Jahkeem Stewart eases back from injury at critical time for USC defense
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When USC standout sophomore defensive tackle Jahkeem Stewart was ruled out for the Trojans’ season opener in late August with a foot injury, coach Lincoln Riley suggested he could be back on the field as soon as the next week.
Two weeks later, Stewart was dressed and warmed up for USC’s matchup with Louisiana, but he was a late scratch from the game.
Stewart waited another two weeks to get back onto the field for the Trojans, making his season debut count during Saturday’s loss to Oregon. He recorded two of USC’s four tackles for a loss during the game.
“It felt great,” Stewart said of playing college football again. “Been playing football since I was 3 years old, so I don’t like the game being taken away from me.”
Jahkeem Stewart showed signs of his dominance at age 12, when he was 6-foot-4 and 360 pounds. But the USC freshman learned it takes work to realize his potential.
After playing 36 snaps against Oregon, the most he has played in a game for USC, Stewart on Wednesday wouldn’t say he was back to 100%. Instead, he said he is “taking it day-by-day.”
No. 18 USC (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) listed Stewart as questionable on Wednesday’s Big Ten availability report ahead of its game against Washington (3-1, 0-1) . Last week, Stewart began as questionable on Wednesday’s report and was updated to a game-time decision by Saturday. The Trojans’ defense is under pressure to help USC bounce back from a loss against Oregon that included a controversial late tackle on Ducks quarterback Dante Moore.
Last week, Riley said there was “no setback” in Stewart’s recovery after he dressed and warmed up for the Louisiana game then didn’t play the following week against Rutgers. He said Stewart’s warm up didn’t go perfectly, which led to the team pulling him back slightly.
“You’re trying to manage enough time to rest with also not being too conservative with it,” Riley said of Stewart’s injury. “He’s definitely getting better and better each week.”
Stewart, a 6-foot-5, 295-pound former five-star recruit, played through a stress fracture in his foot during his freshman season. Though he didn’t play in USC’s season opener or its bowl game last year and saw limited snaps at points due to the injury, Stewart was named a Freshman All-American after racking up 7 ½ tackles for loss, 1 ½ sacks and 18 total tackles.
Stewart said his near returns to play earlier in the season were difficult to deal with mentally, but it allowed him to focus on his leadership role on the sideline.
“I feel as though it messed with my mind a little bit,” Stewart said. “It’s a challenge, knowing that you can’t go make a game-changing play for your team, but you can also uplift your brothers. It’s also, you know, building my mentality and just building who I am as a person.”
Cornerback Jontez Williams said Stewart’s return meant “everything” to the team and praised his leadership and energy on the sideline while he was out.
“His presence, his energy, everything about Jahkeem is what we need on the field,” Williams said.
While the Trojans got Stewart back against Oregon, they lost veteran defensive linemen Alex VanSumeren to injury.
VanSumeren was also listed as questionable on Wednesday’s Big Ten availability report after being carted off the field with an apparent knee injury Saturday. The Michigan State transfer and USC team captain returned to the sideline in street clothes.
Stewart said losing VanSumeren against Oregon was “tough,” but he praised his captain’s leadership on the sideline.
The days since Saturday’s ugly loss to Oregon have prompted questions across the country about Lincoln Riley’s future at USC, where he’s midway through his fifth season as coach.
“He did what I had to do, like uplift us,” Stewart said of VanSumeren. “He a great leader.”
Star freshman wide receiver Trent Mosley began the week listed as questionable on the availability report, a step up from his doubtful classification last Wednesday. Mosley, who caught 13 passes for 255 yards and four touchdowns in his first three collegiate games, has missed USC’s past two games.
Riley has previously said he doesn’t expect Mosley’s injury to be “extremely long term,” but it is unclear how long he may be out.
Starting freshman tight end Mark Bowman was also listed as questionable on the report after catching six passes for 44 yards against Oregon and amassing the second-most receptions on the team overall with 21.
