Last week, USC head coach Lincoln Riley revealed that six USC players would be limited this spring. On Monday, we got an update on three of them, and it was not one that USC fans were hoping for.
In his appearance on USC’s “Trojans Live” show, defensive coordinator Gary Patterson revealed that “three probable starters” on the defensive side of the ball will miss the entire spring. Presumably, these three players are the three guys in the defensive side of he ball who Riley mentioned as limited last week: defensive backs Chasen Johnson, Christian Pierce, and Jontez Williams.
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Johnson’s status is not a surprise, as he missed the final 10 games of the 2025 season with a knee injury. Williams, meanwhile, transferred to USC from Iowa State this offseason, while Pierce returns after playing a key role for the Trojans last season. Overall, though, being down three projected starters in the secondary is certainly a notable setback for USC this spring.
The Trojans are hoping that all three players will be back and fully healthy in time for fall camp. In the meantime, younger players will have the opportunity to step up this spring, including members of the program’s top-ranked 2026 recruiting class.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Three USC football defensive players out for spring practice
