The left deal with was cramping. The suitable guard was benched. The brand new proper deal with was taking part in his first significant snaps, whereas the brand new proper guard had performed solely a handful. All of the whereas, 110,000 hostile followers roared with each missed block or botched project towards the nation’s most fearsome defensive entrance that includes two top-15 NFL draft prospects on the inside.
“That’s as tough as it gets,” USC coach Lincoln Riley mentioned Tuesday.
It was actually a nightmare state of affairs for USC’s offensive line, which got here utterly unraveled throughout a 27-24 loss to Michigan, elevating severe questions in regards to the depth and improvement of a bunch Riley and his employees assured could be high quality with out offseason additions from the switch portal.
That confidence definitely appeared misplaced Saturday, as Michigan’s go rush steamrolled by the Trojan entrance with ease, pressuring quarterback Miller Moss 22 instances. Nonetheless, Riley didn’t appear involved on Tuesday in regards to the line’s long-term trajectory, as an alternative as soon as once more reiterating his perception that USC’s offensive line might be “really damn good” this season.
A few of that duty in getting there, Riley did acknowledge, does fall on him and his employees. The coach admitted he might have carried out a greater job getting ready the offense for Michigan’s defensive entrance.
“We all gotta take steps — the coaching, the players around them — to get it going, to play at the level we want to,” Riley mentioned. “And frankly, within the first couple of games this year, there’s been a ton of positive signs. We’ve got to get back on track that way, and I’m confident we will.”
Michigan’s Josaiah Stewart knocks down USC quarterback Miller Moss through the Trojans’ loss at Michigan Stadium Saturday.
(Ric Tapia/Getty Photos)
The extra urgent concern is whether or not the arrogance of the linemen stays intact after such a demoralizing efficiency.
That’s an particularly pertinent query for left deal with Elijah Paige, who appeared completely overwhelmed over one half of soccer final Saturday. Riley mentioned that cramps made Paige unavailable for the second half, although Paige appeared twice on particular groups performs after getting changed on the road by proper deal with Mason Murphy.
Final season, coaches despatched Paige right down to the scout workforce after his progress stagnated and it sparked enchancment. However with little depth behind him at left deal with, it’s unclear the place USC would flip if Paige was pulled from the lineup.
“It’s tough to be a young offensive lineman in that situation,” mentioned heart Jonah Monheim, the one offensive lineman USC made accessible for media interviews this week. “You know you have something that doesn’t go your way against a good group of players, it’s a tough thing. But it’s something you have to learn from. It’s something you have to go through, and you come out the other side as a better player and person because of it.”
Reserve deal with Tobias Raymond, who performed 45 snaps within the second half, joined the offensive line when Paige was sidelined towards Michigan. And whereas Raymond struggled, he earned respect from teammates for taking on Murphy’s spot when Murphy moved to left deal with rather than Paige.
“That’s a hell of a position to be thrown into,” Moss mentioned. “I texted him the night after the game that I was proud of him and the way he stepped up for the team. I think it was really selfless.”
Riley didn’t say whether or not he supposed to trot out the identical beginning 5 towards Wisconsin on Saturday, whereas The Occasions’ request to talk with USC offensive line coach Josh Henson was denied.
Many questions stay about the place the Trojans will flip subsequent on the offensive line. Whereas Paige is more likely to keep at left deal with, the best guard spot might be up for grabs after Alani Noa was changed within the second quarter by fellow redshirt freshman Amos Talalele.
“A lot of it is just kind of mental,” Monheim mentioned. “‘What story are you telling yourself? How are you handling things, how you practice, how you lift, how prepared are you, how confident are you in yourself?’ All things like that. Not necessarily being defined by, ‘Oh, I’m rotating,’ or ‘Oh, I’m this or I’m that.’ [Noa has] got so much talent, and it’s our job to just get that out of him in every way that we can.”
Riley is certain that’s doable. However confidence isn’t going to return in a single day, Monheim mentioned.
“Confidence really comes from habits, built over and over and over,” Monheim mentioned. “It’s hard to get yourself out of a rut with just one play. It really usually doesn’t work like that.”
