There is going to be a lot of opportunity coming up in USC spring ball beginning next week for several players who have been waiting for their chance to shine.

This is particularly true on the defensive side of the ball, with a pair of open starting spots at rush end and inside linebacker.

Scott Felix enters his fourth year in the program and had his most productive season in 2014 while appearing in all 13 games and recording 36 tackles, 1.5 sacks and five tackles for loss. Felix started start five games at rush end when J.R. Tavai was out with an injury, so he has that valuable experience. But Felix is going to need to show the coaches he is ready for more if he wants to secure the full-time starting spot.

Felix is likely to face competition from a pair of veterans who are also looking for bigger roles. Jabari Ruffin has been an outside linebacker to this point in his USC career, and he missed the 2014 season due to a knee injury suffered in fall camp so it’s unclear how much he would be available in spring. But there is a lot of speculation about the possibility of Ruffin moving to rush end when he does return. It makes sense to consider, particularly if Su'a Cravens is entrenched in his outside linebacker spot, as Ruffin has a lot of the skill set to make the switch. Charles Burks is heading into his fifth year as a player who has seen limited action with the ability to rush the passer. Burks would definitely want to have a solid spring to get the coaches' attention before one of the true freshmen (Porter Gustin?) gets a look in the fall.

The departure of Hayes Pullard in the middle of the linebacker group leaves a hole that isn’t clear in terms of who will take over. Michael Hutchings has spent two years as the primary reserve to Pullard and would seemingly get the first shot, but I don’t think you can say Hutchings has shown enough so far to think he is definitely ready for the role. Lamar Dawson could get a look here in spring; he missed the 2014 season with injury, but he has the size and experience to warrant giving him a shot. Olajuwon Tucker, who saw time in seven games last season as a freshman, is another spring option, as is early enrollee Cameron Smith. And you can be sure that all three freshman linebackers arriving in the fall (John Houston, Osa Masina and Gustin) could be in the mix as well.

On the offensive side of the ball, it’s a pair of pass-catching options who stand out, as Darreus Rogers and Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick will both head into spring as the favorites to land starting spots.

For Rogers, he was also the heavy favorite to get a starting spot last fall opposite Nelson Agholor, but JuJu Smith steamrolled past him and became that second option in the passing game. With Agholor (and George Farmer) gone and Smith now established as the No. 1 guy, Rogers has a real chance to solidify his role with a steady spring. He will face competition in the spring from early enrollee juco transfer Isaac Whitney, with another talented juco receiver arriving in the fall in De’Quan Hampton.

Cope-Fitzpatrick could be one of the more valuable additions to the USC roster this spring after missing the 2014 season due to academic reasons. Depth is an issue at tight end, even though Bryce Dixon does offer one of the more talented receiving options you are going to find at the position after a promising freshman season. What Cope-Fitzpatrick can offer, in addition to some solid hands, is a more physical presence as a blocking option, and you have to imagine he is highly motivated after being forced to sit out a year.

There are certainly other examples of players who are anxious to show they are capable of doing more. How about Justin Davis? There is opportunity at tailback, as it’s unclear how Tre Madden will return from his toe injury. Is this the time for Quinton Powell to make a move? USC coach Steve Sarkisian made it clear he wanted Powell to add bulk to be more of a physical factor, so it will be interesting to see where Powell is at in the spring. And we haven’t even mentioned Max Browne, the former No. 1 quarterback recruit in the nation who has spent two years progressing and learning, and this spring should be a great chance to judge how far he has come.