Starting strong safety Bubba Bolden will not play in USC's season-opener this Saturday against UNLV, USC head coach Clay Helton announced following Thursday's practice. Helton declined to comment further on why the sophomore Bolden will not play but did say it was a personal matter and that he did not practice on Thursday.

"There's no timetable for his return and I cannot comment further," Helton said.

Redshirt freshman Isaiah Pola-Mao will start in his place alongside veteran Marvell Tell. Helton added that redshirt sophomore C.J. Pollard (saw action in four games last season) and former five-star Composite freshman and early enrollee Talanoa Hufanga will rotate in to help Pola-Mao.

The Las Vegas native Bolden won the starting job last weekend with the release of USC's first official depth chat on Sunday, beating out Pollard, Pola-Mao and the top contender, redshirt junior Ykili Ross. Ross was sidelined for most of fall training camp with a hamstring injury, which allowed Bolden to take more first-team reps. Ross ended up getting into a verbal spat with his teammates last week when he returned to practice and left the team in hopes of being a graduate transfer following this season.

The loss of Ross, the only safety outside of Tell with starting experience, leaves USC's back end even more inexperienced as Bolden had the second-most experience, playing in 13 games last season (missed Stanford with a knee sprain) as a backup and on special teams. He recorded eight tackles. Bolden did his first official interview with the media as a starter after Wednesday's practice and was excited about making his first ever start.

"It's a blessing. It's a dream come true to come here and start for this program," said Bolden. "But you know I'm taking it day by day and just keeping in my work, Staying on top of my plays and just coming out working every day."

Bolden was stepping into the starting spot vacated by 2017 team captain and the secondary's QB Chris Hawkins. While Bolden and the others have the physical abilities, it was the ability to communicate with teammates, make pre-snap corrections and know Clancy Pendergast's defense inside and out that was the real need at the position.

“[Pendergast is] looking for a guy that can do that. I'm stepping up in that role honestly,” Bolden said earlier in August. “I want to show my vocal skills. I think he knows I've got the athletic ability to play the spot, but I just got to show him my vocal skills and knowing where to be, when to be at the right time and just playing football.”

Bolden starred at Las Vegas powerhouse Bishop Gorman High School, where he played for UNLV head coach Tony Sanchez for one season. Bolden helped Gorman to its eighth consecutive state title and third consecutive national championship.

"That's my hometown but it's another game and I have to come out with the same focus and come out and work," he said.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Bolden is known for his playmaking ability, ball skills (seven interceptions as a senior) and aggressive play. Bolden was a four-star prospect in 2017, rated the No. 59 overall recruit and the No. 7 safety in the country, according to the 247Sports Composite.