Anthony Lucas, injured in the Minnesota game and limping for much of the Penn State game, was seen hobbling off the field against the Nittany Lions last Saturday. Now USC and Lincoln Riley have received the unfortunate news that Lucas has received a medical procedure and will not be able to return to the field for the Trojans this season. Riley announced that Lucas is out for the season earlier on Tuesday. Hall of Fame college football coach Steve Spurrier called USC one of the unluckiest teams in the country on a recent podcast appearance. This injury is certainly a very unlucky development for the Trojans, who will have to do without one of their better defensive players.
The Lucas injury was a turning point in the Minnesota game. USC had held the Gophers to just 10 points with Lucas on the field. After Lucas left, the Trojans became noticeably weaker on defense, and Minnesota scored 14 points in the final 10 minutes of the game to win. USC’s defense was solid with a healthy Lucas on the field. The arrow has pointed in the wrong direction ever since his initial injury. Now, with Lucas out, USC’s task becomes even harder. Younger players who have been lower on the depth chart will need to step up in the second half of the season, beginning with Saturday’s game at Maryland.
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