USC Trojans running back Waymond Jordan made an appearance at the New York Yankees game against the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday afternoon in the Bronx.
Waymond Jordan Throws Out First Pitch
Former Escambia running back, and top junior college recruit, Waymond Jordan Jr. signed with the University of Southern California during a ceremony on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2024. | Ben Grieco/bgrieco@gannett.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Waymond Jordan threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Yankee Stadium before Yankees-Reds. Along with him were a couple of other Trojans: defensive lineman Kameron Crawford and cornerback Jontez Williams.
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The three of them took a pregame photo with Yankees manager Aaron Boone.
“Hey guys, it’s Waymond Jordan. Excited to be out here in New York City representing the Trojan family out here throwing the first pitch for the Yankees,” Jordan said in a video posted by the Yankees official Instagram account. “Out here with Jontez and Kam. Fight on.”
Jordan will be entering his second season with the Trojans in 2026. He transferred from Hutchinson Community College to USC following the 2024 season. He was in the midst of breakout season in 2025 for coach Lincoln Riley’s team before suffering a season ending injury in USC’s home win over the Michigan Wolverines in October.
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In his six games played, Jordan had 88 carries for 576 yards and five touchdowns. This was good for an average of 6.5 yards per carry. He also had seven receptions for 55 yards.
Jordan’s return to the field will be a huge boost for the Trojans this season.
USC Trojans’ Offensive Weapons
Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) and head coach Lincoln Riley react after the game against the UCLA Bruins at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
While USC will be without their two top pass-catching options from last season, wide receivers Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane, much of their offensive production will be returning for another season. This starts with the quarterback position.
Jayden Maiava was the starting quarterback for USC in all 13 of their games in 2025. Maiava threw for 3,711 yards and 24 touchdowns. He was named third-team All-Big Ten. He was eligible to enter the 2026 NFL Draft, but opted to play another season for USC. That’s good news for USC, who now won’t have to deal with any sort of quarterback controversy as their season opener nears.
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There will be big change in the wide receivers room, but that doesn’t mean there is a lack of talent. With Lemon and Lane now in the NFL, the door is open for wide receiver Tanook Hines to take over as the go-to option through the air. As a freshman for USC in 2025, Hines had 34 receptions for 561 yards and two touchdowns.
Oct 18, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Tanook Hines (16) runs the ball against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the first half at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images
Arguably the biggest surprise for USC last season was the emergence of walk-on freshman running back King Miller. Miller became the lead back fro USC after the injuries to running backs Waymond Jordan and Eli Sanders. He ended up rushing for 972 yards on 156 carries with eight touchdowns. He averaged 6.2 yards per carry. Miller added 16 receptions for 111 yards.
The Trojans went 9-4 in 2025, missing the College Football Playoff. They have yet to make a playoff and that will clearly be one of the goals in 2026.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/usc as Three USC Trojans Make Appearance for First Pitch at Yankees Game.
