USC Trojans head coach Lane Kiffin on Saturday told reporters that freshman Lamar Dawson would start at middle linebacker next week against the Washington Huskies. That unseats fifth-year senior Chris Galippo, who started the first eight games of the season before Dawson got the start in Friday night's win in Boulder against the Colorado Buffaloes.
Whitney Blaine of Fox Sports tweeted, "Kiffin said he told Chris Galippo last Monday he had two choices. 'He can practice his tail off…or he can sit around and pout'." Galippo, who has 40 tackles on the season, did not seem pleased with not starting on Friday, telling Scott Wolf of the Daily News, "I'm not going to lie. I was surprised. I don't agree with the decision."
Galippo is the only non-freshman to start at linebacker for the Trojans this season. Freshmen Dion Bailey and Hayes Pullard started the first eight games with Galippo. Bailey was out Friday with a concussion, but Pullard was joined in the starting lineup by fellow freshmen linebackers Dawson and Tre Madden.
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