LOS ANGELES -- Jeff Byers' life in Los Angeles has been almost as trying and tumultuous as Odysseus' wayward journey home following the Trojan War.

First there was torn hip cartilage that sidelined him for the 2005 season. Then, after starting the 2006 season opener, Byers strained his back before the second game and missed the rest of the year.

He was awarded redshirts for both of those lost seasons.

Finally, Byers returned for the 2007 season and started all 13 games. But before the start of 2008 spring camp Byers felt sick and doctors discovered he had an enlarged spleen.

After a multitude of tests, Byers was diagnosed with Rocky Mountain spotted fever, which he contracted from a tick bite on a trip home to Colorado for his sister's wedding.

Byers missed the entire spring and dropped 30 pounds while recovering from the virus. He was also held out of most of preseason camp until he got back to playing weight.

"When something's taken away that you truly love, you learn a lot about fighting through adversity," Byers said. "It's a struggle but it teaches you a lot about yourself and about being tough."

Football wasn't always such as chaotic for Byers. Coming out of high school, he was rated the top recruit in the country by several recruiting services and was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year, the only lineman ever to win the award.

His high school stat line is something out of a video game. On offense, Byers never allowed a sack during his high school career and once recorded 34 pancake blocks in one game.

As a defensive tackle, he racked up 203 tackles, 56 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and forced 14 fumbles during his senior year leading Loveland (Colo.) High School to an undefeated state championship.

But the plague of the injury bug has led him down a path he said he never could have predicted. He was recently granted a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA and will be part of an offensive line that returns intact next year.

Just because he's been around the program for so long doesn't mean Byers is toting around five years of game experience. Offensive line coach Pat Ruel said there are times he forgets Byers' injury years.

"I was getting on his ass about something and he goes 'Hey, I haven't been playing for four years, I've only been playing for two,' " Ruel said. "You forget because he's been around so long but he was hurt for two of those years and was out the whole time.

"But his experience is critical. The amount of teaching he does from his perspective to the younger guys is immeasurable."

While USC's line had to replace four starters before this season, Ruel and offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian said they relied on Byers to help school his inexperienced linemates.

Both coaches said Byers, who has already graduated with a 3.27 GPA and is on track to earn his MBA, is a cerebral player who has helped his teammates in the trenches read and understand different defensive fronts and blitz packages.

Byers has been especially helpful to sophomore center Kristofer O'Dowd. Injuries forced O'Dowd into a starting role as a true freshman last season and he said he turned to Byers to help develop his game.

"When I got thrown in there, I was rough in a couple areas and Jeff was always there to get my back if I needed help," O'Dowd said. "He's a great guy, a good friend, a great player and someone who's always there to have your back no matter what. There's nothing more you can ask for when you have someone like that lining up next to you on the offensive line."

But they all said Byers' leadership, he was elected a captain before the season, goes beyond gameplans and blocking schemes.

Sarkisian said Byers experience coping with misfortune off the field is a great example for all of his teammates to follow and gives them the luxury of knowing Byers will be able to respond in any high-pressure situation.

"Everything he had to fight through showed our younger offensive linemen it's not always easy. It's not, 'I feel good again today, let's go to work,' " Sarkisian said. "This guy wakes up, he's hurt and he battles everyday. He's been a rock for these guys and he'll continue to be next year."

While Byers' journey through Los Angeles is filled with enough drama it could make a decent screenplay, he said he would never trade his experience.

He said he couldn't ask for more with regards to getting his MBA and what he's learned about the game. And while all the hours in rehab and trips to the operating room were mentally tough, Byers said they've taught him more about life than any book or class.

"One thing you realize as you grow older is things never happen as you expect them to happen," Byers said. "If you had asked me five years ago that I would've been injured for two straight years I would've laughed in your face.

"There's always bumps in the road and it's how you take those and how you respond to the adversity."