Junior running back Marc Tyler may have the biggest and darkest rain cloud on top of his head than any other USC player on the football team, but that rain cloud may have deteriorated as Tyler was named as the starting running back for the Trojans when they face Hawaii on Sept. 2, according to Michael Lev of the Orange County Register.
Tyler, who joined USC among the 2006 class, has been hampered by injuries throughout his college career. The highly touted running back from Oaks Christian High School has only ran for 270 yards since enrolling.
With Allen Bradford and C.J. Gable suffering setbacks with minor injuries, Lane Kiffin had Tyler taking reps with the first team for the last couple of practices. USC could rotate with five running backs this season, but Kiffin said on Pac-10 Media day that he would like to only rotate with two.
Tyler showed flashes of dominance with short bursts of power in as many games in 2008, but was behind by others in the depth chart because of leg injuries. Now, fully healed and at 218 pounds (down 13 pounds from last year), Tyler is looking to establish himself as the running back everyone thought he would be since joining the Trojans.