The countdown to USC’s 2025 football season is officially on! The Trojans kick off their new campaign 62 days from today. You need something to help you while away the days and hours in the spring and summer. This is one way to do so. In this new series, countdown to kickoff, we will be counting down the days by highlighting a notable Trojan who wore each number. Today, we look at former USC All-American center Brett Neilon.
Position: Offensive line
Years played at USC: 2017-2022
Career highlights: After redshirting in 2017 and serving as a backup offensive lineman in 2018, Neilon took over as the Trojans’ starting center in 2019. He would not relinquish that role for the next four years. Taking advantage of his extra COVID year of eligibility in 2022, Neilon was named a first-team All-American, and was part of a USC unit that was named a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award, given to the top offensive line in the country.
Perhaps the moment that Neilon is best known for came during that 2022 season on the road at Oregon State. With the Trojans trailing 14-10 late in the game, USC faced a fourth and six from its own 43 yard line. Quarterback Caleb Williams took off in pursuit of the first down, but was stopped short of the line to gain. However, salvation arrived in an unlikely form in Neilon, who came out of nowhere to push Williams past the line to gain for a first down.
The Trojans would go on to score the game-winning touchdown and prevail with a 17-14 victory. The play subsequently earned the nickname, “Neilon Nudge”, a play on the famous “Bush Push” 17 years prior.
After USC: Sadly, a lower leg injury in the 2022 Pac-12 Championship Game ended Neilon’s USC career prematurely. After not being selected in the 2023 NFL draft, he attended rookie minicamp with the Kansas City Chiefs last year, but did not make the…
Source link : https://trojanswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/trojans/football/2025/06/30/usc-football-countdown-kickoff-trojans-brett-neilon/84411847007/
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Publish date : 2025-06-30 12:38:00
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