USC was full of optimism when fall training camp started in late July. Position battles cropped up at wide receiver and tight end as highly regarded freshmen came in looking for playing time. And all were loving the new Bloom Football Performance Center.
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The passing and running games seemed solidified – until an injury to starting center Kilian O’Connor disrupted the offensive line.
The Trojans have proved they can make adjustments in the trenches before, but the timing of a change to such a significant position in an offense designed to be high scoring will force them to act quickly in order to guarantee success.
“Guys are switching around and it’s a whole different group going with each other,” Trojans offensive lineman Tobias Raymond said, “but I think we’ve been doing a good job and everybody’s been really playing well together.”
If USC wants to secure a spot in the College Football Playoff, it will need to dominate in its nonconference games, starting with Saturday’s noon kickoff against San Jose State, followed by matchups with Fresno State and Louisiana. Lopsided wins are welcomed.
Quarterback Jayden Maiava and the one-two punch of running backs Waymond Jordan and King Miller give the Trojans the potential to run up the score, provided they have the protection that they need up front.
Head coach Lincoln Riley confirmed Monday during Trojans Live, a USC-run podcast, that Raymond will start at center. The redshirt junior has experience at multiple spots on the line and made seven starts at left guard, five at left tackle and one at right tackle during the 2025 season.
Offensive line coach Zach Hanson now has to bring someone new into a line that returned all of its starters from last season, including O’Connor.
A mid-fall camp scrimmage at the Coliseum allowed the coaching staff to experiment with the offensive line, and it also gave them clarity on the wide receiver position battle.
“We still have a couple of guys that are limited and not full participants in practice yet that should be here pretty quickly that I think are certainly going to have their say in it,” Riley said the day after the scrimmage.
“Right now,” he said, “we’re starting to get a pretty good idea of what that looks like going into game one.”
Tanook Hines, the only returning starting receiver after Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane departed for the NFL, was dealing with a minor injury that Riley said should clear up by Saturday’s season opener. The sophomore has been a full participant in practice – at least during the media viewing periods – which is a good indication he’ll be healthy and ready for San Jose State.
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@haleymsawyer USC receiver Tanook Hines was back at practice and appeared to be a full participant during the media viewing period on Tuesday afternoon. Hines is the only returning starting receiver from last season’s team. #uscfootball #usc #collegefootball
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Sophomore and consistent special teams player Corey Simms, as well as redshirt sophomore Zacharyus Williams, are strong candidates to get playing time at receiver. Williams was on track for significant playing time last season until an injury in the second game ended his season.
Or a true freshman who could step in. Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and Trent Mosley both gained an upper hand after enrolling in the spring, and 17-year-old Ethan “Boobie” Feaster has deep-threat potential despite arriving at USC over the summer.
A versatile running back room as well as a promising but untested stable of tight ends could give Maiava more pass-catchers.
Redshirt senior Carson Tabaracci and redshirt freshman Taniela Tupou have some game experience, while freshman Mark Bowman and redshirt junior transfer Tucker Ashcraft might be able to step in right away if they know the playbook well enough.
Depth chart concerns regarding receiver and tight end will be shored up in the first few games of the season, if not the first game alone.
What’s more certain – and more tantalizing – at this point is how Maiava will perform in his second season as a full-time starting quarterback for the Trojans.
There’s a curiosity to see just how much he has improved in the offseason, especially when it comes to taking care of the football and performing in high-pressure situations. He chose to stay at USC as opposed to declaring for the NFL draft, and could seriously boost his draft stock with an efficient season.
He passed for the most yards of any Big Ten quarterback last season (3,711 yards) and ranked seventh in the conference in completion percentage (67.4). His 10 interceptions were a significant blemish on his statistics.
“The biggest thing is to learn how to compartmentalize everything and being able to flush it and not let it affect and lead into the next play and continue to show this team that nothing is going to affect me,” the redshirt senior said. “We’re just going to go out there and compete.”
USC secured a No. 14 ranking in the AP Top 25 preseason poll, leaving plenty of room for growth – or disappointment.
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