ARLINGTON, Texas -- It looks like USC will have just four active inside linebackers for the Cotton Bowl on Monday, but starter Eric Gentry doesn't see that as a problem necessarily.

"We're definitely low on numbers, but it makes us tighter as a group," Gentry said after the Trojans' Saturday practice at AT&T Stadium. "... It just helps us mentally with just being tough, knowing that like we've only got this amount of people ...

"Coach [Brian] Odom said it from the beginning of the year, if we come in with two people, that's who we rocking with -- we've got two people. That's the mentality of just play with whoever we got."

Gentry said the four inside linebackers who have been practicing are him, Shane Lee, Tuasivi Nomura (even though he's officially in the transfer portal) and Raesjon Davis.

Ralen Goforth, who was a prominent part of the linebacker rotation with Gentry and Lee, transferred to Washington. Chris Thompson Jr. and Carson Tabaracci are injured. (Former ILBs Julien Simon and Tayler Katoa also entered the transfer portal, but neither was close to contributing and both had been working at rush end this season).

Nomura was indeed sighted during the 15 minutes reporters were allowed to watch practice Thursday, but it's unclear what the coaching staff's policy is on playing guys who have already entered the portal.

The interesting one to watch, though, seems to be Davis, the sophomore former top-100 national prospect. Even though he's played just 14 defensive snaps this season, Gentry intimated that Davis could have a role on Monday.

"Raesjon's going to have a lot of playing time. He's going to have an opportunity to showcase all the hard work he's put in for sure. Those are the four guys right now that's in the rotation," Gentry said.

More to the point, Gentry heaped praise on Davis and the progress he's made in practice this year despite being mostly limited to special teams for a second straight season.

"I'm really happy for Rae in general for being able to have this opportunity to showcase because everybody on the team believes he's good," Gentry said. "Just like everybody else, it's hard to learn a playbook as fast as some people may have to learn it. It's hard being able to adjust to different stuff every week because every game week it might be something different. It was something new for him. I tried to help him. Even though we're the same age, I already played last year so I already understand how it goes, so it's a lot of brotherly love for sure.

"He already was a great football player, but he's become even better with just letting the game slow down. That's the biggest thing. The worst thing you can have, I think, is when you feel like the game's moving too fast and you don't realize what assignment you've got. ... It's slowing down for him, for sure. He's asking questions all the time between me, Shane, Sivi, the coaching staff. I'm really, really happy like I said for him to be able to showcase his talent. A lot of people been waiting for it, so it will be good to come out and show it. He's been practicing amazing."