USC quarterback Jayden Maiava is rolling via spring apply with three reliable tight ends serving as a security blanket as he continues to develop.
This Trojans’ tight group options numerous ability units, with USC coach Lincoln Riley describing it as “a deeper, certainly more talented group than what we’ve had.”
Lake McRee is considered one of two returning tight ends who caught passes final season, ending with 24 receptions and 245 yards. Now he’s on the forefront of a bunch competing for taking part in time, in a wide-open battle because the group seems for way more manufacturing from the place.
“That was one of the things that Coach Riley talked about last season,” McRee mentioned of the group changing into extra of a spotlight within the offense. “It was something that was important to both of us that we wanted to display a little bit more.”
McRee, who walked out with the seniors throughout senior evening final season, determined to return for yet another yr as a result of he felt he “had a bunch of unfinished business” and didn’t need to go away on a adverse word. Now, McRee enters his redshirt senior season because the group’s pure chief at 24 years previous. He’s joined by Joey Olsen, who praised McRee for his veteran management.
“I just really take a lot of the stuff he does and learn from him — just how to be a professional, how he runs routes, how he blocks, his physicality,” Olsen mentioned. “Each of these guys pushes me every day too. We all push each other to be better players.”
Olsen is doing his half to separate himself by doing additional work and movie research, giving additional effort throughout apply and doing additional reps outdoors of apply. He’s desperate to make himself a well-rounded receiving and dashing menace.
USC tight finish Lake McRee speaks with coach Lincoln Riley on the sideline towards LSU on Sept. 1.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Instances)
“I love both,” Olsen mentioned. “I’m a receiver at heart, so I do love to catch the ball. But I love doing both, as long as I’m out on the field.”
Walter Matthews combines the pass-catching and route-running skills of a ability participant with dimension and energy that make him an asset within the pink zone. His 6-foot-6, 272-pound body additionally offers USC a lift within the run sport.
“It’s almost like an offensive tackle-type body, but with athleticism,” Riley mentioned of Matthews. “When he catches the ball, he’s tough to bring down because of how big he is. And in the run game or pass protection, in some ways, he’s almost like having a sixth offensive lineman.”
Riley expects Matthews to carve out a job early, thanks not solely to his bodily presents — which the coach says can’t be taught — but in addition the maturity and understanding he’s developed since redshirting final season.
The tight ends have labored their means onto Riley’s radar this spring.
“You feel their presence probably more on the practice field than you ever have, because of numbers and how we’re using them and plays that they’re making,” Riley mentioned. “We’ve got some good position battles going on in there. … That’ll be fun to see how they all evolve and how we use them.”
Battle at proper sort out
Justin Tuanauu discovered himself in a nerve-racking place, tackling a brand new position with just a few reps below his belt. Throughout final yr’s Las Vegas Bowl, he all of a sudden was requested to step in when USC beginning sort out Elijah Paige went down with an damage.
It wasn’t the play calls or blocking assignments working via the younger freshman’s thoughts — it was the worry of creating a blunder and getting “chewed out” in his first actual alternative to show himself.
“I’m going in just thinking, like, don’t mess up, don’t make a mistake,” Tuanauu mentioned.
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Not solely did the Huntington Seaside native maintain his personal, however he additionally excelled. And when he watched the movie it wasn’t practically as dangerous as he imagined within the second.
That bowl efficiency turned the catalyst — a confidence increase he’s carried into his second yr and he’s within the combine for a beginning position on USC’s new-look offensive line.
Tuanauu, a 6-foot-6, 310-pound redshirt freshman with a yr of growth and expertise, is battling for taking part in time along with his locker neighbor, Tobias Raymond, who additionally earned his first actual enjoying time within the bowl sport.
Riley mentioned Raymond “established himself as one of our best offensive linemen” because of his versatility, however Tuanauu has been holding his personal, performing effectively sufficient to remain firmly within the combine for a beginning position.
“They’re both doing some really good things this spring,” Riley mentioned. “Some of it will come down to how the battles shake out at other positions too. But the way those two guys are playing right now, it feels like we’ve got two starters.”
Aggressive spirit apart, the 2 linemen have leaned on one another to enhance. Tuanauu says they regularly examine in after apply and provide suggestions to 1 one other.
“We push each other a lot,” Tuanauu mentioned. “We always ask how practice went. I’ll tell him what he did well and what he could improve on — and he does the same for me.”
