​Countdown to kickoff is back. USC will begin its 2026 football season on August 29, welcoming San Jose State to the Coliseum for the season opener. In this series, we’ll count down the days to kickoff by spotlighting a notable Trojan who wore each number. With today marking 49 days to go, we kick off the second half of our countdown by highlighting former USC All-American defensive lineman Tuli Tuipulotu.
Position: Defensive line
Years at USC: 2020–2022
Career highlights: Tuipulotu quickly established himself as a key contributor on USC’s defensive line as a true freshman in 2020, lining up alongside his brother Marlon. When Marlon moved on to the NFL in 2021, Tuli stepped up to fill the void and earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors that season. The following year, Tuipulotu reached an elite level of production, delivering 13.5 sacks—the most of any player in the country—along with 46 total tackles and two forced fumbles. His exceptional performance earned him unanimous All-American status, as well as Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honors, the Morris Trophy (awarded to the top lineman in the Pac-12), and the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year award.
After USC: Following the 2022 season, Tuipulotu declared for the 2023 NFL Draft, where the Los Angeles Chargers selected him in the second round. He wasted little time establishing himself as a professional standout. He earned a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie team in 2023 and followed with an 8.5-sack season in 2024. Last year marked the best campaign of his career to date, as he amassed 13 sacks and two forced fumbles and earned his first Pro Bowl selection. At just 23 years old, Tuipulotu is widely regarded as one of the league’s brightest young defensive talents.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC countdown to kickoff: Recalling Trojans DL Tuli Tuipulotu for better SEO.