USC Star Freshman Jahkeem Stewart Reveals Crucial Role Played Trojans' Eric Gentry

The No. 21 USC Trojans' 4-0 start ahead of their week 5 matchup at No. 23 Illinois has spotlighted the USC’s turnaround season. A driving force is veteran linebacker Eric Gentry, whose leadership has set the tone across the roster—impacting teammates from veterans to true freshmen.

Oct 7, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Arizona Wildcats during the first half at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The No. 21 USC Trojans are 4-0 overall and 2-0 overall, a fast and impressive start that USC missed out on last year. 

What college football fans noticed is balance on the Trojans roster – position rooms are filled with young talent, transfers and veterans who can all compete at nearly the same level. 

For linebacker Eric Gentry, his leadership and fourth year with the Trojans has led the way. 

True Freshman Jakheem Stewarts Notes Gentry as “A Real Leader”

Oct 28, 2023; Berkeley, California, USA; USC Trojans linebacker Eric Gentry (18) gestures during the third quarter against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

In defensive end Jakheem Stewart's first year in college football, after reclassifying to the class of 2025, Stewart turned to the veterans for guidance and direction in a new world of competition. 

When Stewart was asked about the team’s accountability, someone outside of his position group came to mind as a true-born leader.

“They have a player-driven discipline. The real leader that I know I look up to is Eric Gentry. He leads the team a lot,” Stewart said after Wednesday’s practice. 

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Stewart looks up to Gentry in many ways—aspiring to one day lead the Trojans as he does, and drawing inspiration from the example Gentry sets in leading the team.

“You got to have that one player that just stands out, and he stands out to me because he comes from the heart and that's where I come from,” Stewart said. “So just really listening to him on how he goes about his day and going about his life, I'm trying to get to that level. But it's really impactful to know him on how he does things.”

Through four games, Gentry has been named a team captain for every USC matchup. 

Sep 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans defensive end Jahkeem Stewart (4) reacts after a defensive play against the Michigan State Spartans during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Gentry’s energy has been highlighted by many, but both his talent and leadership was especially noted by coach Lincoln Riley. 

“Eric's our leader there and and you know, he's been just all over the place. Just a maniac out there. It's pretty fun to watch him play right now, playing at a high level,” Riley said on an episode of Trojans Live. 

Gentry Leads Defense By Example

Sep 10, 2022; Stanford, California, USA; USC Trojans linebacker Eric Gentry (18) poses for a photo during the third quarter against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

In his fourth season with the Trojans, Gentry has been the clear leader. His talent, on-the-field energy and leadership all make up the player he is with this season's roster. 

Prior to his time with USC, Gentry's collegiate career started at Arizona State, where he recorded 45 total tackles and one sack as a true freshman.

Gentry’s first three seasons with USC put up impressive numbers, he finished with 149 total tackles, five sacks and two interceptions. After suffering a midseason concussion last year, Gentry medically redshirted, missing out on most of USC’s first season in the Big Ten. 

The healthy return of Gentry has only benefitted the Trojans defense. This season he’s produced at the same level, almost as if he never left. So far, Gentry has 27 tackles – all solo – three sacks and two forced fumbles. 

On tape, Gentry shows a knack for disrupting the backfield and finding the ball. Under linebackers coach Rob Ryan and defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn, he has developed into an NFL-caliber talent, now among the most dominant linebackers in college football.