Coaches rarely directly address injuries -- especially this USC staff -- but defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn didn't need to protect any details in talking about defensive tackle Gavin Meyer as it's plain to all to see that the redshirt senior is playing through a lot of physical issues at this point in the season.

He wears braces on both knees, a bulky brace on his left elbow and in recent weeks has been playing with a cast/club on his left hand.

But none of those injuries have kept him off the field for long.

"Super impressed. I think he has a knee [injury], he has an elbow [injury], he has a hand injury], and whether he misses practice or not, when it comes to game day he's always out there and he's always going to give it his all and he's always doing what he's supposed to do," Lynn said. "And everyone on the team sees that. I've just been impressed for a guy that wasn't here all spring just how respected he is on the team right now."

Meyer, who joined USC over the summer as a transfer from Wyoming, leads all USC defensive tackles with 271 snaps played and 10 quarterback pressures (tied with Devan Thompkins).

That included a season-high 5 pressures and 3 tackles vs. Rutgers on Friday -- even as the injuries mount this late into the fall. As the Trojans needed him more than ever with fellow defensive tackle Nate Clifton leaving the game early with injury (and with Bear Alexander having left the team entirely earlier this season).

"Gavin was a warrior in there for us. I thought he played one of his more impactful games," coach Lincoln Riley said.

Meyer smiles when asked about all that he's been playing through this season.

"I mean, college football is a tough sport, things are going to happen -- bumps and bruises and all that stuff. I think over time going from being a young player, playing over the years, I think that really helps build your character and build that mental toughness aspect," Meyer said this week.

Asked what has been the hardest of his "bumps and bruises" to play through, Meyer didn't offer any specifics.

"Just college football week-in and week-out, I think there's no specific thing -- I just think the season, playing college football is one of the hardest things you can do," he said. "... I think that's just the consistent battle week in and week out, not one thing consistently."

Just like the coaches, his teammates marvel at his work ethic and dedication as well.

"Great leader. He give[s] it his all. If this was his last year [or not] it don't matter, I think he'd have that same mentality coming out to play football on any field. Even not big-time, it don't matter the game, don't matter the time, don't matter the day, he'd just come out there and compete because he loves football and I love him for that," second-year defensive end Sam Greene said.

Meyer was a late addition to USC's transfer class, committing in May after the Trojans had seemingly missed out on some other top defensive tackle targets in the transfer portal.

He logged 351 snaps as part of Wyoming's defensive line rotation last season but never more than 36 in a game. He's already topped that mark in four games this season and has played at least 32 snaps in six of the eight games -- including 44 last week vs. Rutgers.

"There's always stuff you're dealing with. That's what you've got to go into the game -- are you [just] hurt or is it actually injury that you're dealing with? That's what you kind of have to think about it as. Every week you'll get into something new playing this game -- it's always a how do you get on the field kind of mindset," Meyer said, noting that he's learned over the years how to manage his body and get ready to suit up each week.

"When you're a freshman you can go practice and then go sleep for 14 hours and get up the next day feeling great or whatever maybe. But coming here to USC and over my career, you find things that really work for you, whether that be different kinds of treatments, different kinds of exercises that help you specifically," he said. "Coming here, this training staff and this medical staff specifically ... they're just awesome. They're here longer than we are sometimes, and I want to shout them out for sure."

Lynn made a point to watch film with Meyer during the recruiting process this spring because he wanted to see how his mind worked and said he was struck by "just how smart of a player he was."

Even still, he didn't expect Meyer to pick up the defense so quickly, having not been here for spring practice. Sure enough, though, he was named a starter by the end of fall camp, getting the nod over the more high-profile Alexander -- the former five-star prospect who would leave the team a few games into the season frustrated with his playing time.

“I mean, from the first time I met with him, like, it was just – he checked every single box on the field and off the field," Lynn said earlier this season. "And he has not disappointed at all, from the way he carries himself in the meeting room, to walkthroughs, to individual drills, he’s just a guy that does everything right. So for the other guys in the room, it’s just another person that they can watch.”

Lynn expounded on that point this week in talking about Meyer's grit to play through all these physical setbacks.

"It's everything he does -- it's how he takes notes, it's how he prepares, it's how he's out here before practice, it's the stuff he does after practice. I think he's a perfect example of how to be a pro," he said.

That's exactly what Meyer wants to be remembered for as he wraps up his final season of eligibility.

Not the stats -- which are always a tough gauge for an interior defensive lineman (he has 16 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack and 3 pass breakups).

"Laying the groundwork with the coaches that are here too, with Coach Henny (Eric Henderson) and coach [Shaun] Nua and building that mentality to last longer than I'm here, that means the most," Meyer said. "That's actually what it's about rather than just leaving stats on the stat sheet or your jersey number, whatever it may be -- but leaving that mentality is 'Dawg Work.' ...

"Like the word warrior and relentless, that's really what I feel like D-linemen should be and what it is in my opinion, that 'Dawg Work' mentality -- if that's left here at this university that's more than I'll ever need."