What we've learned about USC, position by position (2024)

LOS ANGELES — With the season kicking off two weeks from today against LSU, USC is set to transition from preseason camp mode to game prep.

While there are two weeks left until the opener, which means things can change on the depth chart, two weeks of preseason practices offered a good picture of where things stand at each position. So let’s take a look at what we learned about the Trojans, position by position.

1. Quarterbacks coach Luke Huard was asked during the week when he expects USC will name a starting quarterback.

“That’s a decision completely up to the head football coach,” Huard said. “So we’re just trying to get better every single day. Each guy is trying to improve and when they get their opportunity, move the offense down the field.”

Lincoln Riley has been in no rush to name a starting quarterback, but it will likely be Miller Moss come Sept. 1. USC sent Moss to Big Ten media days, and the program’s whole emphasis this season has been about chemistry and, to paraphrase Riley, having “guys who are dying to be at USC.”

Moss, who waited three years for his opportunity to earn the starting role, is essentially the poster child for that. He will be the presumptive starter unless something unexpected occurs. Is UNLV transfer Jayden Maiava more physically gifted than Moss? Yes. But Moss has two years in this system, so Maiava still has some catching up to do, and it would be surprising if that happens before the opener.

2. The running back group lacks depth but seems pretty set at the top. Woody Marks is the No. 1 starter based on the experience he accumulated during four seasons at Mississippi State. But Quenten Joyner showed flashes last season and is probably the most explosive back of the bunch, so he’ll be a factor.

The question is who will be the third player in the rotation. Since his showing in the spring game, true freshman Bryan Jackson has loomed as a sleeper. He’s a tough, physical runner, and that’s an element that the position doesn’t have elsewhere. Redshirt freshman A’Marion Peterson will be competing with Jackson for that spot.

3. The four sophom*ore wideouts (Zachariah Branch, Ja’Kobi Lane, Duce Robinson and Makai Lemon) will lead the way. The most interesting thing to watch is which receiver outside of that group will have the largest role.

Kyron Hudson seems like an obvious candidate, but the staff brought in four transfer wideouts this offseason as it looked to add more experience. Kyle Ford already has done it at USC, in what was probably a more crowded receiver group. Then there’s Jay Fair, who posted 324 yards at Auburn last year.

“I wouldn’t say necessarily more of a role, it’s just kind of like whenever that opportunity presents itself just take advantage of it,” Fair said. “The way Lincoln Riley operates his offense, there will be a ton of roles and a ton of different opportunities for everybody. So it’s just a matter of whenever I get mine, to capitalize on it.

Jaden Richardson (Tufts) and Charles Ross (San Jose State) were brought in this offseason to upgrade the depth.

4. USC has ideal depth at tight end for the first time in recent memory. Credit to position coach Zach Hanson for his recruiting during the past few cycles. Lake McRee is coming off a major knee injury he suffered during bowl prep but made his way back for the preseason and is a full participant.

How the group shakes out behind him is to be determined. Hanson was asked during the week who he would feel most comfortable playing besides McRee. The first name that came up?

“Yeah, I think Kade Eldridge has really had a good camp coming off his redshirt year,” Hanson said. “I look for him for sure to be in the mix.”

Walker Lyons was a highly touted prospect in the 2023 recruiting cycle, but he broke his leg as a high school senior and took a year off to serve a mission in Norway. So he’s working his way back.

“You could tell he didn’t come back like crazy out of shape,” Riley said. “Now, there’s a big difference between working out and getting back into it, but he’s handled it well. He’s a tough kid. He’s a talented kid. He’s eager. He’s learned. We were able to do a lot of the early offensive teaching while he was abroad. Being able to do that virtually, which helped him a bit. He’s handled it well. There will be, has been and continue to be some acclimatization for him just getting back into shape, the speed and physicality. But he’s taken to it quick. I’d say how he’s been in camp has been pretty impressive considering the circ*mstances.”

Joey Olsen, Walter Matthews and Carson Tabaracci could factor into the rotation as well.

5. Four of the five offensive line spots are decided. The major competition is at right guard where Alani Noa or Amos Talalele will start.

This group is one of the biggest questions on the team. Elijah Paige has a lot of potential and will be good. But he’s just a second-year player, and the starting right guard likely will be a second-year player as well. So there could be some growing pains.

At right tackle, Mason Murphy has to show some consistency that he has yet to display in his first three seasons on campus. Jonah Monheim is good but will be playing center for the first time.

So there are valid concerns with this group. Will it be able to generate the push it needs in certain situations considering the players’ youth and inconsistency in a few spots? We’ll see.

And outside of Gino Quinones, there isn’t a ton of experience beyond the starters in the two-deep, so the Trojans can’t afford any injuries here.

6. The line of scrimmage will be in the spotlight for USC as it moves into the Big Ten, which is a trenches-focused league. Just like the offensive line, there are plenty of questions about the defensive line.

Bear Alexander is the most talented and accomplished player in the group, but it seems like the staff has set out to challenge him a bit this preseason.

“He missed the majority of spring, so this camp is really, really important for him to get going in terms of what we were doing defensively,” Riley said. “It’s a very, very important camp for him. He’s shown that he’s got the ability to be an explosive player. But he’s also been a player that his inconsistencies have hurt us — like any other player’s inconsistences are going to hurt you. Whether it’s effort all the time, being in the correct gap, playing blocks the way we want to play them, aligning correctly. I feel like all those little things where you step up from being a guy who flashes … to being a great player.”

If this defense is going to take a step forward, it needs Alexander to play to his potential.

Defensive end Anthony Lucas was a high-profile recruit in the 2022 cycle but hasn’t played up to his potential through his first two college seasons either. He generated buzz last preseason, but it didn’t translate to the season.

He has received positive reviews this camp.

“He’s locked in,” fellow defensive end Jamil Muhammad said. “He’s for sure ready. I’m excited for him. I think he’s going to be able to take it from practice to the game this time. That’s my dawg, so Anthony’s definitely going to do his thing.”

Muhammad and Lucas figure to start on the edges for USC at the moment. Alexander, Wyoming transfer Gavin Meyer and Vanderbilt transfer Nate Clifton figure to be fixtures on the interior.

The rotation spots seem up for grabs after that, and several names could contribute, whether it’s Braylan Shelby, who has been limited in recent weeks, Jide Abasiri, Kobe Pepe, Devan Thompkins, Elijah Hughes, Sam Greene or Solomon Tuliaupupu.

7. Easton Mascarenas-Arnold will start at linebacker. That much seems sure. There has been a lot of talk about how well he and Mason Cobb play off each other, so Cobb seems like the favorite to start at the other linebacker spot.

Eric Gentry will be the third linebacker, and I don’t know if the real rotation (the ones who can play in critical moments or tight games) will go much deeper than those three.

8. Jaylin Smith will be a valuable member of the secondary. He spent most of his first three seasons at nickel. He started at safety in the Holiday Bowl and played well, and he has been playing cornerback during the preseason. I don’t know if he’s a sure starter at any of those spots, but he can start at any of them in a pinch and likely will play a healthy amount of snaps.

Florida State transfer Greedy Vance Jr. appears to be the front-runner at nickel. The cornerbacks are impressive. Jacobe Covington likely will be a starter, but who starts opposite him is still to be decided. It could be John Humphrey, who played for defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn at UCLA last year, or Mississippi State transfer DeCarlos Nicholson. Or maybe Smith starts depending on the matchup or situation.

Kamari Ramsey and Akili Arnold likely will be the starting safeties, but it’s a deep group with several others who could step in.

9. There was a kicker competition during camp, but it’s difficult to envision Georgia Southern transfer Michael Lantz not coming away with the starting role. He was consistent last year, making 23 of 28 field goals, and USC lacks that.

(Top photo of Miller Moss: Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images)

Antonio Morales covers USC football for The Athletic. Previously, he spent three years at the Clarion Ledger in Mississippi, where he covered Ole Miss for two seasons and Jackson State for another. He also spent two years covering preps for the Orange County Register and Torrance Daily Breeze. Follow Antonio on Twitter @AntonioCMorales