USC Trojans Las Vegas Bowl Injury Update: Linebacker Eric Gentry Returns to Practice

After a rough stretch in the transfer portal, the USC Trojans received some good news recently, landing two commitments. Star linebacker Eric Gentry returned to the practice field, guard Emmanuel Pregnon and safety Kamari Ramsey forgo the NFL draft.

USC Trojans redshirt sophomore safety Kamari Ramsey / Instagram / / @_kamari3

It was a refreshing for everyone involved to see USC Trojans linebacker Eric Gentry return to the practice field this week as they prepare to face Texas A&M in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 27. Gentry was forced to redshirt after suffering multiple concussions early in the year. The Trojans star linebacker only played in four games, so he was able to preserve a year of eligibility and will return to lineup in 2025. 

“It’s awesome, I miss having him out here. He hasn’t skipped a beat,” said USC defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn. “His second play out there on the field he made a pick. We’re super excited that he’s back out there.”

Gentry was having a career year, registering 30 tackles, including 6.5 tackles for a loss, two sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, a quarterback hurry and a pass breakup. The loss of Gentry was significant as USC struggled to develop a pass rush for long stretches during the season. Despite playing in only four games, Gentry still leads the team in tackles for loss and ranks second on the team in sacks. 

The Trojans received more good news this week when guard Emmanuel Pregnon and safety Kamari Ramsey announced they would forgo the 2025 NFL Draft and return to school for another season. 

USC Trojans redshirt sophomore safety Kamari Ramsey / Instagram / @_kamari3

Pregnon helped paved the way for running back Woody Marks to become the first USC player to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark since Ronald Jones in 2017, which earned him Second-Team All-Big Ten honors. The Trojans have already lost one staring lineman, right tackle Mason Murphy to the transfer portal and center Jonah Monheim is headed off to the NFL. 

Ramsey became an immediate impact player in his first season in the Cardinal and Gold. The Southern California native followed Lynn from UCLA to USC after the 2023 season. Ramsey played a pivotal role in helping Lynn install the defense when the two first arrived on campus, which helped the Trojans turn around a defense this season that ranked at the bottom in almost every statistical category in 2023. 

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USC has also made some noise in the transfer portal over the last couple of days. Former Kentucky defensive lineman Keeshawn Silver committed to the Trojans on Thursday. The former five-star prospect in the 2021 recruiting cycle helps fill a massive void on the defensive front with Gavin Meyer and Nate Clifton out of eligibility. 

With the addition of Silver, USC is building a defensive front that create problems in the Big Ten. Defensive end Anthony Lucas will return to lineup in 2025 after suffering a season-ending lower body injury in Week 7 against Penn State.

In his absence, freshman Kameryn Fountain and sophomore Braylan Shelby earned significant playing time and continued to progress throughout the season. USC also signed five-star defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart in the 2025 recruiting cycle. Three-star Gus Cordova is a name to keep an eye on to receive early playing time. Devan Thompkins and Jide Abasiri and Kobe Pepe will also return on the defensive front in 2025.

Former New Mexico running back Eli Sanders committed to USC on Wednesday, and the Oceanside, CA, native will return home for his final season of eligibility and fill the void left by Marks and redshirt freshman Quinten Joyner, who transferred to Texas Tech. 

"Coach Lincoln Riley, coach Anthony Jones Jr. and the entire staff just made the whole experience at USC awesome," Sanders told 247Sports. "It was a family oriented atmosphere there. It's going to be close to home for me, too, just about an hour and half away from family in Oceanside. The offense is a great fit for me; I feel very comfortable running counter, going either inside or outside zone. It's perfectly fitted for my skillset."

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