The news on the injury front was good for USC and starting quarterback Matt Barkley. For starting defensive lineman Christian Tupou? Meh, not so much.
The defensive tackle suffered a torn ligament in his left knee during Saturday’s spring game and will likely miss the entire 2010 season, the school’s official website reported this afternoon.
The non-contact injury came during the third quarter of the spring finale and will require surgery to repair. The senior-to-be, though, attempted to keep an upbeat attitude in the face of the season-ending injury.
“It’s unfortunate that it happened, but I’m okay,” said Tupou. “I’ll deal with it. It’s part of the game. I’m down, but I’m not out because I can come back in 2011. Through training and rehab, I see a brighter light at the end of the road.”
Tupou, who has started on the interior of the Trojans’ line for the past two seasons, still has a redshirt available, meaning he can return for another year in 2011 if he so desires.