USC defensive lineman Solomon Tuliaupupu to miss 2023 season due to injury
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 into the 2020 season but a summer knee injury took that one away from him and slowed him enough that he missed the 2021 season as well.
The 2022 season was his first significant time on the field, his fifth season at USC. He played in all 14 games, recording 10 tackles and 2.5 sacks.
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.
“I wouldn’t go too far at this point on the disappointment,” Riley said. “He’s excited and already motivated to get back and we’re going to back him.”
Riley said the expectation right now is for Tuliaupupu to rehab and make his way back onto the field in time for the 2024 season.
“Knowing him and what he’s fought back from, would be no surprise to us all to see him do it,” Riley said. “He got that repaired today and we’ll see him back out here soon.”
