USC's Eric Gentry will take a redshirt season following a series of concussions.

USC linebacker Eric Gentry has announced that he will redshirt for the remainder of the 2024 season following a series of concussions experienced in a short timeframe. In a statement shared on social media, Gentry expressed, "This decision has not been easy. However, after careful consideration and discussions with my family and the coaching staff, I believe this is the best choice for my health and long-term well-being." Gentry, who joined USC in 2022 after a season at Arizona State, clarified that his choice to redshirt was unrelated to playing time or opportunities related to name, image, and likeness. Standing at 6 feet 6 inches, Gentry had emerged as a key player in USC's revamped defense under first-year coordinator D'Anton Lynn. In the first four games of the season, he led the Trojans with 22 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks, along with one forced fumble. He missed the last two games against Minnesota and Penn State due to injuries that had not been previously disclosed. Thanks to new NCAA regulations allowing players to redshirt after participating in up to four games, Gentry will be eligible to return as a fifth-year senior in 2025. Additionally, on the same day, Trojans coach Lincoln Riley announced that defensive end Anthony Lucas would be sidelined for the remainder of the season due to a "lower extremity" injury. Riley indicated that Lucas underwent a procedure on Tuesday morning. Lucas had limped off the field during the game against Minnesota two weeks prior and did not return, although he did play limited snaps in the loss to Penn State. The former five-star recruit played his freshman year at Texas A&M before transferring to USC in the spring of 2023. After participating in all 13 games last season, Lucas had shown potential as a vital component of the Trojans' restructured defense under Lynn, recording 16 tackles this season. His absence poses a considerable challenge to USC's defensive line depth, which is already limited, likely leading the unit to rely on freshman defensive end Kameryn Fountain, a four-star recruit, to help mitigate the loss.