An LA Superior Court judge issued a stay Wednesday morning of Bryce Dixon's student conduct expulsion this past spring. The order means that USC will be required to restore the sophomore student-athlete tight end to the place where he was before the disputed and confidential student conduct process began last fall.

From those close to the situation, they say a number of details must be worked out for Bryce to return to school the week after next for the fall semester and to return to the team.

Our understanding is that the USC football program has been well aware of this possibility, especially once Bryce chose to engage LA-based attorney Mark Hathaway, who has a strong record in this area representing students charged in this new Title IX-mandated process.

It was Hathaway who represented a UC-San Diego student in last month's landmark decision in San Diego Superior Court that the Department of Education's requirement for schools in sexual assault cases, as a number of legal scholars have contended, is unconstitutional. And that students found guilty in those proceedings should get their day in court.

And until that time, they are to be reinstated at the point in their careers when the process interrupted them. In Bryce's case, he was allowed to finish out the spring semester but removed from the team for winter workouts and spring practice.

Our understanding is that he would have finished with a 3.0 GPA had his grades not been locked because of the expulsion and he's made it clear, his desire is to graduate in three years from USC. That's one of the reasons there was absolutely no talk of transferring during the last few months. Bryce was, is and always plans to be a Trojan, say those close to him during this time.

Bryce enrolled at Oxnard College for several classes this summer and has been doing speed work this summer. Just 19 and still growing, Bryce, according to those who have seen him recently, is nearly 6-foot-6 and 245 pounds and running under a 4.5 forty.

And even though it took the four-star recruit a while to figure out the college game, and for USC to figure out how to use him, Dixon finished with 14 catches for 198 yards, a 14.1 average that was best on the team for anyone with more than 10 catches, with a long gain of 48.

What has USC fans salivating in terms of the football near future is combining Dixon's speed and hands and leaping ability with the likes of dynamic receivers like Adoree Jackson, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Steven Mitchell and Tre Madden.

How quickly this can happen, how quickly USC can respond to the judge's order, whether there are any hurdles with the football part of the reinstatement is anyone's guess. What is known is that the USC coaches knew this could well be coming down the pike this week.

The interesting development in how this has all played out is that for a time this spring, Bryce was the one returning scholarship tight end with Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick working to remain academically eligible, which remains his main focus before he can return to the team this summer.

That left impressive walkon Connor Spears, the 6-6, 255-pound Columbia transfer, who earned first-team reps in spring practice. And then Caleb Wilson, son of D-line coach Chris, walked on from Serra High. He was joined by former O-lineman and now a grad student, Cyrus Hobbi.

USC knew that tight end recruit Tyler Petite would also be arriving in the summer but then picked up a pair of transfers. Oklahoma's Taylor McNamara after graduating in three years, will be immediately eligible with a blueshirt scholarship.

Then Florida's Daniel Imatorbhebhe signed on, following in the footsteps of his younger brother, USC commit Josh. And now there were a potential six -- or eight.

Just another snapshot of a USC program never hurting for news. As we say, "Stay tuned. Don't miss a day. Something could change."

USC's statement (from the university, not the Athletic Department we are advised) was put out this afternoon. Here it is:

Statement from the University of Southern California

August 12, 2015

The university stands by its student disciplinary processes that were conducted in compliance with state and federal regulations and its decisions in this case. We will carefully evaluate the judge's written order once it is issued in order to determine our next steps. # # #

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