No end in sight for USC’s offensive line competition
After a first game filled with rotation, offensive line coach Josh Henson said players still haven’t separated themselves in position battles
Luca Evans (OC Register) — LOS ANGELES — It was a momentous start, a surprise responsibility to help protect the best quarterback in college football suddenly dropped in the lap of a true freshman. And so before Alani Noa’s first USC start on Saturday at left guard against San Jose State, he consulted captain Justin Dedich (below), the senior center smiling at the memory.
“He’s like, ‘Are you nervous at all, before the game?’” Dedich told reporters postgame Saturday. “I’m like, ‘Yeah, little bit! But you’ll be all right, big dog. It’s all part of it.’”
It was a move that spoke to the coaching staff’s trust in Noa, a freshman from Grant High in Sacramento who has drawn effusive praise from Coach Lincoln Riley and a wide variety of vets on USC’s front. He’d improved rapidly and “shown consistency like a veteran,” as Riley said, and has earned respect for his discipline.
“That kid, he’s really physical,” senior Gino Quinones said. “Once he gets down to play, he’s gonna be really dangerous. Really dangerous.”
It was also a move, however, that spoke to a major theme throughout USC’s start this fall season: the offensive line competition, which was discussed from the first weeks of camp and appears no closer to its resolution.
Noa (77) started Saturday, yes, but returning lineman Emmanuel Pregnon cycled in frequently, playing just two fewer snaps at guard by the end of the fourth quarter. And the Trojans’ offensive line pulled off a sort of Cupid Shuffle on Saturday – Dedich (at center) and Jonah Monheim (left tackle) the only linemen to play all 53 snaps, with six more all playing roughly in the same range. The starting five, ultimately, hardly mattered against San Jose State.
“People have not separated themselves at practice yet,” offensive line coach Josh Henson said. “So it’s kind of like – we’re going on Round 13 of a championship bout, and one judge scores it 155 to 153, the next judge 152 to 155 – I don’t know who won. Everybody thinks a different guy won.”
“So I’m just waiting for somebody to quit throwing body blows,” Henson said, “and throw some knockout punches.”
And to Henson’s assessment: per Pro Football Focus’ player grade system, no one Trojan offensive lineman truly separated themselves in terms of blocking quality. Quinones (66) emerged as the Round 12 winner of sorts Saturday, earning the highest grade – a solid 74.5 – narrowly over tackle Jonah Monheim’s 73.5.
“He’s been one of our five most consistent players … made himself a really key, valuable member of our offensive line,” Riley said of Quinones on Tuesday.
So, assuming Dedich is entrenched at center and Monheim and Quinones each fill a tackle and a guard slot – that leaves Noa versus Pregnon for another guard spot, and an ongoing battle between redshirt sophomore Mason Murphy and Florida transfer Michael Tarquin at the other tackle.
Riley said Tuesday, after heavy rotations against San Jose State, that “I don’t know if we’ll plan to use that many” against Nevada – but that shuffling would continue if competitions continued. Hence:
“We’re probably in the same mode for this next game,” Henson said Wednesday.
On to Round 13.
ocregister.com
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Florida is a bad football team, their QB is terrible. Utah is average without Cam. But they will be really good when he is back.
Horrible PI call on UTAH.
The Utes lead 24-3 with 12 mins to go, so things are looking great for a very well-prepared UTAH team as always. UF just never has been much of a threat all day long.
I thought either Utah is pretty darn good or Florida is pretty darn bad. Utah looks solid for sure.
Are the NY Area Newpapers Actually right about UCONN ??? They have been suspecting that people are underestimating UCONN . (Tonight UCONN is a 17 to 14 point underdog vs NC State ) and as I am typing this UCONN is driving the field and trying to take the lead with about 10 minutes left 3rd quarter . UCONN’s head coach is Jim Mora .
2 things that are going to be looked at closely, OL and the defense, teams are gearing their attack and know how to attack. The offense can obviously score but you gotta stop somebody. I need to see clean tackling and minimmal yards after contact,
The Disney Co pulled all programming including ESPN channels from Spectrum (my cable co) at game time. A contract dispute. No notice. Spectrum says they made a fair offer but Disney wants a huge increase.
Last time I visit Orlando. They can keep their horse crap.
Florida NT weighs 745 lbs
Gators at UTAH, 5pm PT on ESPN; I’m rooting for Utah.
Ok, Utah. Crazy start.
STAN and CAL could be ACC Bound ACC meeting on STAN, CAL and SMU rescheduled for Friday (The Athletic) Multiple conference sources said SMU is willing to accept no ACC media rights revenue for at least seven years, and Stanford and Cal would begin at around 30 percent, freeing up a pool of more than $70 million of new money to be distributed among the current members starting in 2024-25. Cal and Stanford’s shares would escalate annually over 12 years until they reach full membership. Cal, Stanford and SMU would be required to sign the ACC’s grant of rights, which… Read more »
Bruce Feldman’s (The Athletic) Week 1 predictions against the spread for USC, UTAH, CU, UW, WSU, ORE ST 1) NEV at USC (-38.5), Saturday, 6:30 p.m., Pac-12 Networks It was a shaky debut for the USC defense last week, but I think the Trojans will be a little more buttoned-up against a NEV team that isn’t as good offensively as SJS and has had some staff turnover in the past month. USC 55, NEV 10 Pick: USC -38.5 2) UF at UTAH (-4.5), Thursday, 8 p.m., ESPN Even if QB Cam Rising isn’t fully recovered from his knee injury, UTAH still has the better, more mature team with… Read more »
USC’s D should look much better against NEV, who last played USC in 1929, losing 66-0.
Last season NEV, losers of 10 straight games, averaged a lowly 18.8 ppg, its second-worst output in 31 seasons as an FBS school.
The Wolf Pack’s pass efficiency also ranked in the nation’s bottom 10. They were in the bottom 15 in rushing yards per attempt.
Nevada only averaged 304.7 yds offense per game, 122nd in the nation.
Elite 2025 S Anquon Fegans Decommits from USC
USC has taken a hit as 2025 four-star S Anquon Fegans (6-0, 190) has announced he has decommitted from USC. His brother, TreQuon, is a redshirt frosh CB with the Trojans.
Fegans is the No. 30 overall 2025 prospect and On3’s No. 2 safety. He is also the No. 4 player in Alabama.
“USC will still be a school on my list that I’ll consider. I just want to take a step back and explore all of my options,” said Fegans.
on3.com
Totally to be expected. His bro got red shirted. And he lives in AL.
Really bad timing though. Opponents seize on this stuff and say, “See, I told you they couldn’t play D.”
I really couldn’t care less right now about 2025 guys.
We’ve got our hands full with 2023, and it could still turn out to be a fantastic season despite all the problems that weren’t fixed in time for SJS.
And your comment also prompted me to realize that USC getting these guys into the NFL is super good as an immediate recruiting tool, because now more than ever, it’s all about ‘getting me to the NFL!” We say, “If you come here, you’ll make the NFL even if you don’t get drafted — because you went to USC. Everybody always knows all about us and we’ll get you ready here.” Of course, since USC leads so many of the all-important NFL lists with so many recognizable Trojan greats this comes off as proof, and not the exception. More credibility,… Read more »
The line rotations need to stop. How does a line gel if they don’t know that they will be allowed to play the next down? My very un scientific solution is to ask Caleb who he wants in front of him. After all didn’t he enhance the receiving corps by asking the coaches to get a player? But all kidding aside if the offense is built on Caleb’s shoulders, shouldn’t he have some say in picking a line? I don’t know about the psychological aspect of playing the O line, but those kids have gotta be wondering what the need… Read more »
I know it seems odd as we have never seen so many people going in and out. I have to say I just don’t think Caleb is the guy to pick the O line. He needs to concetrate on being the best in college football. I kind of trust LR to put the best line out there, and as they stand right now everyone has game time experience. Watch what they do this week, maybe I think 8 O linemen will play until he empties the bench, which could be soon, but I am sure he wants his #1 line… Read more »
Congrats to Brandon Pili The undrafted rookie DT out of USC officially made the team’s 53-man roster and will become the 13th Alaskan to play in the NFL when the reg season starts. The 23-year-old will join a Miami DL that includes Christian Wilkins, Raekwon Davis, Zach Sieler and Emmanuel Ogbah. The Dolphins cleared the way for Pili by releasing Da’Shawn Hand, a former ALA lineman who has been in the league since 2018. Trojan Stats CAREER: He has 49 tackles, including 7.5 for losses (with 2.5 sacks), 3 deflections, a FF and a blocked FG in his career. He appeared in… Read more »
fight on brother!
Darn it, Allen! Just as I tried to avoid talking about Grinch, you draw me back in! Mauga also made an NFL Roster. Than means Grinch had four (4) NFL quality seniors on last years D (Mauge, Pili, Tuili, and Blackmon), with the last two potential NFL starters in Year 1. That does not count the number of NFL potential kids he had on the 2022 who returned. (My guess is at least another 4 or 5). And, yet the D stunk. Oh well, maybe having 10 or 15 of them will change things!
Good reveal. I never thought Grinch’s 2022 players, who seem to play better without him, would be even better against better NFL comp. Grinch laid such a big egg last weekend, he’s right back at the top of the negative Trojan news cycle. Thank goodness for Zach and Caleb. But Grinch and Riley can just tell everyone that the Trojans were only actually “practicing” against SJS and therefore we all should just focus on the future as opposed to the Week 0 Trojan defensive disaster redo. But I’m so happy with the possibilities of Caleb, Zach and the remainder of… Read more »