USC's gritty starting-center story hits a cruel 2026 setback
Kilian O'Connor entered 2026 as USC’s starting center after earning praise for his consistency and outworking a transfer challenger in camp, a nice payoff for a former walk-on who became a scholarship player and a trusted veteran presence. In 2025, he started 7 of 8 games at center, but his season ended in August 2026 after a non-contact knee injury that required surgery, so his 2026 impact is now defined by recovery rather than on-field production. The appeal here is toughness, reliability, and a blue-collar rise, though the current injury makes him a short-term question mark for any roster fit.
