USC TE Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick to miss 2015 season due to academics
Tight end is one of the thinnest areas on the depth chart for USC and the position took another hit on Wednesday.
Trojans head coach Steve Sarkisian announced that Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick will sit out a second consecutive season in order to focus on academics. Sarkisian said the junior will rejoin the team in the spring after the season.
The 6-foot-4, 245-pound Cope-Fitzpatrick appeared in 23 games and had three catches in his first two seasons on campus. He was expected to see significant playing time for the Trojans in 2015, especially after it was determined that Bryce Dixon would not return to the team.
With Cope-Fitzpatrick out of the equation, the Trojans have true freshman Tyler Petite, Oklahoma transfer Taylor McNamara and walk-on Connor Spears competing for playing time at tight end.
McNamara played in 11 games in three seasons for the Sooners and had one catch. Spears, who started his career at Columbia, has not appeared in a game at USC. Petite was a four-star recruit.
For more USC news, visit TrojanSports.com.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
