Countdown to kickoff is back! USC will kick off its 2026 football season on August 29 when the Trojans host San Jose State at the Coliseum. In this series, we will be counting down the days until the season opener by highlighting a notable Trojan who wore each number.

With 51 days to go, today we look at former USC defensive lineman Solomon Byrd.

Position: Defensive line

Years played at USC: 2022-2023

Career highlights: After spending the first four years of his college career at Wyoming, Byrd transferred to USC prior to the 2022 season. He spent the next two years with the Trojans, emerging as a key playmaker at defensive end. During his two seasons in Cardinal and Gold, Byrd recorded 76 total tackles, 10.0 sacks, five forced fumbles, three fumbles recovered, and two passes defended.

After USC: The Houston Texans selected Byrd in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft. After spending the majority of his rookie season on the practice squad, the team activated Byrd for their regular season finale and he impressed, recording two tackles, one pass defended, and one stuff.

Byrd spent the majority of the 2025 season on Houston’s practice squad and did not see any game action. He will look to play a bigger role for the team in 2026.

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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC countdown to kickoff: Recalling Trojans DL Solomon Byrd