Lincoln Riley confirms injury to TE Lake McRee, updates TE, DB depth chart

SAN DIEGO -- During the pre-Holiday Bowl head coaches press conference Wednesday at Petco Park, USC coach Lincoln Riley confirmed that starting tight end Lake McRee sustained an injury in practice late last week and will miss the game.

Tight end was already the Trojans' thinnest position group, and how it will be manned by redshirt freshman Carson Tabaracci -- who played just 13 offensive snaps this season, per PFF -- and true freshman Kade Eldridge, who has yet to play in a game.

Riley did not specify the injury to McRee, a redshirt sophomore who had 26 catches for 262 yards and 1 TD this season. The Trojans' backup tight end Jude Wolfe, entered the transfer portal earlier this month.

RELATED: Watch the full video of the Holiday Bowl coaches press conference

"Carson Tabaracci will take probably the majority of it along with Kade Eldridge. Had an unfortunate injury with Lake last week, which was really kind of a gut punch to the team. Just one of those as a coach, I think in all the years of doing it, I don't know that I've ever seen an injury like that in a bowl practice. Obviously, we'll be excited to get him back next season."

Tabaracci came to USC as a linebacker transfer from Utah after spending his first spring there. He then transitioned to tight end this year.

Meanwhile, Riley also addressed another of USC's many depleted position groups -- the defensive backs.

The Trojans are without starting cornerbacks Christian Roland-Wallace (preparing for NFL draft) and Domani Jackson (transfer portal) along with Ceyair Wright, who opened the season as a starter but was not with the team late in the fall for undisclosed reasons.

Top safety Calen Bullock also declared for the NFL draft as an underclassman and will not play in the game.

Riley said the Trojans will lean heavily on veteran corners Jacobe Covington (113 defensive snaps this season, none since Week 6) and Prophet Brown (125 defensive snaps this season), regular starting nickel Jaylin Smith, veteran safeties Max Williams and Bryson Shaw, largely untested third-year safety Anthony Beavers and intriguing redshirt freshman Tre'Quon Fegans, who spent most of the season practicing at safety but can play all over the secondary.

Shaw highlighted Fegans, who joined the Trojans this year from Alabama, as a player who has really come in late in the season and through bowl practices.

"Secondary's a little bit thin right now, as we know, but obviously several of those guys have practiced well," Riley said. "We've been able to take advantage of all this time to get some of these guys ready to go."

USC is, of course, missing key starters throughout the depth chart, including star quarterback Caleb Williams (NFL draft), running back MarShawn Lloyd (NFL draft), wide receivers Brenden Rice (NFL draft), Mario Williams (transfer portal) and Michael Jackson III (transfer portal).

The Holiday Bowl kicks off from San Diego's Petco Park at 4:30 p.m. PT Wednesday.