USC footballs slumping defense faces massive uncertainty amid multiple injuries

USC’s already short-handed defense could be down a few more starters Saturday.With linebacker Desman Stephens II suspended for the game against Washington, defensive tackle Alex VanSumeren, safety Alex Graham and defensive tackle Jahkeem Stewart were listed as questionable in the Big Ten availability report released Wednesday.VanSumeren suffered what appeared to be a lower-body injury late in the second quarter last weekend against Oregon, requiring help off the field and onto a cart.Graham missed the game against the Ducks after sustaining an unspecified injury against Rutgers.Stewart made his season debut against Oregon but indicated Wednesday that he was still not fully recovered from the foot injury that had sidelined him for the first four games.“We’re taking it day by day,” Stewart said when asked if he was back to 100%.

“The strength staff and everybody just keeps supporting me on my journey.” Wide receiver Corey Simms was listed as out for a second consecutive game, with fellow wide receiver Trent Mosley upgraded to questionable after missing the last two games with an apparent knee injury suffered against Louisiana on Sept.12.USC will be without Stephens, who is being held out as punishment for celebrating his big hit on Dante Moore that left the Ducks quarterback with a concussion.

Candidates to take Stephens’ starting spot against the Huskies include Jadyn Walker, Ta’Mere Robinson and Talanoa Ili.“We’ve got a lot of guys that came in and obviously played without him there, that have played a number of snaps,” USC coach Lincoln Riley said earlier this week on “Trojans Live,” “and situations like this are where all the guys that we played in those early weeks, this is where we need to start to see some of the dividends of that.“We haven’t just sat there and played, you know, the same two linebackers, the same 11 defenders all season.And so, we need to feel that depth right now.”Losing VanSumeren, Graham or Stewart would...