USC football often finds itself under fire for its shaky defense, and rightly so, but there was another big issue that caused the squad to miss the 12-team Playoff last season. The Trojans rushed for a combined 120 yards versus Oregon and Notre Dame. Their inability to set the tone on the ground in those marquee matchups resulted in crucial losses. Waymond Jordan was inactive for both of these games, and he will remain sidelined for the time being.
The senior running back suffered an ankle injury in an Oct. 11 win over Michigan and did not play the remainder of the campaign. USC head coach Lincoln Riley revealed that Jordan recently underwent a minor procedure to “clean up” the area and will therefore be out of action for the rest of spring practice, per On3 USC's Chris Trevino.
The expectation is that the 5-foot-10, 215-pound RB will be back on the field this summer. While it would obviously be beneficial for Jordan to get a full ramp-up period for the new season, he could only do so much for the Trojans with a hampered ankle. The Hutchinson Community College transfer will hopefully be rejuvenated following this recovery process and enjoy a hot start to the 2026-27 season.
Waymond Jordan registered 88 carries for 576 yards and five touchdowns in just six games last year. He found the end zone in his first three weeks with USC football and scored twice in a 34-32 loss to Illinois on Sept. 27. Every program deals with injuries, but this one arguably capped the Trojans' ceiling.
Although Jayden Maiava still enjoyed a career campaign — threw for 3,711 yards and 24 TDs — a potent rushing unit could give Riley the balance he needs to engineer a lethal offense. Jordan is surely itching to hit the gridiron after having his first season at USC cut short. He will take the spring to focus on his health.
