USC Defensive Lineman Floyd Boucard Playing With A Chip On His Shoulder

After injuries slowed his freshman year, USC Trojans defensive lineman Floyd Boucard is motivated for a breakout sophomore season.

Dec 27, 2023; San Diego, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans coach Lincoln Riley embraces daughters Sloane Riley and Stella Riley after the Holiday Bowl against the Louisville Cardinals at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Star defensive lineman Floyd Boucard's first season with the USC Trojans never unfolded the way he envisioned. Injuries disrupted the rhythm of his freshman campaign, limiting his opportunities just as he was beginning to flash the disruptive talent that made him a highly regarded recruit. Now entering his sophomore season, the defensive tackle is using that adversity as motivation.

“I just feel like I came in with a chip on my shoulder,” Boucard told reporters after USC's second spring practice. “So, just my freshman year, I battled a whole lot of stuff. So just me having a chip on my shoulder and putting the team first, not me first, I was good. So I feel like everything just aligned and everything straight out.”

Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches from the sidelines against the Missouri State Bears in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Boucard enrolled early at USC in the spring of 2025 after graduating from high school a semester ahead of schedule. Despite battling injuries during the year, he still appeared in a handful games as a true freshman recording nine tackles, two tackles for loss totaling 13 yards, one sack for minus-9 yards, and two quarterback hurries.

Now, this season with a new defensive coordinator in Gary Patterson, a potentially expanded role on the defensive front, and hopefully a healthy season, Boucard can build that small sample into an All-Big Ten season.

Flashes of Greatness

He may not have a large sample sizes, but the flashes were there early in the season. Boucard got off to a hot start, logging one tackle against Missouri State, followed by three tackles, including a tackle for loss versus Georgia Southern. In Week 3, Boucard made his mark with his first career sack against the Purdue Boilermakers before being sidelined for two months with injury before returning against the Oregon Ducks late in the season.

Dec 30, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches in the first half against the TCU Horned Frogs during the Alamo Bowl at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Boucard's last impression was probably best as he closed his freshman season with three tackles in the Alamo Bowl against the TCU Horned Frogs. His performance in just 21 snaps earned him USC's the highest overall defensive grade for the game according to Pro Football Focus. The game may have ended in a Trojans' loss, but it was a solid opportunity for some of USC's young talent to shine with a handful of key starters sitting out in preparation for the 2026 NFL Draft.

"We had a smaller team, but everybody was still trying to compete,” Boucard said. "We still train hard. We're still training to USC standard. So I feel like everything now that we got new people, it's just we all on the same page. A bigger team. Same thing.”

That mindset will be a defining theme of Boucard's approach entering the 2026 season as the Trojans look to revamp their defense.

New-Look Defensive Line

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

The Trojans are entering the 2026 season with a lot of promise across the defensive line. USC gets returning defensive linemen like sophomore Jahkeem Stewart, junior Jide Abasiri and redshirt junior Jamaal Jarrett returning to the lineup. They also added veteran transfer defensive lineman Alex VanSumeren from Michigan State and defensive end Zuriah Fisher from Penn State in the transfer portal. And to top it off, the headliners of their No.1 ranked 2026 recruiting class are five star defensive linemen Luke Wafle and Jaimeon Winfield.

In other words, USC coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans made it a point to take major swings on defensive talent over the last couple of months with an emphasis on improving the defensive line. Despite losing a promising, young run stuffer in defensive tackle Devan Thompkins to the transfer portal, the Trojans have found a way to retool their defensive front with players like Stewart, Boucard, and senior leader defensive end Braylan Shelby at the forefront.

For Boucard, the opportunity is clear. If he can stay healthy, the sophomore defensive tackle could become an important piece of a defensive front loaded with both returning experience and emerging talent. After an injury-filled freshman year, Boucard’s chip on his shoulder might be exactly what the Trojans’ defensive line needs.

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