USC football suffers huge blow with season-ending loss of center Kilian O’Connor

The depth on USC’s offensive line is suddenly being tested — three weeks before the season opener.

Coach Lincoln Riley told reporters on Thursday that center Kilian O’Connor had suffered a “non-contact kind of freak injury” that would sideline him for the season.

Riley did not offer any specifics on the nature of the injury, which required surgery.

“Tough one for us I think more than anything from just an emotional standpoint,” Riley said. “Tremendous leader. Obviously well-versed, his track [record] here as a walk-on into becoming a team leader and one of the heartbeats of this program.”

In a cruel timing twist, O’Connor was named Thursday to the watch list for the Rimington Trophy, which goes to the top center in college football.

The loss of O’Connor means that the Trojans will no longer return all five starters on their offensive line. His absence will likely thrust Tobias Raymond into the starting center spot, which Raymond had manned all spring while O’Connor was sidelined by another injury.

There may not be any drop-off considering Raymond projects as a center in the NFL, but the Trojans will certainly miss O’Connor. Having battled knee injuries in recent seasons, O’Connor was limited to eight games in 2025.

Other options at center include redshirt freshman Willi Wascher and true freshman Kannon Smith.

“Tough one for the guys to see,” Riley said of O’Connor’s injury. “A great reminder for all of our guys just how nothing in this game is ever guaranteed. We’re fortunate to have enough depth on the O-line that we’ve been working on to continue to push forward.”

In addition to Raymond, the Trojans are also returning starting guard Alani Noa and tackles Elijah Paige and Justin Tauanuu.

Other questions facing USC’s line:

Can Elijah Valkona overtake Tauanuu as the starting right tackle after Valkona played the spot in the spring while Tauanuu was sidelined by injury?

Can highly rated freshman Keenyi Pepe and universally lauded backups Breck Kolojay, Hayden Treter and Kaylon Miller break through for larger roles?

While Raymond started games at left guard, left tackle and right tackle last season, moving him to center permanently would allow Kolojay to contend for a starting guard spot.

“Honestly, this is one of the better years of competition we’ve had,” Raymond said earlier this week, “and I feel like all the twos, even the threes, like everybody’s making pushes whether it’s going from scout team to travel roster or travel roster to starter, everybody’s doing a real good job.”