USC defensive end Solomon Tuliaupupu will miss the 2023 season following surgery to repair what head coach Lincoln Riley called a lower leg injury.
“He’ll end up missing the season for us,” Riley said. “Obviously we’re real disappointed.”
It’s heartbreaking that this happened to Tuliaupupu, who has already dealt with so much in the way of injuries during his football career. He suffered a season-ending foot injury late in his senior season at Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei. That necessitated surgery that kept him off the field for his 2018 freshman season at USC. It required additional surgery during 2019 fall camp that cost him that season as well. Tuliaupupu appeared healthy heading.
Tuliaupupu was on track to have a much bigger impact in 2023. Riley said he put together a great spring and fall camp.
The disappointment is obvious and there’s no way to put a positive spin on the injury. But Riley sid Tuliaupupu didn’t hang his head for long, if at all.