2017 Football Roster
Roster
John Houston Jr.
- Position:
- Inside Linebacker
- Height:
- 6-3
- Weight:
- 210
- Class:
- Redshirt Sophomore
- Hometown:
- Carson, CA
- High School:
- Serra
@johnhouston10 
@Official_John10 • In the News
CAREER: Houston has 167 tackles, including 6 for losses (with 2.5 sacks), plus 9 deflections, a fumble recovery, a forced fumle and an interception in his career. He has appeared in 37 games in his career, with 23 starts.
2019: Houston returns as a starting inside linebacker as a senior in 2019.
2018: Houston started for his second season at inside linebacker as a junior in 2018. Overall in 2018, he appeared in and started 11 games (all but Notre Dame) and had 67 tackles (second on USC), including 2.5 for losses of 18 yards (with a 12-yard sack), 5 deflections and a forced fumble. He strained his hamstring at UCLA and missed the Notre Dame game.
He had 4 tackles against UNLV, then 4 tackles and a deflection at both Stanford and Texas. He had 7 tackles and a deflection against Washington State, then 4 tackles and a deflection versus both Arizona and Colorado. He had a game-best 15 tackles (1.5 for loss, with a sack) and forced a fumble that USC returned for a TD at Utah. He had 7 tackles against Arizona State, 8 tackles (1 for a loss) at Oregon State, 6 tackles against California and 4 tackles at UCLA.
2017: Houston started at inside linebacker as a sophomore in 2017. Overall in 2017 while appearing in 13 games (all but Texas) and starting 12 times (all but Texas and Utah), he had 84 tackles (fourth on USC), including 3.5 for losses of 19 yards (with 1.5 sacks for 12 yards), plus 4 deflections, an interception and a fumble recovery. He suffered a stinger against Stanford and missed the Texas game.
He had 6 tackles and a deflection against Western Michigan and 3 tackles against Stanford. He had 6 tackles at California, 6 tackles (1 sack) at Washington State, 4 tackles against Oregon State, 6 tackles against Utah, 8 tackles at Notre Dame and 5 tackles and a deflection at Arizona State. He had a team-high 10 tackles (0.5 sack) and had an interception against Arizona to earn CollegeSportsMadness.com Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week honors. He had a game-best 11 tackles (2 for losses), plus a deflection, at Colorado, then 7 tackles and a fumble recovery against UCLA and 4 tackles against Stanford in the Pac-12 Championship Game. He had 8 tackles and a deflection against Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.
2016: Houston, who returned healthy after a 2015 back injury, saw action as a backup at inside linebacker and on special teams as a redshirt freshman in 2016. Overall in 2016 while appearing in all 13 games, he made 16 tackles. He had 3 tackles at Stanford, 2 against Arizona State, 1 each versus Colorado, Arizona and California, 2 against both Oregon and Washington, 1 at UCLA, 2 against Notre Dame and 1 versus Penn State.
2015: Houston redshirted as an outside linebacker as a first-year freshman in 2015. He was slowed during the year with a mid-season back injury.
HIGH SCHOOL: He made 2014 Parade All-American first team, Prep Star All-American Dream Team, Max Preps All-American first team, Cal-Hi Sports All-State first team, Max Preps All-State Division I first team, USA Today All-California, Orange County Register Fab 15 first team, Tacoma News Tribune Western 100,All-CIF Pac 5 Division, Los Angeles Times All-Area first team, South Bay Daily Breeze All-South Bay Defensive Player of the Year and All-Mission League Co-MVP as a senior linebacker at Serra High in Gardena (Calif.). He had 147 tackles (6 for losses, with 3 sacks), 3 interceptions, 4 deflections, 3 forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in 2014.
As a junior in 2013, he made Student Sports Junior All-American first team, Max Preps Junior All-American first team, Cal-Hi Sports All-State Junior first team, All-CIF Western Division, South Bay Daily Breeze All-South Bay first team and All-Mission League first team as he had 137 tackles (6 for losses), 9 deflections and 2 fumble recoveries.
He made Max Preps Sophomore All-American first team, Cal-Hi Sports All-State Sophomore first team and All-Mission League second team as he had 129 tackles, 5 deflections, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble as a 2012 sophomore. He was a 3-year starter. Currents Trojan C.J. Pollard, Max Williams and John Jackson III also prepped at Serra.
PERSONAL: He is a non-governmental organizations and sociology major at USC.
