USC vs Alabama: LB Osa Masina Suspended For Season Opener

Sophomore linebacker Osa Masina will not travel for USC vs Alabama after a violation of team rules, head coach Clay Helton announced Monday night.

After a relatively quiet summer, another young Trojan will miss out on the biggest game of his career, as Clay Helton revealed linebacker Osa Masina will not travel for USC vs. Alabama.

The sophomore linebacker has been suspended for a violation of team rules, becoming the second USC defender to be held out of the season opener along with cornerback Isaiah Langley.

Helton announced his decision during his weekly Trojans Live appearance but did not disclose Masina’s specific violation.

Masina was listed as a back up inside linebacker behind Michael Hutchings on the Trojans post-fall depth chart.

Though he was due to sit behind Hutchings, Masina had earned first team reps during fall camp and appeared on the brink of making a greater impact in year two with the Trojans.

Defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast praised Masina’s size and strength, happy to have a wide variety of options to deploy along with the athletic and rangey Quinton Powell and the schematically clued in Hutchings.

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Masina’s absence, while not a major blow, is a definite set back against the Tide, whose power attack might have been countered by the former five-star recruit.

With Masina unavailable, Hutchings and Powell will absorb the snaps he might have seen, while Olajuwon Tucker may also be in play for more time on the field, since USC’s inside linebacker spots are interchangeable.

Though USC has had a generally drama-free offseason, the suspension of Langley, for an incident involving the police after a UCLA frat party, and Masina puts a slight downer on the start of the Alabama game week.

Whether or not Masina will miss any more time beyond the game at AT&T Stadium remains to be seen.