If tailback Emmanuel Moody carries through with his transfer plans, it has to be the first time a college athlete made the move on the very day he also made the cover of Sports Illustrated. OK, even a regional cover.

But it makes sense. USC does have too many tailbacks. And Moody last week was the one who seemed most acutely aware of that fact, agreeing that he would do his best, make his case on the field and then see what happened. But he acknowledged that a number of others were doing the same thing and only one, at the end, could be on the field at a time. For the outstanding players watching on the sideline, Moody predicted “chaos.”

But if you look at USC’s 10-deep tailback spot, sixth-year post-grad Hershel Dennis, coming back from two years of injuries, wasn’t going anywhere. Nor were fifth-year finishers Chauncey Washington and Desmond Reed, in the best health of their injury-hampered careers.

Nor were local guys Allen Bradford, C.J. Gable and Stafon Johnson, all of whom were getting plenty of work.

Nor was freshman Joe McKnight, with the lone clearly delineated role as the home run hitter ala Reggie Bush.

Nor was 245-pound freshman Broderick Green, getting all the work he could handle as the coaches decided what the big Arkansas brings to the table.

Nor would all-world recruit Marc Tyler, yet to be cleared by the docs with his broken leg surgery still healing.

That left the talented Moody, the Texan who’d missed the end of last year with a hamstring injury and now was missing out the last week with a bruised calf. He’s explosive, maybe not as good with the ball as say a McKnight, but a talent nonetheless.

Whether it’s Oklahoma State or wherever he lands, he should have a fine college career. And leaving now means he’ll miss just this season and be ready to go next year. Had he stayed into the fall to see how this all might play out, he’d miss next season as well.

The time was right.