care of off-the-field issues USC will be loaded for the 2016 season with the addition of true freshman transfer Daniel Imatorbhebhe. Imatorbhebhe was an early enrollee at Florida going through spring practices with the Gators but transferred over the summer to USC.
Photo credit: reignoftroy.com; No. 88 Jalen Cope-Fitzpartick with No. 9 JuJu Smith.