Coach Lincoln Riley must find one USC Trojans defender to step up for the injured Jahkeem Stewart.
The sophomore defensive tackle won't start on the defensive line to kickoff the 2026 season. This setback comes amid Stewart fine tuning his pass rushing moves to prepare for the upcoming campaign.
Yet an improving defensive tackle, per Riley's words, is rising as one the coach described he can turn toward during this situation.
Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley celebrates with fans after the game against the UCLA Bruins at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
It looks like Riley has more than Michigan State transfer Alex VanSumeren to lean on in Stewart's truncated absence.
Riley raved about how much interior defensive tackle and returner Jamaal Jarrett has shown leaps and bounds before facing off against San Jos State.
"His weight, his health, I mean everything about him is so much better than at any point last year, which is exciting. He's had a really nice camp," Riley told reporters following an Aug. 25 practice.
Riley's words rise as welcoming news for USC fans concerned about the impact of Stewart's injury. Plus it shows how deep Riley believes the defensive tackle room is.
Yet even Jarrett himself previously acknowledged that he's seen his own improvement on the football field.
Sep 13, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; USC Trojans defensive tackle Jamaal Jarrett (0) makes an interception during the second half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Jarrett himself revealed he's transformed himself from addressing his weight to honing on his on-field technique. He made these revelations when talking to Lorenzo Reyna of USC Trojans on SI during the school's media day, including revealing the first area he began to trust.
"Really just trusting coach Trumain Carroll and his staff," Jarrett said, referring to USC's strength and conditioning coach. "Being able to be transparent with them and learn from them, its helped a lot."
He also credits leaning into defensive line coach Shaun Nua as well, calling him "a people's person who knows how to reach out to you." Lastly, Jarrett believes he's understanding how to use more proper hand technique moving forward when tangling with offensive linemen.
"For the bigger guys, just being able to get out of their stance and then use the hands, it's always not as quick. But working on the little things, details and trimming the fat on the little things always helps," Jarrett said.
Finally, he's an ardent believer that this 2026 USC defensive line will turn heads this fall, proclaiming, "we've got them dogs, for sure."
Sep 13, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; USC Trojans defensive tackle Jamaal Jarrett (0) runs the ball in for a touchdown after intercepting it during the second half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
USC struggled with containing the running game last season, surrendering more than 143 yards per game. Now former TCU head coach Gary Patterson takes the play-calling reins here in place of D'Anton Lynn, who will face USC on Oct. 10 with Penn State as the Nittany Lions' defensive coordinator.
Jarrett's massive 6-5, 360-pound girth and power will come in handy against run-based offenses. Especially when Fresno State heads to Los Angeles on Sept. 5, as the Bulldogs prefer to pound teams through handoffs.
But Jarrett looks bound to see some early action against SJSU on Aug. 29, even though the Spartans prefer to air it out. Jarrett figures to play a pivotal role in short yardage and goal line situations. Riley having new confidence in Jarrett paints the picture he'll be counted on early and often with Stewart briefly out.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/usc as Lincoln Riley Names Area Where USC Defensive Tackle Jamaal Jarrett Improved .
