Kyle Ford went more than a year without playing football, working his way back from a torn ACL sustained early in his senior season at Orange Lutheran High School.

By early last summer, the 4-star Rivals100 wide receiver was working out with his USC teammates in player-run practices, but the Trojans staff remained patient. More to the point, Ford remained patient, following the recovery guidelines from the training staff while waiting for the chance to finally get back on the field.

That didn't come until Oct. 25 as he logged 12 snaps on special teams against Colorado -- 6 on the kickoff coverage unit and 6 on the punt return unit. The next week he'd get 9 snaps on offense late in the loss to Oregon in addition to his special teams work, recording what would be his only reception of the season -- a 20-yard touchdown catch.

"I've been taking advantage of all my reps out there, doing what I can, like I said controlling the controllables. I'm just happy to be out there, honestly," he said that week.

Understanding the perspective of what Ford went through last year and how everything was geared toward this season -- his chance to fully show why he was ranked the No. 65 overall prospect in the 2019 class -- makes the news this weekend even tougher to consider.

Ford has sustained another torn ACL and is heading for another surgery and another lost season. USCFootball.com's Keely Eure first reported the news, noting it was to the opposite knee from the first ACL injury, and USC confirmed it Saturday, also confirming that redshirt sophomore linebacker Eli'jah Winston is having surgery on a broken ankle.

So what do these injuries mean for USC and for those players?

For the Trojans, the impact should be modest as those positions are areas of significant depth -- wide receiver being perhaps the strongest unit on the team and linebacker featuring a bevy of relatively inexperienced options behind projected starters Jordan Iosefa and Palaie Gaoteote.

USC was working Ford at inside receiver in spring practice -- or, at least, the only spring practice the Trojans had. It would have been tough for him to carve out a significant role there while competing for work inside with established weapon Drake London, speedy prototypical freshman slot receiver Gary Bryant Jr. and a group of veteran tight ends. Bryant possesses a skill set unlike any other receiver on the team, and that is his advantage in competing for a role this season, while redshirt senior tight end Daniel Imatorbhebhe figures to be a factor in his return to the program.