Who has the right stuff to start at left tackle at USC? The competition is fierce…
Ryan Kartje (LA Times) — USC will release an official depth chart after Wednesday night’s practice, offering a long-awaited glimpse into Lincoln Riley’s position-by-position plans for his first season as Trojans coach.
But one important battle remains undecided — and could stay that way through Saturday’s opener against Rice.
USC offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Josh Henson wouldn’t commit to naming a left tackle Tuesday, and while Wednesday’s depth chart reveal might list one name above the other, Henson made it clear that Bobby Haskins and Courtland Ford (74) would be competing through the end of the week.
“I’m not sure that it won’t play out until through the game, and that may be something we do,” Henson said. “Maybe both guys will play, I don’t know, but that’s kind of where I’m at right now. No one has really separated himself at that spot, and no one’s really got themselves behind. We’re just kind of one day one guy’s a little better, one day the next guy’s a little better, which is a good thing. We’re in a heck of a battle, so that may get decided through game play also.”
Haskins started 20 games over four seasons at Virginia before transferring to USC, but he missed all of spring practice after foot surgery. Ford, a redshirt sophomore, was the Trojans’ left tackle for the first eight games last season before he missed most of the final month dealing with illness.
For much of fall camp, Ford appeared to have the advantage over Haskins, as he was most often seen with the first-team offensive line during the open portion of practice. Whether that balance has shifted remains to be seen. But as a decision looms, Henson said he’s looking for “consistency” from both tackles.
Henson isn’t worried about any lingering questions at left tackle affecting chemistry elsewhere.
“Oh, it’s fine,” Henson said. “Both guys are in there working. Both do a really good job, they’re good communicators, they know what they’re doing, they work well. [Left guard Andrew] Vorhees beside them is a very veteran guy, so it’s not been an issue.”
For Dedich, who waited four years to earn a starting spot on USC’s offensive line, being named a captain was an especially meaningful honor.
“Trusting the process … I really bought into that,” Dedich said. “Now I’m just grateful to earn the job.”
Max Capabilities
USC defensive back Max Williams (left) has been working at safety and nickel in recent practices and could bounce between both positions this season. His versatility could open the door for another young defensive back, Jaylin Smith.
“Having the luxury of Max moving around does create opportunities for Jaylin to play,” Riley said. “It shows Jaylin we’re intent on giving him an opportunity.”
Smith appeared in nine games last season as a freshman, earning one start against Notre Dame, while Williams sat out all of the 2021 season because of a knee injury.
latimes.com
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Trojan Depth Chart USC Offense Quarterback Caleb Williams Miller Moss Running back Travis Dye OR Austin Jones Raleek Brown Wide receiver Brenden Rice Kyron Hudson OR Kyle Ford Mario Williams Tahj Washingon OR Gary Bryant Jr. Jordan Addison Terrell Bynum CJ Williams Tight end Lake McRee OR Malcolm Epps Josh Falo Offensive line Left tackle Courtland Ford OR Bobby Haskins Left guard Andrew Vorhees Gino Quinones Center Brett Neilon Andrew Milek Right guard Justin Dedich Joe Bryson Right tackle Jonah Monheim Mason Murphy USC Defense Defensive end Tuli Tuipulotu Nick Figueroa Solomon Tuliaupupu OR Solomon Byrd Nose tackle Stanley Ta’ufo’ou OR Brandon Pili Jamar Sekona Defensive tackle De’jon… Read more »
Looks like we have some good depth at a bunch of spots and no depth in others. Won’t lie, I have no clue who Joe Bryson is?
Joe Bryson (6-8, 300) 2022: Coming off an injury that sidelined him for the 2021 season, Bryson looks to work his way into the offensive line rotation as a redshirt senior in 2022. 2021: Bryson did not see action as a backup offensive lineman as a walk-on redshirt junior in 2021. He suffered torn ligaments in his right knee prior to the Oregon State game and had season-ending surgery. 2020: Bryson, who transferred to USC in the fall of 2020 from Colorado Mesa, did not see action as a reserve offensive lineman as junior walk-on in 2020. COLORADO MESA: He spent his 2018 freshman and… Read more »
Chris, I agree but as I wrote above, I think the O 2 deep is very good. Not so much the D.
Just as most had predicted, the O is loaded. This is probably the best O SC has fielded in decades (and it is legitimately 2 deep). What I found most interesting is vast majority of the skill positions are transfers and the vast majority of the OL/TE positions are returning players from 2021. It really is a very promising O. Lead by one of the best OCs in the nation (in LR). My guess is this O is competitive with any in the nation. Something that has not been the case at SC for some time. It is extremely impressive.… Read more »
I really like SC’s defensive starters, especially the following guys. We’ve got some real stars in this group, as I see them. If these guys get hurt, I smell trouble.
I clearly have very high hopes for the super athletic Trojan secondary.
DE Tuli Tuipulotu
DT De’jon Benton
WILL LB Shane Lee
MIKE LB Eric Gentry
CB Mekhi Blackmon
CB Ceyair Wright
SS Calen Bullock
FS Max Williams
Allen, You’re drinking too much of the Kool-Aid. We all agree on Tuli; he is a potential AA candidate. It is possible that Benton will play at an elite level, but he certainly has not in the past. I would think Foreman or Height stand a better chance of excelling. I like Shane Lee, but he could not get PT at AL and he was unable to beat out Goforth, who was awful last year. I think he will be a huge upgrade over Mauga, but I would not expect elite play from him. I like Gentry’s potential. I do… Read more »
I can’t believe some of you guys are always still touting Korey Foreman. Talk about drinking Kool-Aid! 😅 All based on his prep ranking, I guess, because he’s never done one single thing at USC to show excellence except how he looks on the All-Get-Off-the-Bus team. I’d take a guy like Benton every day of the week over Foreman, regardless of their ceilings. That said, I’d hate to jinx our young man KF, so please football gods, please unleash the true power of KF’s famous so-called #1 prep label, because we ain’t seen nothin’ yet! Maybe you have RJJ, in… Read more »
Some surprises some expected. Stadthaus replaced at PK. Max Williams at FS. De’Jon Benton at DT. Surprises. The rest are as expected. The big question mark is again, Korey Foreman. Will this kid make himself something special or will he transfer.
Is left tackle going to be a coin flip or a rotation.
The thing I like about our defense is more depth than in the past. We aren’t deep at LB, so hoping we stay healthy there. No doubt our offense will go uptempo and score in bunches. Our defense will have to have more bodies to stay fresh. I think the rotation on DLine and secondary depth will be more than anticipated. my break out star apart from Bullock and Tuli, they will be PAC-12 first teamers, will be Max Williams. When healthy he has shown to be really good. Playing next to Bullock will free him up to be even… Read more »
Chris, I do not see quality depth on the DL or at LB; I do see it in the DBs, particularly when Domani Jackson gets well. FYI, the quality depth at LB may be there, I just have not seen it yet.
Joel Klatt’s Final Pre-Season CFB Top 10
1) Alabama
2) Ohio State
3) Georgia
4) Clemson
5) Utah
6) Michigan
7) Notre Dame
8) Texas A&M
9) North Carolina St
10) USC
I notice Oregon with Bo Nix at QB already seems to be fading. Georgia’s gonna put a really bad licking on the Ducks on Saturday I bet.
Amazing graph from The Athletic showing most “hopeful” teams in the country — CIN, MIA, OHIO ST and USC…STAN has absolutely NO HOPE whatsoever! “Perhaps you’re a USC fan, and you were one of the 67 percent who entered 2021 feeling hopeless. Now, based on our extremely scientific and representative sample, 100 percent of you are hopeful and/or optimistic for the Lincoln Riley era. Robert Hart summed up the hope nicely: “Lincoln Riley! Caleb Williams! USC is back on the right track. Even if we only win eight to 10 games this year I am confident in USC for the first time since Pete Carroll… Read more »
Who will crash the College Football Playoff semifinals? A look at five contenders by J. Brady McCollough (LAT) Utah Utes Texas A&M Aggies Oklahoma State Cowboys Brigham Young Cougars USC Trojans (Caleb Williams and Miller Moss) “Last but definitely not least are the darlings of Vegas oddsmakers, Lincoln Riley’s USC Trojans. Despite a 4-8 record last season and not sniffing a semifinal berth in the history of the CFP, USC is receiving the fifth-lowest odds to win the national championship behind Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia and Clemson. “We all know the reasons: Riley’s pedigree in coaching three Oklahoma teams to the… Read more »
Allen, are we going to have a contest again this year?
The latest partnership for USC‘s NIL collective BLVD is impressive.
“The collective announced an official partnership with Fletcher Jones Motorcars, the largest Mercedes-Benz dealership in the country. As part of the deal, USC players Jordan Addison and Tuli Tuipulotu will be driving around Mercedes-Benz S500s this fall (value $120,000 apiece).
Pete Nakos (on3.com)
Careful where you park those babies!
USA Today Bowl Projections
Rose—Utah vs Mich
Cotton—BYU vs Houston
Alamo—UCLA vs Okla St
Las Vegas—USC vs Miss St
Holiday—Oregon vs Wake Forest
Sun—Ore St vs Pitt
LA—UW vs Fresno St
First Responder—WSU vs W Virginia
New Mexico—BSU vs LA-Lafayette
Hawaii—SDSU vs W. Kentucky
In line with I think The Athletic, SC finishes 3rd in the Pac 12 South behind Utah and UCLA with a 9-3 league record. That would put UCLA at 10-2 but missing a New Year’s Day bowl and Utah winning the Pac but being left out of the Final 4. I love it when the staff and kids are challenged.
I came across an article that was hot on Ucla ’s defense because they have portal transfers and new coaches. That’s not selling the concept to me, but I’m biased. Ucla beat us last year because we had no coach and no clear vision. Somehow I that’s changed.
The Athletic is excellent “bulletin board” material for theTrojans’ locker room: before two games in particular, Utah and ucla.
October 15th at Utah <<<<< could be HUGE ………FIGHT ON !!!!!
ESPN News channel is posting Vegas Odds just now on all the favorites to win Conferences in NCAA College Football Division 1 this up-and-coming season……..They just showed that Utah and SC are TIED as co-favorites to win Pac-12 this up-and-coming season so ………. FIGHT ON !!!!!
A predicament most OL coaches would love to be in. If they both stay healthy it could be a battle for the entire season. More likely another player will get injured and one of these two guys will need to step up and fill the spot. I am waiting to see who the starting D backfield will be. I am sure Bullock will be one of them. LB and edge could be a battle over who starts, perhaps not this week but in coming weeks.