Ricky Town to transfer from USC

Freshman quarterback Ricky Town has been granted a release from his scholarship at USC and will transfer to another school, Trojans coach Steve Sarkisian announced Sunday.

"Ricky Town has decided to transfer," Sarkisian said. "We wish him the best of luck. He's worked really hard, been a great member of our program, and I'm sure wherever he goes he will be a good member of their program as well."

Since fall semester classes have not started at USC, Town will be able to transfer to another school immediately and sit out the season as a redshirt. He will be eligible to play in 2016.

Town, who was ranked as the No. 10 QB-pocket passer by ESPN in the Class of 2015, had enrolled early at USC to take part in spring ball and get a jump on what he thought would be a promising career.

At one point, the St. Bonaventure (Ventura, California) product had been a verbal commit to Alabama before flipping his commitment shortly after Sarkisian had been hired at USC. Town also had offers from Stanford, UCLA, Florida State and Georgia, among others.

Town was one of two freshman quarterbacks in this class for the Trojans, along with Sam Darnold. While Darnold has received a lot of praise for his early work in camp, Town had seen his share of first-year struggles through spring ball and into fall camp.

This isn't the first time USC has brought in two quarterbacks in the same class only to see one of them leave.Cody Kessler came in with Max Wittek, but after Kessler won the job, Wittek eventually transferred to Hawaii.

The Trojans' depth chart at quarterback now includes Kessler, who is a senior, redshirt sophomore Max Browneand Darnold. Redshirt freshman Jalen Greene came in as a quarterback but moved to wide receiver in the offseason.

USC has a verbal commit from ESPN 300 quarterback Matt Fink for the Class of 2016 and is one of the finalists for Tate Martell, the No. 32 player in the ESPN Junior 300 for the Class of 2017. Martell will announce his college choice on Thursday.