Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 39-0vs Fresno State | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | W 49-30vs Louisiana | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Total | 3 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#49
Simote Katoanga
Freshman defensive end on USC's 2026 roster.
6′5″ · 275 lb · Oceanside, CA · Santa Margarita Catholic HS
Returning to USC for 2026
The numbers
0
sacks · 2026
3 tackles
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 tackles, vs Louisiana
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
1 defensive end on USC's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to USC in 2026.
Simote Katoanga
The receipt on tape: 2 tackles against Louisiana, Week 2, 2026.
3 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- game log
His career
2026
- Signed with USC4-star out of Santa Margarita Catholic
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
USC
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2026USC3-0HC: Lincoln Riley · Run-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 1.5 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Lincoln Riley
Pass share
46.0%
97 pass / 114 run
Plays / game
70.3
3 games
Team sack rate
2.0%
102 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | USC | 3 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 3 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 49–30
vs Louisiana
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
USC
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive end · USC
Returning around him
- 3 USC players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -13 net (9 in / 22 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
USC · Last season: 9-4 (AP #16) · Talent rank #9 · 2026 recruiting class #1
Background
2026: Katoanga, who enrolled at USC in the spring of 2026 after graduating a semester early from high school, looks to compete for playing time at defensive end as a true freshman in 2026. HIGH SCHOOL: Katoanga, a four-star recruit, was ranked as the No. 93 player in the nation by ESPN and No. 18...
The defensive line · USC
- #1Kameryn Fountain10.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #4Jahkeem Stewart7.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #10Braylan Shelby6 tackles for loss · 2025
- #97Jide Abasiri4 tackles for loss · 2025
- #49Simote Katoanga2 games · 2026
16 more on the roster · USC team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology