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USC Loses Starting Center Kilian O'Connor for 2026 Season

Surgery will sideline a veteran team leader and prompt a last-minute offensive-line overhaul before USC’s season opener.

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An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Football player wearing a red jersey with the number 67, walking outdoors with another player in the background, Image 2 shows A football player in a red and gold uniform with the number 67 running on a field

Overview

  • Projected starter Kilian O'Connor suffered a non-contact fall-camp injury that required surgery and will keep him out for the 2026 season, Lincoln Riley announced Thursday.
  • Media reports differ on the precise diagnosis, with some outlets calling it a broken leg while others describe a knee issue or do not specify the exact injury.
  • USC is evaluating internal replacements and lineup shifts with guard Tobias Raymond, redshirt sophomore Kaylon Miller, redshirt freshman Willi Wascher and true freshman Kannon Smith among the candidates to take center reps.
  • Riley described O'Connor as 'one of the heartbeats of this program,' noting the emotional toll of losing a player who rose from preferred walk-on in 2022 to a scholarship starter in 2025.
  • The loss compresses prep time ahead of a tough Big Ten slate because the center handles snap execution and protection calls, and USC will test its depth and chemistry as coaches reshape the interior line.