Increased chance for Chasen Johnson to have big USC role after Prophet Brown setback

In sports, the adage of having a 'next man up' mentality is often used following an injury. While USC fans wish for the best for Prophet Brown following his latest setback, it also gives the chance for someone to step up and make the most of their opportunity.

As is, the Trojans were looking pretty good in the secondary. At corner, DJ Harvey and DeCarlos Nicholson are expected to see a lot of playing time on the field in coach D'Anton Lynn's system.

UCF transfer Chasen Johnson was likely always going to have a significant impact on the USC defense as well. Now, though, with the injury to Brown, Johnson could be in line for the starting nickel slot in coach Lynn's defense.

Johnson joins USC as someone with a lot of experience already as a sophomore.

Excellent in coverage and a great overall athlete, adding Johnson to the starting lineup could very well end up being the route that the Trojan staff goes down to fill in the void left by Brown until he is able to fully recover and then also compete for the position again.

Potential answer for USC

There is a lot to like about what Johnson could potentially bring to the secondary. As a former receiver who has since converted to the other side of the ball, Johnson is someone who has the skill set needed to the point where he can definitely be trusted to see a significant number of snaps in 2025.

There are also others on the depth chart who could end up playing and seeing their game time increased following the latest news. While there is not too much sealed as of yet in terms of who will start or otherwise, Johnson is someone who is likely to see a lot of playing time early on in his young USC career.