USC seeks a new starting center on the eve of scrimmage
Lincoln Riley has identified four offensive linemen who can play the position after losing Kilian O’Connor to injury
USC OLs, clockwise from top left, Tobias Raymond, Kaylon Miller, Willi Wascher and Kannon Smith are in contention to replace starting center Kilian O’Connor, who will miss the season due to injury. (Photos by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Haley Sawyer (OC Register) — LOS ANGELES — The No. 18 jersey that assistant secondary coach Sam Carter wore Tuesday morning for practice, in his daily countdown via uniform, reminded everyone on the USC football team that kickoff is coming in roughly two and a half weeks.
A closed scrimmage Wednesday at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum will give head coach Lincoln Riley and the rest of the team more clarity on how complete this team really is with just a short amount of time before San Jose State comes to the Coliseum on Aug. 29.
“Outside of live tackling and breaking tackles, we’re looking at situations a lot tomorrow,” Riley said. “No matter how much you simulate it, getting in the Coliseum, having a little bit of different atmosphere and more lead-up to the scrimmage than maybe a traditional practice – you’re excited to see how that plays out.
“It’s a big one,” Riley went on. “That’s definitely fair to say. It’s a little bit different situation than anything we’ll put them in, kind of holistically the entire camp. There’s a little bit more natural game flow in these, as opposed to maybe a practice where you’re bouncing around doing different things.”
Scrimmages can be a dress rehearsal for game day, allowing coaches to get acclimated to sideline tablets and communicating with each other in a more chaotic environment than the practice field.
They allow players to go through their own game day routine, and Wednesday will look different for each of them. Some will see live play and others will be at a “thud” level of play that doesn’t allow for tackling to the ground, depending on previous game experience and what the coaching staff has already seen in practice.
Underclassmen will get special attention and be assessed on what they’ve learned in camp.
“When we get in those scenarios, do they really get back to trusting what they’ve been doing on the field?” Riley said. “And trying to see guys not kind of go out of their way or out of their element to try to make plays or to stand out. Guys that just really do their job.”
Developing depth that can carry the Trojans through a gauntlet of a Big Ten season has been a priority since camp began on July 31. It’s taken on even more urgency now that starting center Kilian O’Connor is out for the season due to injury.
Riley said offensive linemen Tobias Raymond, Kaylon Miller, Willi Wascher and Kannon Smith are all capable of taking snaps at center.
“And several of those guys obviously have position flexibility and can play or have played other positions, and so yeah, we’re working through some different combinations to not only settle in on what we think might be the Game 1 starters,” said Riley. “You’re also starting to think ahead of contingencies, and how if this piece moved, how that might affect the rest of the group.”
“It’s awesome that we have that depth there,” Trojans offensive tackle Elijah Paige said. “Obviously, it’s horrible to see Kilian go down, but I’m very grateful that we have the depth we have and very grateful for (offensive line) Coach (Zach) Hanson and him training us all at different spots.”
The offensive line dealt with multiple injuries last season and went through six different combinations while still being among the best front fives in college football. The line allowed six sacks in the first nine games as the Trojans averaged 503.2 yards of offense per game.
“To still have four (centers) after an injury like that is a very positive thing for a football team and all four of those guys have been impressive,” Riley said.
King Miller levels up
The 6-foot, 305-pound Kaylon Miller is getting some support from his twin brother King, a 6-foot, 225-pound running back for the Trojans, as the battle at center heats up.
“Just staying focused,” King Miller said of how he’s helping his brother, also a redshirt sophomore. “There’s a lot of great guys out there, especially in the O-line room. Every day is competition, so I’m just making sure he’s in line and over there having great competition out there right now.”
Miller has taken a leap of his own in training camp after adding 10 pounds to his frame in the offseason while still maintaining the downhill speed that helped him average 74.8 rushing yards per game last season.
“Honestly, I feel amazing,” Miller said. “Since I’ve been here, it’s definitely the most explosive I’ve felt. Faster, everything.”
King Miller is half of a one-two punch combination at running back along with Waymond Jordan. Beyond the two of them, depth and talent at the position have bred versatility.
Position coach Anthony Jones, Jr. believes there is NFL talent in his current stable of running backs, partly because he recruited them based on their overall usefulness, not just as a ball carrier but also on special teams and keeping the quarterback clean.
“Can these guys bring extra value to the overall team? And not just on the offensive side of the football,” he said. “The biggest thing about being an NFL running back is doing a lot of different things. Serving the team any way you possibly can.”
TrojanDailyBlog members — We always encourage you to add factual information, insight, divergent opinions, or new topics to the TDBthat don’t necessarily pertain to any particular moderator post or member comment.
SUBSCRIBE HERE TO RECEIVE NOTICE OF NEW COMMENTS OR REPLIES.
The guy from Carter Sports said that the D-Line was in the offensive backfield throughout the scrimmage and he said it wasn’t just the first string. The 2nd and 3rd string were doing the same thing. It is sounding like this D-Line is really looking good.
Let the light shine in! The Bloom Football Performance Center keeps coming up in conversation after conversation as as an important and crucial facet of USC’s attempt to return to the elite performing teams in CFB. While the 110,000 sq ft McKay Center was truly state of the art when it was opened in Aug, 2012, it was largely a subterranean structure for the players. 80% of it was built underground, with the architectural challenge of preventing it from feeling like a dim, heavy basement where the players worked out. The extensive utilization of light as a structural element of… Read more »
Speaking as a guy that visits a fitness center regularly……I would not sign up for a basement to work out in when you could be in an above ground facility…especially in sunny LA. So much more positive.
Kiffin’s latest kerfuffle at LSU; the weaponization of NIL Jayden Daniels has issued a cease-and-desist letter to LSU, barring the Tigers from using his NIL. This legal dispute arose after LSU reissued his former No. 5 jersey to soph CB DJ Pickett. The Jersey Dispute — The friction began when new LSU HC Lane Kiffin honored a recruiting promise, allowing five-star soph CB DJ Pickett to wear the No. 5 jersey for the upcoming season. Daniels, who won the Heisman Trophy wearing No. 5 for the Tigers in 2023, reportedly felt “profoundly disrespected” by the decision. His camp anticipated the… Read more »
2028 QB looks set on USC USC is expected to get a commitment tomorrow from 2028 Texas QB Trey Wright (5-10, 180). He’s the only QB USC has offered from that class and has drawn comparisons with former Heisman winning OU QB Kyler Murray, now with the Eagles in the NFL after seven years with the Cardinals. Trojan insiders expect USC to beat out ORE, ARIZ, UK, SMU and 25 other offers for the prolific 3/4-star who led all of HS football with 5,862 total passing yds and 59 total TDs during his soph season with Frisco Lone Star, finishing… Read more »
Brett McMurphy’s college football preseason AP Top 25 ballot 1. Oregon 2. Ohio State 3. Georgia 4. Notre Dame 5. Texas Tech 6. Texas 7. Indiana 8. Miami 9. Ole Miss 10. Washington 11. Texas A&M 12. Oklahoma 13. BYU 14. Michigan 15. LSU 16. SMU 17. Utah 18. Penn State 19. Houston 20. Alabama 21. Louisville 22. Tennessee 23. Arizona 24. Iowa 25. USC — Veteran On3 CFB analyst Brett McMurphy has slotted USC at a very modest No. 25 in his preseason AP Top 25 ballot. While he hasn’t singled out a single brand-new reason for a lack… Read more »
McMurphy hasn’t identified a new reason to not have high expectations but what’s the elephant in the room is LR hasn’t demonstrated or even hinted at any transformation of himself to a top tier coach by focusing on offense / defense balance, B1G and SEC physicality, and sideline presence that reeks of high expectations. Having the air raid system as the foundation of you as a head coach comes with a steep price. Transitioning to the top tier ie cignetti’s Days smart etc is that much harder. Jen has done all she can. Bowden has done all he can. The… Read more »
It’s about the “culture,” Riley’s bugaboo underlying it all. in his first four years, Riley couldn’t improve, or install it at USC. He came in as Mr. Air Raid (like it or not), and as you aptly point out, that comes with a steep, program pervasive price. But the B1G coaches know USC has greater depth of talent now, and in the trenches too. That much is obvious. It’s at least not noticeably off from the top. The primary criticism from opposing coaches—particularly since USC’s move to the B1G—revolves around physical and cultural toughness. Peer coaches frequently point out that… Read more »
Allen, you can’t know them all. Is this fellow half way accurate historically…..or a click junky. Any info.
I note he put Washington at #10…..which may not be all that strange.
USC at 25 sounds like somebody is not a fan.
Regardless of the actual spot he places USC at, it’s obvious that the CFB community in general has concerns and doubts about Lincoln Riley and the USC football culture that USC fans like to overlook. While I don’t feel USC should be this low, I’m not very confident USC will make the playoffs yet again. It seems like a lot of excuses continually creep in justifying USC’s lack of performance against the best. Many USC fans are always crying out for “no more excuses“, yet when the season rolls around, the excuses mount as always. Reporter bias isn’t something I’m… Read more »
Here’s a stock market analogy for TDBers to ponder. 2005 had to be the all time high for USC football. 2nd NC in a row, followed by undefeated regular season. The loss to Texas January 4, 2006 started a Bear Market for the Trojans. Question is when or if did we hit the bottom and are we on a Bull Market run, even if sputtering along so far?
I pondered your analogy. 😎USC is a terrible 24-17 (.585) over its last 41 games with several brutally bad losses and collapses to all ranges of competition, including two bowl game cave-ins to TUL and TCU.
“Bull Market” doesn’t remotely come to mind. Hopefully, hitting bottom sounds a lot more like it.
Do you predict LR will ever actually win a national title at USC. Yes or no? It’s one or the other. Don’t worry. I don’t expect you say.
And now you’ve created yet a new category for USC’s status — “poised for the bull run.” Got it. I think that’s about the very best anyone can say about USC these days after so much mind-numbing disappointment and so many hot seat coaches.
Keeping with the Wall St theme. Past performance is no prediction of future results. But it gives you a good idea of what to expect. At this point I would say no, Riley will not win a NC anywhere. There are too many proven winners out there, Cignetti, Day, Smart even Swinney. I hope in 4 months to change my opinion.
Ya, I predict LR will never win a NC at USC. But I don’t base it on other coaches outside of USC who have been much more successful. I base it on what I saw of McKay, Robinson and Carroll. I simply don’t see LR measuring up to those guys. And frankly, it’s not even close.
Speaking of themes, or analogies, the movie “Sicario” starring Emily Blunt and Benecio Del Toro comes to mind. They’re working as a little team to take down a Cartel king pin and she’s a green FBI insertion trying to figure out just what she has signed up for. So she asks cartel expert Del Toro what the story is with the inner workings of cartel crime, just breaking the ice. He’s the smooth, guarded insider, not the open type. so he just shrugs her off with, “You’re asking how a watch works. For now, let’s just keep an eye on… Read more »
What’s your prediction? 10-2, 9-3 or 8-4? Does USC make the playoffs for the first time, or not?
If USC doesn’t make the playoffs yet again, and doesn’t even have much higher-ranked ND (usually a loss these days) on the schedule, are we really headed upward?
Allen we both want to see progress….I jerk from being optimistic because of all the great things happening at USC and looking at my dart board picture of Riley and thinking he is not up to the job. My prediction….I provided several weeks ago….8-4. I don’t think we make the playoffs. If we do, I’ll crack open a savored wine. Of course I said 7-5 last year. Yes, if we go 8-4 we are moving upward. 9-3 could be considered a good year. Not because I’am trying to defend coach clipboard…..The trouble for us is that the BIG is also… Read more »
“I’m not sure what information was talked about or said, but I know that kid just practiced his butt off,” Ra’Shaad Samples (ya, the DUI/hit and run guy) said. “He had a really good day of practice today. He finished runs, he’s continuing to get his body in shape and he’s a really hard worker. He works on and off the field and he’s continuing to become a leader every single day.”
I think we all remember in PC’s day, the practices were always physical and that showed up in games. Riley needs to stop babying his players. How many times have we heard the term “soft” from opposing coaches describing USC football under Riley? Yes I know, we have been told Curt Cignetti limits physical practices during a week before a game. But he is doing something that shows results in physicality that Riley hasn’t been able or willing to create. Not yet anyway.
Hey, there’s a lot of ways to skin a cat. I’ve long ago given up trying to come up with a certifiable prescription for just how to be a big success as a football coach, college or otherwise. Lots of coaches do it lots of different ways without copying each other. I mean, nobody can truly copy another anyway. You’ve got to be yourself IMO if you ever want to be really successful at what you do. What works for one, may not work for another. It’s complicated. I’m sure the top 10 CFB coaches today all have varying methods… Read more »
I have noticed something different about the preseason Koolaid being served up. It doesn’t seem to have any artificial sweetener taste. I hope that’s a good sign and not just a better cook in the media department.
Maybe we USC football fans are just starved for success. We don’t get much media support nowadays. Lincoln Riley isn’t very popular and USC football has become aligned with disappointment and frustration more than anything recently. Frankly, I don’t know how to deal with USC Kool-Aid anymore. I just don’t. We’ve all been burned over and over again, through numerous coaching changes and disasters. I sure wish we’d turn the corner! We’ll see what USC looks like when ORE rolls into town on Sept. 26. Until then, I’ll pass on the Kool-Aid, but it’s not easy. Those cupcakes are pretty… Read more »
The guy from Carter Sports said that the D-Line was in the offensive backfield throughout the scrimmage and he said it wasn’t just the first string. The 2nd and 3rd string were doing the same thing. It is sounding like this D-Line is really looking good.
Let the light shine in! The Bloom Football Performance Center keeps coming up in conversation after conversation as as an important and crucial facet of USC’s attempt to return to the elite performing teams in CFB. While the 110,000 sq ft McKay Center was truly state of the art when it was opened in Aug, 2012, it was largely a subterranean structure for the players. 80% of it was built underground, with the architectural challenge of preventing it from feeling like a dim, heavy basement where the players worked out. The extensive utilization of light as a structural element of… Read more »
Speaking as a guy that visits a fitness center regularly……I would not sign up for a basement to work out in when you could be in an above ground facility…especially in sunny LA. So much more positive.
Kiffin’s latest kerfuffle at LSU; the weaponization of NIL Jayden Daniels has issued a cease-and-desist letter to LSU, barring the Tigers from using his NIL. This legal dispute arose after LSU reissued his former No. 5 jersey to soph CB DJ Pickett. The Jersey Dispute — The friction began when new LSU HC Lane Kiffin honored a recruiting promise, allowing five-star soph CB DJ Pickett to wear the No. 5 jersey for the upcoming season. Daniels, who won the Heisman Trophy wearing No. 5 for the Tigers in 2023, reportedly felt “profoundly disrespected” by the decision. His camp anticipated the… Read more »
2028 QB looks set on USC USC is expected to get a commitment tomorrow from 2028 Texas QB Trey Wright (5-10, 180). He’s the only QB USC has offered from that class and has drawn comparisons with former Heisman winning OU QB Kyler Murray, now with the Eagles in the NFL after seven years with the Cardinals. Trojan insiders expect USC to beat out ORE, ARIZ, UK, SMU and 25 other offers for the prolific 3/4-star who led all of HS football with 5,862 total passing yds and 59 total TDs during his soph season with Frisco Lone Star, finishing… Read more »
Brett McMurphy’s college football preseason AP Top 25 ballot 1. Oregon 2. Ohio State 3. Georgia 4. Notre Dame 5. Texas Tech 6. Texas 7. Indiana 8. Miami 9. Ole Miss 10. Washington 11. Texas A&M 12. Oklahoma 13. BYU 14. Michigan 15. LSU 16. SMU 17. Utah 18. Penn State 19. Houston 20. Alabama 21. Louisville 22. Tennessee 23. Arizona 24. Iowa 25. USC — Veteran On3 CFB analyst Brett McMurphy has slotted USC at a very modest No. 25 in his preseason AP Top 25 ballot. While he hasn’t singled out a single brand-new reason for a lack… Read more »
McMurphy hasn’t identified a new reason to not have high expectations but what’s the elephant in the room is LR hasn’t demonstrated or even hinted at any transformation of himself to a top tier coach by focusing on offense / defense balance, B1G and SEC physicality, and sideline presence that reeks of high expectations. Having the air raid system as the foundation of you as a head coach comes with a steep price. Transitioning to the top tier ie cignetti’s Days smart etc is that much harder. Jen has done all she can. Bowden has done all he can. The… Read more »
It’s about the “culture,” Riley’s bugaboo underlying it all. in his first four years, Riley couldn’t improve, or install it at USC. He came in as Mr. Air Raid (like it or not), and as you aptly point out, that comes with a steep, program pervasive price. But the B1G coaches know USC has greater depth of talent now, and in the trenches too. That much is obvious. It’s at least not noticeably off from the top. The primary criticism from opposing coaches—particularly since USC’s move to the B1G—revolves around physical and cultural toughness. Peer coaches frequently point out that… Read more »
Allen, you can’t know them all. Is this fellow half way accurate historically…..or a click junky. Any info.
I note he put Washington at #10…..which may not be all that strange.
USC at 25 sounds like somebody is not a fan.
Regardless of the actual spot he places USC at, it’s obvious that the CFB community in general has concerns and doubts about Lincoln Riley and the USC football culture that USC fans like to overlook. While I don’t feel USC should be this low, I’m not very confident USC will make the playoffs yet again. It seems like a lot of excuses continually creep in justifying USC’s lack of performance against the best. Many USC fans are always crying out for “no more excuses“, yet when the season rolls around, the excuses mount as always. Reporter bias isn’t something I’m… Read more »
Sadly, I agree…..and hope to look like a fool when we beat Oregon.
Here’s a stock market analogy for TDBers to ponder. 2005 had to be the all time high for USC football. 2nd NC in a row, followed by undefeated regular season. The loss to Texas January 4, 2006 started a Bear Market for the Trojans. Question is when or if did we hit the bottom and are we on a Bull Market run, even if sputtering along so far?
I pondered your analogy. 😎 USC is a terrible 24-17 (.585) over its last 41 games with several brutally bad losses and collapses to all ranges of competition, including two bowl game cave-ins to TUL and TCU.
“Bull Market” doesn’t remotely come to mind. Hopefully, hitting bottom sounds a lot more like it.
I’ll go with sputtering on the bottom, “poised” for a Bull Run. Good time to buy into USC Trojan Football!
Do you predict LR will ever actually win a national title at USC. Yes or no? It’s one or the other. Don’t worry. I don’t expect you say.
And now you’ve created yet a new category for USC’s status — “poised for the bull run.” Got it. I think that’s about the very best anyone can say about USC these days after so much mind-numbing disappointment and so many hot seat coaches.
Keeping with the Wall St theme. Past performance is no prediction of future results. But it gives you a good idea of what to expect. At this point I would say no, Riley will not win a NC anywhere. There are too many proven winners out there, Cignetti, Day, Smart even Swinney. I hope in 4 months to change my opinion.
Ya, I predict LR will never win a NC at USC. But I don’t base it on other coaches outside of USC who have been much more successful. I base it on what I saw of McKay, Robinson and Carroll. I simply don’t see LR measuring up to those guys. And frankly, it’s not even close.
Speaking of themes, or analogies, the movie “Sicario” starring Emily Blunt and Benecio Del Toro comes to mind. They’re working as a little team to take down a Cartel king pin and she’s a green FBI insertion trying to figure out just what she has signed up for. So she asks cartel expert Del Toro what the story is with the inner workings of cartel crime, just breaking the ice. He’s the smooth, guarded insider, not the open type. so he just shrugs her off with, “You’re asking how a watch works. For now, let’s just keep an eye on… Read more »
Riley will never lead a team to a national championship. Certainly not at SC.
if Riley can step into a turnkey program with established tough winning culture (see the LR experiment at OU), he might have a chance.
If we can mange to beat Washington and Penn St, which seems to be reasonable and win all the other games we should win….IMO we are headed upward.
What’s your prediction? 10-2, 9-3 or 8-4? Does USC make the playoffs for the first time, or not?
If USC doesn’t make the playoffs yet again, and doesn’t even have much higher-ranked ND (usually a loss these days) on the schedule, are we really headed upward?
Allen we both want to see progress….I jerk from being optimistic because of all the great things happening at USC and looking at my dart board picture of Riley and thinking he is not up to the job. My prediction….I provided several weeks ago….8-4. I don’t think we make the playoffs. If we do, I’ll crack open a savored wine. Of course I said 7-5 last year. Yes, if we go 8-4 we are moving upward. 9-3 could be considered a good year. Not because I’am trying to defend coach clipboard…..The trouble for us is that the BIG is also… Read more »
Just to add here re your point about the Ducks. Maybe no such luck.
Update: ORE coach denies Jordon Davison injury reports.
“I’m not sure what information was talked about or said, but I know that kid just practiced his butt off,” Ra’Shaad Samples (ya, the DUI/hit and run guy) said. “He had a really good day of practice today. He finished runs, he’s continuing to get his body in shape and he’s a really hard worker. He works on and off the field and he’s continuing to become a leader every single day.”
yahoo.com
Thanks!
There have been some games that would’ve put USC in the penny stock range.
I think we all remember in PC’s day, the practices were always physical and that showed up in games. Riley needs to stop babying his players. How many times have we heard the term “soft” from opposing coaches describing USC football under Riley? Yes I know, we have been told Curt Cignetti limits physical practices during a week before a game. But he is doing something that shows results in physicality that Riley hasn’t been able or willing to create. Not yet anyway.
Hey, there’s a lot of ways to skin a cat. I’ve long ago given up trying to come up with a certifiable prescription for just how to be a big success as a football coach, college or otherwise. Lots of coaches do it lots of different ways without copying each other. I mean, nobody can truly copy another anyway. You’ve got to be yourself IMO if you ever want to be really successful at what you do. What works for one, may not work for another. It’s complicated. I’m sure the top 10 CFB coaches today all have varying methods… Read more »
I have noticed something different about the preseason Koolaid being served up. It doesn’t seem to have any artificial sweetener taste. I hope that’s a good sign and not just a better cook in the media department.
Maybe we USC football fans are just starved for success. We don’t get much media support nowadays. Lincoln Riley isn’t very popular and USC football has become aligned with disappointment and frustration more than anything recently. Frankly, I don’t know how to deal with USC Kool-Aid anymore. I just don’t. We’ve all been burned over and over again, through numerous coaching changes and disasters. I sure wish we’d turn the corner! We’ll see what USC looks like when ORE rolls into town on Sept. 26. Until then, I’ll pass on the Kool-Aid, but it’s not easy. Those cupcakes are pretty… Read more »