During his media availability at practice on Tuesday, USC football head coach Lincoln Riley gave updates on two of USC’s key defensive linemen.
Let’s dive in to what they are and how they affect the Trojans this week against Northwestern and beyond.
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No more “thicc sixes”
Unfortunately, USC defensive tackle Jamaal Jarrett is going to miss the rest of the season. Jarrett, who hasn’t played in a game since USC’s 34-32 loss to Illinois in September, had season-ending surgery, Lincoln Riley said.
Jarrett is a rotational piece and will finish the season with only 3 tackles. But he did have one of the most memorable moments of USC’s season when he returned a tipped pass interception for a touchdown against Purdue. Football fans across the country loved watching all 6’5” and 365 pounds of Jarrett sprint 70 yards for the TD.
Jarrett was valuable when USC needed extra size in run packages. Without Jarrett, USC will roll with Devan Thompkins, Jide Abasiri, Keeshawn Silver and Jahkeem Stewart at the position for the rest of the season.
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Jarrett is a redshirt sophomore and therefore has eligibility to return to USC next season if he chooses.
Floyd Boucard back at practice
It’s not all bad news on the defensive line. Freshman defensive tackle Floyd Boucard was back at practice on Tuesday in full pads.
Boucard has been out for several weeks with a knee injury. He played since USC’s 31-13 win over Michigan on October 11.
Boucard was one of USC’s most exciting young players before his injury. He has 5 tackles on the season including a sack.
His participation in practice is not a surefire indication that he will be back for this Friday’s game against Northwestern, but it’s a good sign that he will return some time during the home stretch of the season against Iowa, Oregon and UCLA.
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This is good both for USC’s present and future, as the more Boucard plays, the more he will likely develop into a consistent player.
Lincoln Riley’s comments on injuries
Riley also made some comments on injuries in general, saying USC’s ability to beat teams like Michigan and Nebraska despite their injury issues shows the culture that is being built in USC’s program.
“It speaks more to the overall culture,” Riley said Tuesday at practice. “When you have a championship culture that is really starting to learn how to win again and starting to expect to win again every time you play, you find ways to overcome it no matter what it is…seeing it come to fruition is a great, healthy step for this program.
USC’s defensive line needs to step up against Northwestern
The Trojan defensive line is perhaps the most deep, talented group on the defense, but they struggle with consistency. The D-line was great in the first four games and against Michigan, but struggled in USC’s 2 losses against Illinois and Notre Dame and was inconsistent against a bad Nebraska offensive line.
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Northwestern has a pretty good offensive line and they will try to run USC’s D-line down by running the football. If USC’s D-line can out physical the Northwestern O-line, that would be a game-changing help to the Trojans’ efforts on Friday night.
Perhaps Boucard will return and bring fresh energy that can help that position group succeed.
Other injury updates
USC sophomore wide receiver Zacharyus Williams was also fully dressed for practice on Tuesday. Williams is a transfer from Utah who had a lot of hype coming into the season, but he hasn’t played since USC’s second game against Georgia Southern on September 6.
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Elijah Paige felt great against Nebraska, his first game back since Michigan, and should be good to go against Northwestern. Alani Noa may miss the Northwestern game with a concussion.
Regardless of these injuries, the Trojans should have plenty of talent to beat Northwestern on Friday, as long as they are focused, execute in run defense and running the football, and take the Wildcats seriously overall.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Jamaal Jarrett, Floyd Boucard injury status updated for USC football
