Porter Gustin to miss remainder of season with fractured ankle

Senior linebacker Porter Gustin will miss the remainder of the 2018 season with a fractured right ankle sustained in the fourth quarter of USC’s win over Colorado on Saturday night, ending his collegiate career.

After the game, Gustin stood at midfield with his right shoe off and his foot appearing red and swollen. He was carted off of the field and hopped on one foot into the locker room.

Gustin has been dealing with injuries since summer practices, when he suffered from a torn meniscus. Despite his knee injury, Gustin did not miss playing time. Following the Arizona game, he showed signs of an apparent ankle injury. During the bye week, Gustin sat out of practice to recover, but he did participate in limited capacity during the week leading up to the Colorado game.

Gustin is one of four captains of the Trojans this season. His departure will further hinder the defense from a leadership and talent standpoint after fellow captain senior linebacker Cam Smith was kept out of the Colorado matchup due to a hamstring injury.

Gustin tallied 28 tackles this season, but has been most notable for his rush. In 2018, he touted seven sacks, tied for sixth in the nation. The rest of the USC defense has combined for a total of six sacks so far.

The loss of Gustin will undoubtedly hinder USC in its upcoming matchup against Utah on Saturday. Utes’ junior running back Zack Moss boasts 617 rushing yards, the sixth most in the Pac-12. The matchup has serious Pac-12 championship implications as the winner will take over the lead in the South Division.