An update on injured USC injured players heading into matchup against Arizona

No. 9 USC will get back an injured starter in the secondary this week but is set to be without a different starter in the secondary.

Starting safety Max Williams is expected to play against Arizona Saturday night after missing last week’s game against Colorado, sources tell On3.

However, Trojans starting cornerback Domani Jackson is currently expected to miss the game due to an injury, per sources.

Williams, who ranked second on USC with 79 tackles last season while also posting two interceptions and two forced fumbles, tallied 11 tackles and an interception in the Trojans’ first four games. Jackson, a Class of 2022 five-star recruit, has recorded 12 tackles and three pass break-ups this season.

In addition to Jackson, USC is also expected to once again be without defensive lineman and former five-star recruit Korey Foreman, per sources. Head coach Lincoln Riley acknowledged earlier in the week that the Trojans and Foreman are considering the possibility of him sitting out the rest of the season and redshirting.

“We have conversations with all of our guys that have redshirt years available,” Riley said. “And so occasionally maybe if a guy is not going to have a huge role in a game, you might hold them back right now. And then if an opportunity presents itself to have a bigger role, you can obviously revisit down the line. I would put Korey in that category right now.”

Star freshman wide receiver Zachariah Branch was another Trojans player to miss the Colorado game due to injury along with Williams, but I haven’t gotten a definitive answer regarding his status as of Friday night.

“Both progressing,” Riley said of Branch and Williams on Tuesday. “Both did a lot more today than what they did last week. So hopeful to be able to have them both. Obviously those are two prominent players for us and not having Max, especially in a game like that (against Colorado) where you end up playing a lot of snaps against a spread, high-tempo offense, that one hurt.”

USC enters the matchup against Arizona as a 21-point favorite.

The Wildcats are 3-2 and coming off a 31-24 loss to No. 7 Washington.