USC safety Isaiah Pola-Mao is expected to require surgery to repair his injured shoulder and will likely miss the remainder of the season, sources have informed me.
Pola-Mao, who started the first two contests at strong safety, injured his shoulder on the first series of USC’s loss to Stanford last Saturday and did not return.
The redshirt freshman has experienced shoulder subluxation since arriving at USC and underwent season-ending surgery last year for the same issue.
It’s an unfortunate blow to a depleted safety corps. Pola-Mao started in place of indefinitely suspended Bubba Bolden in the season opener versus UNLV and was one of the Trojans’ top defensive performers. The 6-4, 200-pound underclassmen appeared primed for a productive rookie season.
His absence leaves USC with just three scholarship safeties, prompting Clay Helton to announce Sunday he would move freshman cornerback Chase Williams.
Redshirt sophomore C.J. Pollard and freshman Talanoa Hufanga, both of whom rotated in place of Pola-Mao versus Stanford, will compete for playing time alongside Marvell Tell.
Pola-Mao, who started the first two contests at strong safety, injured his shoulder on the first series of USC’s loss to Stanford last Saturday and did not return.
The redshirt freshman has experienced shoulder subluxation since arriving at USC and underwent season-ending surgery last year for the same issue.
It’s an unfortunate blow to a depleted safety corps. Pola-Mao started in place of indefinitely suspended Bubba Bolden in the season opener versus UNLV and was one of the Trojans’ top defensive performers. The 6-4, 200-pound underclassmen appeared primed for a productive rookie season.
His absence leaves USC with just three scholarship safeties, prompting Clay Helton to announce Sunday he would move freshman cornerback Chase Williams.
Redshirt sophomore C.J. Pollard and freshman Talanoa Hufanga, both of whom rotated in place of Pola-Mao versus Stanford, will compete for playing time alongside Marvell Tell.
