USC Trojans redshirt freshman running back Riley Wormley suffered a significant knee injury midway through his senior season of high school.

The Lone Star State native enrolled early last spring but continued to work his way back during the 2025 season. USC has been cautious with injuries, and the Trojans were in no rush with Wormley’s rehab process. And over a year after his initial injury, Wormley made his collegiate debut in early November in a win over Northwestern.

Valuable Experience in Freshman Campaign

USC Trojans redshirt freshman running back Riley Wormley | USC Trojans on SI

Wormley saw reps down the stretch against UCLA in the regular season finale, where he served as the teams No. 2 running back and TCU in the Alamo Bowl.

Overall, Wormley saw action in three games. He was able to redshirt and gained valuable game experience, especially considering there were questions whether or not he would be available at all during his true freshman season.

“That kid has been itching at the bit.…