How USC Trojans’ Offensive Line Development Helped Lincoln Riley Find Balance as a Play-Caller

The USC Trojans became very pass happy in their first season in the Big Ten conference a year ago. This season, Lincoln Riley has found a healthy balance on offense, thanks to the development of its recruits on the offensive line.

Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches from the sidelines against the Missouri State Bears in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

USC Trojans coach Lincoln Riley has been known to have a high-octane offense, well before he even became the Oklahoma Sooners coach in 2017. 

He learned under the late great Mike Leach at Texas Tech, whose Air Raid offense revolutionized the sport.

Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches from the sidelines against the Missouri State Bears in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Leach has been known to throw the football an excessive number of times per game, which is why his quarterbacks put up video game numbers, but what made Riley different early in his head coaching career was a well-established run game, to compliment his quarterbacks. 

Something Riley got away from in 2024. Despite Woody Marks becoming the programs first 1,000 rusher since 2017, there were plenty of times the team became very pass happy. 

Miller Moss had three games in 2024 with at least 50 pass attempts. To put it into perspective, Caleb Williams only reached that number once in his three seasons as a starter under Riley. 

Former Heisman Trophy winners Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray, and Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts all never reached that number once playing for Riley.

Offense Line Development 

Sep 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans running back Waymond Jordan (2) runs the ball as offensive lineman Justin Tauanuu (74) provides coverage against the Michigan State Spartans during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Trojans recorded its third game this season with at least 500 yards of total offense in Saturday night’s 45-31 win over Michigan State. 

After the game, Riley quickly pointed to his offensive line for Southern Cal’s offensive explosion. 

“The O-line played really well and that's where it all starts,” Riley said. “Our guys up front are doing some really good things. We're seeing early on here in the season, it's got to continue. I think we're seeing some of the fruits of our labor in terms of what we've developed.”

With three of five starters gone from a year ago, the Trojans needed to rebuild its offensive line and then did it from within the program. 

Left tackle Elijah Paige and guard Alani Noa were the only two returning starters from a year ago. 

They signed former Purdue guard DJ Wingfield in the winter portal, but he was denied a preliminary injunction that would have given him a fifth season of eligibility. So, Tobias Raymond, who was projected to start right tackle was moved to guard and redshirt freshman Justin Tauanuu became the starter at right tackle. 

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USC also signed former Syracuse center J’Onre Reed, but it was former walk-on Kilian O’Connor, who won the starting job coming out of fall camp, making all five starters, players the Trojans recruited and developed inside the program. 

And when Paige went down against Michigan State, USC moved Raymond back out to tackle and inserted redshirt sophomore Micah Banuelos at guard. 

Zach Hanson is in his first season as the offensive line coach, after serving as the tight ends coach the previous three seasons. A former All-Big-12 first-team selection on the offensive line at Kansas State, the Trojans are seeing the benefits of having Hanson in his new role. 

Run Game 

Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans running back Eli Sanders (1) is pursued by Missouri State Bears safety J.J. O'Neal (16) and safety Maguire Neal (0) on a 73-yard touchdown reception in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Riley set high expectations for his new-look running back room and Waymond Jordan and Eli Sanders have been as good as advertised. 289 of the Trojans 523 yards of offense against the Spartans came on the ground. It was third game with at least 230 rushing yards, which includes a 309-yard rushing performance against Georgia Southern in week 2.

Jordan, the reigning NCJAA Offensive Player of the Year, had his second game of at least 150 yards on the ground. The transition from the JUCO level to major college football has been seamless for the Florida native. 

Sanders, a New Mexico transfer, is an explosive back and has been able to showcase it with some wide-open running lanes being paved.

Riley has leaned heavily into those guys early in the season. They have three games this season, where they have more rushing attempts than pass attempts. That did not happen a single time in 2024. 

Pass Game 

Sep 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) drops back to pass against the Michigan State Spartans during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Quarterback Jayden Maiava has remained upright all season. He’s only been sacked one time and that came on the final play of the first half against Purdue in week 3. 

Maiava has been playing at a Heisman level, he leads the Big Ten in passing yards, has accounted for 13 total touchdowns and zero turns. And big reason why has been because of the job of the offensive front.