Lincoln Riley's All-Time Starting Offense at USC

Throughout Lincoln Riley’s time as the coach of the USC Trojans, he has had success on offense, which has resulted in several great players who have been very productive at the college level, and some have also found success in the NFL.

With that in mind, it is time to take a look at USC’s all-time starting offense since Riley took over as the head coach of the Trojans in 2022.

Lincoln Riley All-Time Starting Offense At USC Caleb Williams Woody Marks Makai Lemon Lake McRee Elijah Paige Big Ten — Oct 21, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA;Southern California Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams (13) throws the ball against the Utah Utes in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Quarterback: Caleb Williams

Without a doubt, one of the best players Riley has coached at USC is quarterback Caleb Williams. During the 2022 season, Williams was able to win the Heisman Trophy in a very impressive performance. In 2022, Williams recorded 4,537 passing yards, 42 touchdowns, five interceptions, and completed 66.6 percent of his passes while adding 382 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground.

It was quite evident that Williams was a very unique talent when he worked with Riley at USC, which led Williams to be selected No. 1 overall by the Chicago Bears in the 2024 NFL Draft and has emerged as one of the top young quarterbacks in the NFL.

Running Back: Woody Marks

At the running back position, Woody Marks was a great player for Riley and the Trojans during the 2024 season, which was his only season under Riley, but it did result in some very explosive plays. In 2024, Marks totaled 198 carries for 1,133 yards, nine touchdowns, and averaged 5.7 yards per carry in addition to recording 47 receptions for 321 yards in the pass game.

While Riley has had several solid running backs, Marks was the most productive and seems to be on a great path to success as he is entering his second season with the Houston Texans and could be poised for a breakout season.

Wide Receivers: Makai Lemon, Jordan Addison, Tahj Washington

On the perimeter, Riley has several great playmakers, but three of his best were wide receivers Makai Lemon, Jordan Addison, and Tahj Washington.

Lemon may have been the best of this trio with the Trojans, as he won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s best receiver after totaling 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2025. Addison had a solid career as well, recording 875 yards and eight touchdowns in 2023 with USC and winning the Biletnikoff in 2022 with Pitt before transferring to USC. Washington also brought some great talent to the room as he tallied 1,062 yards and eight touchdowns in his final season at USC.

This trio of receivers found great success at the college level, but they also have an opportunity to be successful in the NFL, with Lemon, Addison, and Washington all getting drafted.

Tight End: Lake McRee

At tight end, Riley has developed several solid players, but since arriving at USC, Lake McRee does seem to be the best at the position. McRee’s best season with Riley was this past season, as he recorded 30 receptions for 450 yards and four touchdowns.

Throughout 2025, McRee served as a reliable blocker and consistent option underneath and down the middle of the field for quarterback Jayden Maiava, which was the perfect skill set in Riley’s offense. After going undrafted, McRee was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent, and with his experience under Riley at USC, he could have an opportunity to make the team and have a significant impact in his rookie season.

Left Tackle: Elijah Paige

On the offensive line, Elijah Paige has been very consistent at the left tackle position for Riley over the past three seasons. In those three seasons, Paige has played 25 games and started in 20 of those games as the left tackle. Heading into 2026, Paige appears to be healthy and should be able to play a full season, which could help him to assert himself as one of the top tackles in the Big Ten and potentially in the country.

Left Guard: Andrew Vorhees

At guard, Andrew Vorhees was one of USC’s most reliable players as he played 55 games over six seasons from 2017 to 2022. Vorhees played a variety of positions for the Trojans, which included right guard, left guard, and left tackle. In Vorhees’ final season with USC, he was awarded the Morris Trophy as the Pac-12’s top offensive lineman and has since had a solid start to his NFL career with the Baltimore Ravens.

Center: Brett Neilon

In the middle of the offensive line at center, one of Riley’s best players was Brett Neilon, who was the starting center in Riley’s first season at USC and totaled 47 starts from 2018 to 2022. Neilon was a reliable presence at center and was able to constantly communicate with the offensive line, which was one of the key reasons that Caleb Williams had the success that he did in the 2023 season.

Right Guard: Justin Dedich

On the interior of the offensive line at the other guard spot, Justin Dedich was a consistent player for Riley and USC. From 2018 to 2023, Dedich played 48 games in a variety of positions, seeing snaps at primarily right guard, left guard, and center. With the versatility Dedich showed, he was a great piece on the interior of the offensive line for the Trojans and helped Riley’s offense continue being productive. Now Dedich is in the NFL and is entering his third season with the Rams as a solid rotational option.

Right Tackle: Jonah Monheim

At the end of the offensive line at tackle, Jonah Monheim was a great piece for USC, showcasing tremendous versatility and durability. Throughout Monheim's USC career, he totaled 52 starts from 2020 to 2024 at a variety of positions upfront, which included right tackle, left tackle, right guard, and center. With Monheim’s consistent performance at USC, he is now playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars, looking to carve out a long-term role in the NFL.

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