The news is now official. It was hinted at and speculated about, but now we know it for sure: USC linebacker Eric Gentry, having suffered a concussion and being concerned about his overall health, has decided to redshirt this year, having not played more than four games in the 2024 season. Gentry made the announcement on social media. This adds to USC’s miserable run of injury-related luck in recent days. Anthony Lucas was ruled out for the season earlier on Tuesday after limping off the field Saturday against Penn State.
Eric Gentry was USC’s best defensive player when he was on the field for the Trojans in the month of September. The Trojans’ defense was strong and robust. Gentry’s absence was impossible to ignore in the fourth quarter of the loss against Minnesota, and in the loss to Penn State this past weekend. Gentry obviously made USC a lot better, and now the Trojans have to play the rest of the season without him. USC wasn’t able to win close games each of the past two weekends, which takes away any margin for error this team has in the attempt to get a 9-3 record. That’s the best USC can do under the circumstances in what has been a very difficult season for the program and head coach Lincoln Riley.
Visit our friends at Fighting Irish Wire, Buffaloes Wire, Ducks Wire, UW Huskies Wire and UCLA Wire.