And, no, Lane Kiffin haters, he’s not one of them.
But USC is losing a few offensive players and a linebacker to season-ending injuries. Although most of the injured players haven’t made a huge impact on the field so far, USC’s depth continues to be a concern.
On defense, Kiffin said backup linebacker Marquis Simmons is done for the year with a neck injury.
Junior receiver Cody Gifford -- a walk-on -- is apparently lost for the season due to an ankle injury. Likewise, sophomore tight end Christian Thomas is done because of a hip problem. Neither Thomas nor Gifford have recorded any catches this season.
As we noted the other day, though, USC’s O-line took a huge hit when starting guard Abe Markowitz had season-ending foot surgery.
(Big thanks: Scott Wolf of the Los Angeles Daily News)
