USC’s Trojan Knights are back to protect the campus’ coveted symbol: Tommy Trojan.
The student spirit organization had been suspended last year due to alleged hazing and misconduct reports, according to Daily Trojan. This weekend, however, the group returned to their roles patrolling the mascot after DPS reported that two people egged Tommy on Sunday.
“Yesterday afternoon, we had two males approach the statue even though it was surrounded by members of the Trojan Knights, egged Tommy Trojan and took off running,” the DPS Assistant Chief David Carlisle told Annenberg Media.
Rohan Parepally, a senior business major and president of the Trojan Knights, said he sleeps and eats under Tommy Trojan the entire week prior to the rivalry game.
“We’re the guardians of tradition and rivalry week is one of our greatest traditions. Guarding our statues and guarding our traditions to make sure UCLA doesn’t mess with our campus is something we find really important,” he said. “So, now that Tommy has been egged we’re all a bit on edge and everyone has shorter sleeping schedules to make sure we keep our statues safe.”
USC will be playing UCLA in the biggest game of the season on Saturday, meaning that the rival week is in full force. Students in the Knights and Helenes said UCLA students seem to have their eye on them as the Knights camp out by Tommy Trojan during the week prior to the game.
While the Knights protect Tommy, the Helenes, another on-campus school spirit organization, is in charge of protecting Hecuba, the Queen of Troy, at the USC Village.
Alexis Peters, a junior majoring in narrative studies, has been a part of the guarding of Hecuba since she entered the university.
“A lot of people think it must be miserable but we’re all a part of the same organization, so it’s really just a big hangout. It’s really fun, actually,” she said.
Other traditions that took place during the rival week include the Conquest. USC will play against UCLA on Saturday at USC’s home field, the LA Coliseum.
Correction made Nov 21, 11:55 a.m.: a previous version of the story stated that “two UCLA students egged Tommy.” DPS has not identified the two vandals as UCLA students.
Correction made Nov 21, 4:38 p.m.: a previous version of the story incorrectly stated that Trojan Knights camped out in McCarthy Quad. They camped out by the Tommy Trojan.