USC may have to open the season without one of its biggest defensive pieces.
Jahkeem Stewart, the Trojans’ star defensive lineman and former five-star recruit, was seen on crutches ahead of Friday night’s Salute to Troy, with a boot on his right foot. USC assistant athletic director and director of player relations Gavin Morris posted an Instagram story showing Stewart in that state, and the early read is that the sophomore could miss the start of the season because of a lower leg injury.
The exact severity hasn’t been made public, but even the possibility of Stewart missing time changes the conversation for Lincoln Riley’s defense. Any injury that keeps him off the field is a real setback for USC, though the Trojans do have enough bodies on the defensive line to piece things together for now.
That starts with the names already in the room. Sophomore Floyd Boucard and redshirt junior Jamaal Jarrett are both candidates to help absorb some of the snaps Stewart would normally command. USC also has a pair of true freshmen to keep an eye on in Tomuhini Topui and Jaimeon Winfield, who could eventually become part of the rotation in 2026.
There’s also some flexibility in the group. Returning defensive lineman Jide Abasiri can line up in different spots across the front, giving the Trojans a useful chess piece.
And the addition of Michigan State transfer Alex VanSumeren looks even more important now. Still, the depth question gets a lot sharper once Big Ten play begins.
For September, USC may be able to survive the absence if it comes to that. The schedule offers some breathing room, and the Trojans are heavy favorites in their first two games: 38.5 points over San José State and 22.5 over Fresno State, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. Odds for Louisiana and Rutgers have not been released yet, but USC is expected to be favored in those games too.
The real stress test comes later. USC is currently a 5.5-point underdog against No.
2 Oregon on Sept. 26, and Stewart missing that one would be a major hit to the Trojans’ upset chances. After that, the path only gets steeper, with Washington coming to Los Angeles before road games at Penn State and Wisconsin.
Then comes what could be USC’s biggest game of the year: Ohio State in Southern California. The Buckeyes are No. 1 in the preseason AP Top 25 Poll, and Riley has a chance to land his biggest win at USC. With the Trojans expected to be in the hunt for an at-large College Football Playoff bid, that matchup could carry major weight with the CFP Selection Committee.
For now, the Trojans are waiting on more clarity. But if Stewart does miss time, USC will need its depth to hold up early and hope its front is still in good shape by the time the schedule starts squeezing.
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For USC, the appeal is obvious: Williams is expected to play a significant role right away in a unit that needs difference-makers. The catch is just as obvious, though no less important. His value to the Trojans hinges on health, and that makes his availability one of the quieter but more consequential storylines as USC tries to stabilize its defense and turn a promising addition into a real asset. [Read more 🡒]