You do not typically hear about kickers suffering ACL injuries, but that is exactly the case for USC kicker Chase McGrath. USC announced over the weekend McGrath suffered a torn ACL during USC’s road game at Texas on Saturday.
McGrath was carted off the field with ice wrapped around his right knee on Saturday night. It was initially feared the injury was an ACL injury, and that was confirmed the day after USC’s loss to the Longhorns. USC head coach Clay Helton told reporters McGrath will undergo surgery within the next couple of weeks. Fortunately, McGrath will be able to preserve his redshirt year to retain a year of eligibility. The new NCAA redshirt rule allows a player to appear in up to four games before counting as a full year of eligibility.
#FightOn, @ChaseMcGrath.
— USC Trojans (@USC_Athletics) September 17, 2018
The USC kicker will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL. pic.twitter.com/lRsSEDMIUB
Alex Stadhaus had been listed as the kickoff specialist for the Trojans on the latest depth chart, although McGrath suffered his injury on a kickoff (in the aftermath of the kickoff and not the actual kicking motion). USC also lists sophomore Michael Brown and junior Thomas Fitts as placekickers on the team’s depth chart.