USC football injury report: Drake Jackson, Amon-Ra St. Brown sit (8/15)

USC football practiced without Drake Jackson and Amon-Ra St. Brown on Thursday, but neither faces a long layout. Plus more injury updates.

USC football head coach Clay Helton gave some long-awaited injury updates after Thursday’s practice, but two more recent health concerns were at the top of the pile to address first.

Promising freshman defensive lineman Drake Jackson didn’t suit up after taking a finger to the eye on Wednesday. He had to have his eyes dilated while dealing with “a little bit of an eye infection,” according to Helton.

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Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown was dressed for practice, but was conspicuously absent during team periods on Thursday.

Helton assuaged any concerns by explaining he is experiencing hip and groin tightness, so he was given the day off as a precaution.

“I mean the guy runs four miles a day,” Helton said. “And every good horse needs a day off every once in a while.”

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St. Brown is expected to get some work in during USC’s walkthrough on Friday night, but it isn’t clear if he will participate in the scrimmage on Saturday.

There were several injury boxes to tick off after several days without access to the head coach.

Outside linebacker Hunter Echols and outside-turned-inside linebacker EliJah Winston are both out with turf toe. Echols’ is a more minor case, putting him in day-to-day status. Winston faces a longer recovery.

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Defensive back Max Williams is dealing with a hamstring, but could be back next week.

Defensive lineman Jacob Lichtenstein, who has missed all of Fall Camp so far, has an issue with his calf which is likely to keep him out another two weeks.

Freshman wide receiver Bru McCoy has yet to practice as well, but his situation remains vague at best. Helton was happy to report he was “actually getting a little bit better,” but wouldn’t put a timetable on his return.

The Texas transfer has been out for more than a month with an undefined illness. The Trojans are in no rush to push him back too soon, especially as his waiver for immediate eligibility has yet to be cleared. What’s going on with his body has been complicated enough and it will take time to get him back to full speed.

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“There’s going to have to be strength and conditioning. There’s going to have to be some change of direction movement. It’s going to take time to build that back up,” Helton said.

On the plus side, he has been able to attend meetings, even going through the ritual of reciting the Special Teams Constitution in front of the team on Wednesday night.

“He’s not all the way there yet. But we’re glad to have them around us and it’s good to see a smile on his face,” Helton said.

As for new concerns, defensive lineman Brandon Pili had to be attended to by trainers during an 11-on-11 period. He has been dealing with a knee concern, already wearing a sleeve on his leg.

Defensive back Greg Johnson didn’t finish practice, appearing to deal with a lingering upper body problem.

USC football injury report

• OUT:
  • DL Drake Jackson (eye) [day-to-day]
  • DL Jacob Lichtenstein (calf) [2 weeks]
  • LB Jordan Iosefa (knee) [3-5 weeks]
  • LB Solomon Tuliaupupu (foot)
  • OLB Hunter Echols (turf toe) [day-to-day]
  • OLB Elijah Winston (turf toe)
  • OL Clayton Bradley (undisclosed)
  • RB Vavae Malepeai (knee) [1 week]
  • TE Ethan Rae (knee)
  • WR Kyle Ford (knee)
  • WR Bru McCoy (illness)
• LIMITED:
  • CB Greg Johnson (undisclosed)
  • CB Max Williams (hamstring) [1 week]
  • DL Brandon Pili (knee)
  • WR Munir McClain (undisclosed)
  • WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (hip/groin) [day-to-day]