USC’s Kenny Bigelow Jr. undergoes successful knee surgery, Coach Clay Helton says
Training staff and a doctor surround USC defensive tackle Kenny Bigelow Jr. after he was helped off the field with an injury.
USC defensive tackle Kenny Bigelow Jr. underwent successful surgery Thursday to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, Coach Clay Helton said.
“It seems like it went well,” Helton said. “We look forward to getting him rehabbed and wish him a speedy recovery.”
Bigelow is expected to be sidelined for the 2016 season. It is the third season in four years that he will not play.
A fourth-year junior, Bigelow redshirted as a freshman and was sidelined in 2014 after he tore the same ACL before the season.
“I thank goodness that he is such a mentally strong kid,” Helton said.
Defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast coached Bigelow his freshman season.
Pendergast said he was excited about Bigelow’s progress before he suffered the most recent injury. “He was a completely different kid than when I was here in 2013,” Pendergast said.
Bigelow was the Trojans’ lone upperclassman at tackle. As a backup last season, he had three sacks.
USC must now rely on third-year sophomore Malik Dorton, sophomores Noah Jefferson, Rasheem Green and Jacob Daniel, redshirt freshman Kevin Scott and freshman Liam Jimmons.
“It was a big blow for the defense, but the guys picked up the slack and we wish Kenny the best of recovery,” Pendergast said.
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