2023 USC Football Spring Roster
Roster
Taleni, Tyrone

Jersey Number 31
Tyrone Taleni
- Position:
- Defensive Lineman
- Height:
- 6-2
- Weight:
- 270
- Class:
- Redshirt Senior
- Hometown:
- Savai’i, Western Samoa
- High School:
- Vaiola College HS / Mt. San Antonio JC / Kansas State
Bio
CAREER: In his 3-year collegiate career (2 years at Kansas State and 1 year at USC), he has 30 tackles, including 7.5 for loss with 7 sacks, 3 QB hurries and 1 forced fumble while appearing in 22 games with 9 starts.
2023: Taleni will return as a veteran on the defensive line as a redshirt senior in 2023.
2022: Taleni had 25 tackles, including 7.5 for loss of 54 yards (with 5 sacks for minus 45 yards), 3 QB hurries and 1 forced fumble while appearing in 12 games and starting the last 9 games of the season as a senior defensive lineman in 2022. He was named to the AP All-Pac-12 Second Team.
He had 2 tackles, including 2 for loss for 8 yards (with 1 sack for minus 7 yards) against Rice. He tallied 2 tackles at Oregon State and 3 tackles, including 1.5 for loss of 13 yards (with 1.5 sacks for minus 13 yards) against Arizona State. He posted 2 tackles, including 1 for loss of 6 yards against Washington State. He notched 5 tackles, including 0.5 for loss of 2 yards, at Utah. He had 2 tackles at Arizona. He recorded 1 tackle, including 1 for loss of 7 yards (with 1 sack for minus 7 yards) against California. He had 1 tackle, including 0.5 for loss of 6 yards (with 0.5 sack for minus 6 yards) versus Colorado. He collected 4 tackles, including 1.0 for loss of 12 yards (with 1 sack for minus 12 yards) and 1 QB hurry at UCLA. He posted 2 tackles against Notre Dame and 1 tackle and 2 QB hurries in the Pac-12 Championship against Utah.
KANSAS STATE: He made 4 tackles, with a sack, while appearing in 7 games as a 2021 junior defensive tackle at Kansas State. He made the 2021 Academic All-Big 12 second team.
As a 2020 sophomore, he had a sack while appearing in 3 games.
JUNIOR COLLEGE: He played defensive line at Mt. San Antonio Junior College in Walnut (Calif.) as a 2019 redshirt freshman, getting 26 tackles (including 6 for losses, with 3.5 sacks) and a deflection.
He redshirted as a first-year freshman in 2018, his first year of organized football.
HIGH SCHOOL: He did not play football at Vaiola College High in Savai’i, Western Samoa.
PERSONAL: He is majoring in Health and Human Sciences at USC. He went on a 2-year Mormon mission prior to enrolling at Mt. SAC. He played rugby as a youngster in Western Samoa. He is the oldest Trojan on the roster (born on June 20, 1996).
2023: Taleni will return as a veteran on the defensive line as a redshirt senior in 2023.
2022: Taleni had 25 tackles, including 7.5 for loss of 54 yards (with 5 sacks for minus 45 yards), 3 QB hurries and 1 forced fumble while appearing in 12 games and starting the last 9 games of the season as a senior defensive lineman in 2022. He was named to the AP All-Pac-12 Second Team.
He had 2 tackles, including 2 for loss for 8 yards (with 1 sack for minus 7 yards) against Rice. He tallied 2 tackles at Oregon State and 3 tackles, including 1.5 for loss of 13 yards (with 1.5 sacks for minus 13 yards) against Arizona State. He posted 2 tackles, including 1 for loss of 6 yards against Washington State. He notched 5 tackles, including 0.5 for loss of 2 yards, at Utah. He had 2 tackles at Arizona. He recorded 1 tackle, including 1 for loss of 7 yards (with 1 sack for minus 7 yards) against California. He had 1 tackle, including 0.5 for loss of 6 yards (with 0.5 sack for minus 6 yards) versus Colorado. He collected 4 tackles, including 1.0 for loss of 12 yards (with 1 sack for minus 12 yards) and 1 QB hurry at UCLA. He posted 2 tackles against Notre Dame and 1 tackle and 2 QB hurries in the Pac-12 Championship against Utah.
KANSAS STATE: He made 4 tackles, with a sack, while appearing in 7 games as a 2021 junior defensive tackle at Kansas State. He made the 2021 Academic All-Big 12 second team.
As a 2020 sophomore, he had a sack while appearing in 3 games.
JUNIOR COLLEGE: He played defensive line at Mt. San Antonio Junior College in Walnut (Calif.) as a 2019 redshirt freshman, getting 26 tackles (including 6 for losses, with 3.5 sacks) and a deflection.
He redshirted as a first-year freshman in 2018, his first year of organized football.
HIGH SCHOOL: He did not play football at Vaiola College High in Savai’i, Western Samoa.
PERSONAL: He is majoring in Health and Human Sciences at USC. He went on a 2-year Mormon mission prior to enrolling at Mt. SAC. He played rugby as a youngster in Western Samoa. He is the oldest Trojan on the roster (born on June 20, 1996).
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