USC Trojans, Nebraska Cornhuskers Injury Update: Kamari Ramsey, Jacobe Covington

USC Trojans coach Lincoln Riley provided a positive injury report for two key starters in the Trojans secondary before facing the Nebraska Cornhuskers. USC safety Kamari Ramsey and cornerback Jacobe Covington have each been out for an extended period of time.

Nov 4, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans cornerback Jacobe Covington (14) carries the ball to score a touch down against the Washington Huskies during the first quarter at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images / Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

USC Trojans cornerback Jacobe Covington has not played since being helped off the field late in the fourth quarter of their loss to Minnesota Golden Gophers on Oct. 5 and safety Kamari Ramsey has not played since he left the game late in the fourth quarter in the Trojans loss to the Maryland Terrapins on Oct. 19.

USC coach Lincoln Riley provided a positive injury update on two key starters of the Trojans secondary before facing the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Nov 4, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans cornerback Jacobe Covington (14) carries the ball to score a touch down against the Washington Huskies during the first quarter at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images / Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

“We’re definitely in a better place, certainly no harm in saying that," Riley said. "I think everyone that was available for the Washington game will be available again. We’re hopeful that we can get some reps, even if it’s not full availability. Hopefully we’ll be able to get some out of the guys that weren’t able to play like you know Covington and Ramsey. I think the bye week was helpful, obviously those guys weren’t ready to go at that point. I do think we’ve made some progress."

“We’ve tried to ramp those guys up a little bit. Being available and being able to ramp those guys up to full game speed and the physicality and all that are two different and we’re going to keep ramping them up and hope to have them in some capacity. Obviously, any capacity would be a boost for us,” Riley continued. 

Both players have practiced in some capacity in every week they have been out of the lineup, but have ultimately been held out. DeCarlos Nicholson, John Humphrey and Prophet Brown have played a majority of the snaps at cornerback opposite of Jaylin Smith since Covington has been out.

The bye week has given Ramsey and Covington an extra week to get healthy for the final stretch of the season. USC needs to win at least two of its next three games to become bowl eligible.

This week they face a Nebraska team that made a change at offensive coordinator to former West Virginia and Houston coach Dana Holgorsen, who the team hired last week as an offensive consultant. Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said on Thursday freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola is “ready to go” after sustaining a back injury in the fourth quarter of the Cornhuskers loss to UCLA on Nov. 2. 

Although, the Cornhuskers have stumbled down the stretch, dropping each of their last three games, Nebraska still has the ability to catch the same fire that helped them race out of a 5-1 start this season.

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