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USC Morning Buzz: What’s My Line?

One of my concerns with USC’s roster is the offensive line.

Some of the starters feel pretty average at best but if they get hurt, the backups look really shaky. I know USC is recruiting Texas A&M center Bryce Foster but I’m surprised the Trojans are not being much more aggressive in the transfer portal with linemen.

There’s been more talk about the defensive line, which is another suspect position.

In particular, the backup interior linemen currently include a group that are either unproven (Micah Banuelos, Amos Talalele) or not even guaranteed to be healthy for the season-opener (Gino Quinones, torn ACL). Promising freshman like Justin Tauanuu play tackle.

If starting center Jonah Monheim got hurt or had to move back to tackle, the next center would be an very inexperienced player.

Foster obviously makes sense to recruit, but he isn’t going anywhere to be a backup. I’ll do a depth chart of the offensive line soon to show just how real the concerns should be with the unit.

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22 thoughts on “USC Morning Buzz: What’s My Line?”

  2. Scooter,

    Oline does look average and weak with the second string. This will be the down fall for SC. Yet, this is the 3rd year with the oline coach. This tells ya how good he is, and he is just average. We will see.

    Liked by 1 person

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  3. Either SC won’t pay for OL or the OL coach can’t recruit or OL don’t want to play in Rileys offense or a combination of the three

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    1. JOHN I THINK WE MAY WELL BE FUCKED IN THE COMING SEASON

      IT DOESNT LOOK GOOD. MAYBE 6-6. 7-5. IS MY PREDICTION AS OF RIGHT NOW. TOO BAD. SHIT

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      1. George, it seems that SC football is leaning toward average at best and they will have difficulty with most any ‘Big’ school, too many 50-50 games works out poorly

        But still, SC is my only sports passion so I am prepared to go down with the ship

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  5. Aside from ‘SC line’ worries it all comes down to the quarterback and how he will fare at the Michigan Big House undergoing a typical Wolverine defensive stranglehold on you

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      1. Well George, when you’re pulling in half a million every day it’s easy to forget 15 or 20 million

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  6. Riley and Henson seem to like the talent on the o line. They are just concerned with depth and inexperience. You can’t bring in back-ups in the transfer portal. These are typically seniors who expect to start.

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      1. Elijah Paige at left tackle will be a 1st round pick. Monheim at center will play in the NFL. Pregnon at lt. guard is a good run blocker. He has talent. Murphy at rt. tackle has talent but is inconsistent. Hensen says that his consistency has improved. Alina Noa at rt. guard started as a true freshman which suggests that he is very talented. All of these guys played well in the Holiday bowl. The problem is what happens if one of the tackles or Monheim gets hurt. The guys backing them up are 19 year olds and untested.

        You can trace this problem directly to the Helton years. We should have 5 upperclassman as back-ups on the line but all we have is Quineros and he is hurt.

        Liked by 1 person

  7. On the Other site they put up a ‘plagiarized’ copy of a sports article or something maybe 3 times a week, so there can be days between articles, whereas Wolf works as if he is late to catch a plane, he will interrupt you in mid-sentence to insert a new thought

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    1. Scott likes “back & forth” 24/7 on this site [please don’t turn that phrase into something nasty, Gabby]. He’ll do whatever it takes to keep the conversation lively —assume an extreme position [please refrain, Gabby], take a cheap shot, relentlessly beat up on an enemy, remind us of USC’s former glory.. We all know his favorite targets, as well as the soft spot he has for what he remembers as better days. It’s what makes this place fun.

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  8. The big guys typically are not going to sign with an infamous soft coach. Compromises their chances at the next level. It will take another Grinch-like come to Jesus period to change.

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      1. I’ve seen Riley get pretty tough with the refs [until they go face to face with him]……getting tough with the assistants and the players doesn’t seem to be his deal.

        I’m sure Riley will say a stern word to staff or player from time to time. But, let’s face it, Saban took things to another level in that department….a level Riley will never reach. So things happen like Tulane.

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      2. Noll, Landry, Belichick, even Walsh was a hard ass, McKay, Woody, Bo, Bear, not exactly soft coaches

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  9. Plowhorse,

    the oline coach has had two to three years to build a line and it still is in dissary. The oline and dline are the most important positions on the field. I know this to be true because I played both siddes of the ball on the line in high school. the coach might not be that great. you need a good coach at this position.

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    1. You may be right PT but I have not given up on Henson yet. He had a really good resume with his last stop at Texas A&M. He has also had two very good recruiting classes. If Notre Dame, Oregon and UCLA push us around like they did last year then dump Henson but I think it was right to give him another year. This will give him a chance to develop his recruits in his system.

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      1. Plowhorse,

        I still am hoping that Henson comes around as does the oline. I am hoing that the oline just drives the deline off the ball 5 yards on every play. We will see

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