USC’s starting center, Kilian O’Connor, is officially sidelined for the entire upcoming season, a brutal blow delivered by what head coach Lincoln Riley called a non-contact “freak injury” that needed surgery. This isn’t just a bump or bruise, folks, this is a major emotional hit for the Trojans right as their season is getting underway. Riley dropped this bombshell news Thursday at USC’s shiny new $225 million Bloom Football Performance Center, which honestly, sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie.
O’Connor’s Absence Leaves a Huge Hole
This is a gut punch for a team that was really counting on O’Connor. He started seven games last season as a redshirt junior, his first year on scholarship at USC, and was supposed to be the anchor for that offensive line again this fall in his fifth year with the program. The Trojans had big hopes of bringing back their entire starting offensive line from last season’s 9-4 team, but now O’Connor’s injury just blew that up. Riley’s been saying they have more depth on the O-line than at any other point in his five years there, which is good because they’re gonna need it. Guard Tobias Raymond has seen some snaps at center in spring practice when O’Connor was slowed by other injuries, so maybe he’s the guy to step up. This is the kind of early season drama that can really test a team’s mettle, and you know the rest of college football is watching how USC handles it.
Belichick’s Leave and a Quarterback’s Fight for Eligibility
Beyond the injury drama in LA, there’s other wild stuff brewing in college football. Over in North Carolina, defensive coordinator Steve Belichick is on medical leave, as his father and head coach Bill Belichick confirmed Thursday morning. The Tar Heels are already in the second week of preseason camp, and Bill didn’t give details, only saying it’s a “medical situation” and they hope to have him back “as soon as possible.” He did mention the defensive staff already works “collectively,” which is good since they open the season August 29 against TCU over in Dublin, Ireland. Steve Belichick actually joined his dad’s staff last year for Bill’s first college season, after putting in a year as the University of Washington’s defensive coordinator. Before that, he was with his father on the New England Patriots staff in the NFL. UNC’s defense got better as their 4-8 season went on last year, finishing 38th in total defense (336.9 yards) and tied for 20th in sacks with 2.67 per game.
And then there’s Florida State quarterback Thomas Castellanos, who’s actually suing the NCAA over their Age-Based Eligibility Model. He’s got attorneys Darren Heitner and Ryan Downton on his side, trying to get a fifth year of eligibility. If he gets an injunction, Castellanos could hit the transfer portal or even go back to FSU. This dude put up numbers in 2025 for the Seminoles, throwing for 2,760 yards with 15 touchdowns and nine picks, plus rushing for 557 yards and nine scores. He played for UCF and Boston College before landing at FSU. It’s wild to see players challenging the NCAA like this, and it really shows you the stakes for these guys. We’ll be keeping an eye on how these stories develop, because you know college football never stops giving us something to talk about.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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