USC began its fall camp on Friday to prepare for the season opener against San Jose State at the end of August. USC head coach Lincoln Riley said players “are doing pretty good” heading into fall camp. However, after their second fall practice, the head coach revealed an update on the availability of his wide receivers.

“From an availability standpoint, we got a few guys that are limited. Tanook Hines is probably one right now that is most limited, able to do the least,” said Riley to the media on August 2 during his first appearance at Bloom Football Performance Center. “Still working out. Still tracking and progressing well. Don’t expect anything overly serious with that at all.”

Riley believes Hines will join the Trojans early in the 2026 season, though the head coach didn’t provide details about the sophomore WR’s injury. Last season, he was utilized as a third-string receiver. As a true freshman, Hines recorded 34 catches for 561 yards.

Hines’s availability is particularly critical for Riley because, among the seven Trojans with at least 125 receiving yards last season, he is the only one returning for the 2026 campaign. Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane, the two WRs who combined for 1,901 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns, both moved to the pros. That leaves a massive hole in an offense whose passing game is central to the team’s success.

To offset the losses, USC brought in WR Terrell Anderson from NC State, who recorded 39 catches for 629 yards and five touchdowns last year. Along with that, the coaching staff is also looking to involve the likes of Trent Mosley and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt. Both are freshmen.

However, Hines wasn’t the only wide receiver absent from the fall camp. Lincoln Riley confirmed another setback for the Trojans.

“The other one, Roderick Tezeno, had a foot injury during spring. Had to have a procedure. So, he’ll be back. He’ll miss camp, but he’ll be back early in the
season, and we’ll be eager to get him back on the ground and acclimated here with the team,” said Riley.

Tezeno is a freshman out of Opelousas Catholic High School. His absence may not affect Riley’s plans initially. However, if it becomes prolonged, the Trojans could face a depth crunch.

USC received good news regarding players’ availability

In the 2026 spring practice, USC’s two key pieces at CB were missing as they were recovering from injuries. One was Iowa State transfer CB Jontez Williams, and another was returning CB Chasen Johnson. These two have participated in the fall camp.

“Everybody else, doing pretty well. Some of our offseason surgery guys have recovered. Our guys that were limited or not participating in spring are all back. It’s certainly good to have the whole roster out there working,” said Riley.

Last season, Williams suffered an ACL injury in the game against Arizona. Despite that, the CB recorded 15 tackles with the Cyclones. Meanwhile, Johnson recorded 1 tackle with the Trojans in 2025 due to his injury in Week 2. Both are coming this season with stronger versions to boost USC’s backfield.

More importantly, USC’s 2026 roster features key returning players, including Christian Pierce, Marcelles Williams, and Prophet Brown.