USC center Kilian O'Connor will sit out the season after suffering a noncontact leg injury, head coach Lincoln Riley announced Thursday.
O'Connor, who started seven games last season, was projected to be the Trojans' starter at the position and the fulcrum of USC's experienced offensive line.
"A tough one for us, just from an emotional standpoint," Riley said. "[He's] certainly one the leaders and kind of heartbeats of this program."
Riley described the incident as a "freak" injury and added that he wouldn't be surprised if O'Connor was still voted a team captain this season.
The redshirt senior arrived at USC as a walk-on in 2022 before getting playing time in 2023 and 2024. Before the 2025 season, O'Connor was put on scholarship.
"We're fortunate to have enough depth on the O-line that we've been working on and obviously be able to continue to push forward," Riley said.
