USC Trojans Defensive End Sam Greene Enters Transfer Portal

USC Trojans redshirt freshman defensive end Sam Greene will enter the transfer portal. The Maryland native started the final three games for Lincoln Riley's Trojans. Greene is the first USC defender and the seventh player overall to enter the portal.

USC Trojans redshirt freshman defensive end Sam Greene / Instagram / @1samgreene / @1samgreene

USC Trojans redshirt freshman defensive end Sam Greene will enter the transfer portal. Greene is the first USC defensive player portal to enter the portal and seventh overall. 

The Maryland native was a three-star in the 2023 recruiting cycle. Greene appeared in three games as a freshman and preserved a year of eligibility. This season, he appeared in all 12 games, including starting the final three games of the season. 

Greene released the following statement on his X account. 

❤️#WhereIsHome? pic.twitter.com/RfPO6F42u6

— SG8 🎱 (@1kSamGreene) December 7, 2024

Redshirt junior defensive end Anthony Lucas will return in 2025 after suffering a season-ending lower body injury in the Trojans week 7 loss to Penn State on Oct. 12. Freshman Kameryn Fountain has come along as the season progressed and started the final three games alongside Greene. Sophomore Braylan Shelby appeared in 11 games, including three starts of his own.

USC signed five players on the defensive front during the Early National Signing Period including Edna Karr (LA) five-star Jahkeem Stewart. 

“Jahkeem is someone that we targeted very early on, the tough thing was so did everyone else,” said USC coach Lincoln Riley. "He’s a neat young man, we got to spend a lot of time with him, he was able to come out to LA several times throughout the process. Everybody sees the physical ability, the length, he has a very unique combination physically, but I do think Jahkeem’s mentality, the way he attacks, his confidence, he has a really gritty, tough hardworking mentality and I think that is what really makes him such an outstanding prospect and what made him a dominant high school player.”

Three-star Lake Travis (TX) defensive end Gus Cordova has put together a dominant senior campaign. Cordova has seven sacks in his last two playoff games and 18.5 on the season.

Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jadarian Price (24) carries the ball against Southern California Trojans defensive end Braylan Shelby (34) in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The loss of Greene is a major blow, particularly for the Trojans bowl game later this month. In addition to Fountain and Shelby, USC will also have senior Jamil Muhammed and redshirt senior Solomon Tuliaupupu at defensive end, both players will be playing in their final game in the Cardinal and Gold.

The Trojans will still look to add more players in the portal because they struggled with the depth issues in the second half of the season and for more experience.

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