USC's Offensive Line Turning Heads Before the Season
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With a crucial season approaching for USC Trojans coach Lincoln Riley, the performance of the offensive line could be the key to USC having one of the best seasons under Riley thus far.
During the 2025 season, the Trojans offensive line helped lead the way for the offense, highlighted by the play of quarterback Jayden Maiava, who reaped the benefits of an offensive line unit that provided consistent protection and paved lanes to create a reliable run game.
Heading into 2026, USC's offensive line is poised to build on its performance from last season, and one media outlet in particular does seem to be very high on the Trojans offensive line.
USC Trojans Projected To Have No. 8 Offensive Line In 2026
With next season quickly approaching, Bleacher Report writer David Kenyon projected the top offensive lines in the country for 2026 and ranked USC's unit at No. 8.
Last season, USC was one of the best pass-blocking offensive lines in the entire country after allowing 15 sacks, which ranked 12th in the country. The Trojans also found success on the ground as USC's offense was able to rush for 169.46 rushing yards per game, ranking 55th in the nation. The balance that the Trojans offense was able to have constantly put USC in great positions to succeed from an offensive standpoint.
In terms of overall offensive success, the USC offensive line anchored an offense that averaged 35.8 points per game, which was good enough for No. 13 in the entire country. Even with the tough schedule that USC had in 2025, the Trojans' offensive line was able to perform well and should be able to take a step forward with all five starters returning.
USC's Offensive Line Depth and Development
After a solid performance, it does seem that the Trojans could build on what they put on display in 2025 with the entire starting unit returning. The starters coming back following last season include left tackle Elijah Paige, left guard Tobias Raymond, center Kilian O'Connor, right guard Alani Noa, and right tackle Justin Tauanuu.
O'Connor, Tauanuu, and Paige are returning from injuries, but the Trojans have reason to have confidence in their depth.
This unit could also see key contributions from returning tackles Elijah Vaikona and Aaron Dunn, in addition to freshman tackle Keenyi Pepe and freshman interior offensive lineman Breck Kolojay.
In the Big Ten, having depth along the offensive line is crucial, and it does seem that USC has that depth and should be in a great spot to compete in 2026 and develop the younger offensive linemen on the roster.
That development piece of the offensive line could turn out to be one of the biggest parts of the Trojans success now and in the future. One of the best examples of development for USC is tackle Elijah Paige, who started as a scout team player and has since developed into one of the Trojans' most reliable linemen.
With the experience that Paige has, he should be able to show the young players like Pepe and Kolojay what it takes to be successful on the collegiate level when it comes to technique, but also how to stay mentally strong through the course of a long and demanding college football season.
With that said, there is no doubt that the 2026 season will be crucial for how the offensive line performs for the present, but also how the veterans can help the younger players to develop and become the future of USC's offensive line unit.
USC's Daunting Big Ten Schedule
Throughout the 2026 season, the Trojans have several tough tests, which will push USC's offensive line to show they can be one of the most physical units in the country.
Those tests include home games against Oregon, Washington, and Ohio State in addition to road matchups with Penn State, Wisconsin, and Indiana. There is a significant chance that all of these games will come down to who dominates the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, and if USC can do that, the Trojans could have an opportunity to emerge as one of the premier contenders in the Big Ten.
So, heading into next season, the ability of USC's offensive line to establish itself as one of the most physical units in the Big Ten could be the reason that Riley and the Trojans are not only able to compete at a high level in the conference but also fight for a spot in the College Football Playoff.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/usc as USC's Offensive Line Turning Heads Before the Season.
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