USC Trojans' Keeshawn Silver Wears No. 9 To Honor His Late Mother

Keeshawn Silver is one of six defensive lineman that is wearing a single-digit number for the USC Trojans this season. Silver, a Kentucky Wildcats transfer, wears No. 9 for a special reason: to honor his late mother.

Oct 26, 2024; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats defensive lineman Keeshawn Silver (9) celebrates after a missed field goal by the Auburn Tigers during the third quarter at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Typically in football, single digit numbers are occupied by quarterbacks, specialists and skill position players, but for the USC Trojans it’s the opposite. 

Six defensive linemen wear single-digit numbers, including Kentucky transfer Keeshawn Silver. It was something that happened at random, but for Silver the No. 9 has a special meaning. He wears the number to honor his late mother. 

“I was nine years old when I lost my mom, I always cherish the No. 9 … the number has a meaning to me,” Silver said on Trojans Live Monday. 

Oct 26, 2024; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats defensive lineman Keeshawn Silver (9) celebrates after a missed field goal by the Auburn Tigers during the third quarter at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Silver, a former five-star recruit, stayed home and signed with North Carolina in the 2021 cycle. He played two seasons with Tar Heels, before transferring to Kentucky, where he appeared 24 games, including 23 starts over the last two seasons. 

The redshirt senior decided to head out west to play for his final season of his eligibility. Silver was one of two transfers from the SEC the Trojans landed during the winter window. Redshirt sophomore Jamaal Jarrett came over from Georgia, and the two have a relationship that dates back to when Jarrett was a four-star recruit coming out of Grimsley (N.C.) high school in the 2023 cycle. 

“When I was at North Carolina I was recruiting him,” Silver said. “So to get him here, to actually play with him for once, been trying to do it forever, just to play with him for my last year it really meant a lot.”

Silver, at 6-4, 331 pounds and Jarrett, at 6-5, 349 pounds are too massive individuals on the interior of the defensive line that will be tough to move.

Although Silver has been limited this spring because of a knee injury, he’s still been practicing every day, doing non-contact work and participating in individual drills. Under the guidance of defensive line coach Eric Henderson and defensive ends coach Shaun Nua, Silver has plenty aspects of his game on and off the field he’s been focused on improving. 

"Just being a more vocal leader, that was my biggest thing,” Silver said. “Being more of a pass rusher, I thought I was pretty dominant in the run, just being able to convert to pass on certain downs. Studying the game, becoming the best that I can be.” 

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Henderson has a strong reputation as a recruiter because of his ability to relate to players and honesty with them when it comes to development. One of his former players from his time with the Los Angeles Rams has been a frequent visitor at USC, three-time Defensive Player of the Year and future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald. 

Donald was back on campus this past weekend spent time after practice working with players and talking with recruits like Mater Dei (Calif.) four-star defensive lineman and USC commit Tomuhini Topui. 

Depth and size on the defensive line was an issue for the Trojans in their inaugural season in the Big Ten, but now it is could be the team’s biggest strength. In addition to landing Silver and Jarrett, USC signed five-star recruit Jahkeem Stewart in the 2025 cycle. The highly touted prospect out of Edna Karr (La.) is one of 14 early enrollees taking part in spring practice. 

USC coach Lincoln Riley has raved about freshman Floyd Boucard.  Redshirt senior Kobe Pepe, redshirt junior Devan Thompkins and sophomore Jide Abasiri and redshirt freshman Carlon Jones are back from last season. The defensive line room is a mix of veterans with a ton of experience under their belts and a talented young group that can make an immediate impact. 

Sep 7, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans defensive end Devan Thompkins (98) sacks Utah State Aggies quarterback Bryson Barnes (16) during the third quarter at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images | Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

The drastic improvement on the defensive lineman has been noticeable from day one and is primed to cause problems for teams in the fall.  

 “You definitely feel it, especially the competitive periods,” Riley said. “When you start running the football against that front … like the gaps and the holes when you play really big teams, really strong teams, like everything is smaller. Like literally space is just taken up and you kind of feel that right now with our guys and it’s a real battle at the line up scrimmage.”

USC will wrap up spring practice this Saturday, April 26.