Lincoln Riley’s Latest Move Reinforces a USC Strength

USC announced the re-signing of guard Alani Noa on Tuesday. The news comes as a surprise because Noa was not around the week of practice leading up to Alamo Bowl or travel with the team for the game and was listed as out because of undisclosed reasons. He also missed the season finale against UCLA.

The expectation for almost a month was the junior was going to enter the transfer portal. Instead, the Trojans get their starting guard back for another season.

USC Trojans Recruit Recruiting Class Alani Noa Re-Signing Jayden Maiava Lincoln Riley Breck Kolojay Elijah Paige Keenyi Pepe — Sep 27, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley before an NCAA football game with the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

With Noa officially re-signing, USC will return all five starting offensive linemen from last season in Noa, Elijah Paige, Tobias Raymond, Kilian O’Connor and Justin Tauanuu.

Noa is a one of the more experienced offensive linemen on the roster. He saw action in six games, including one start as a true freshman in 2023. He then moved in to a starting role the following season at left guard and then started 10 games at right guard this season.

The continued development of players on the roster is essential, particularly in the trenches. Everything in football, especially in the Big Ten conference, starts at the line of scrimmage.

Southern Cal will return its starting quarterback in Jayden Maiava and two leading rushers from last season in King Miller and Waymond Jordan. Those players will have the luxury of playing behind a veteran offensive line with a ton of experience as a group.

Offensive Line Depth at USC

USC learned how important depth on the offensive line is this past season, playing with numerous offensive line combinations.

The offensive line was much better under Zach Hanson, who previously served as the tight ends coach for three seasons. The problem was health.

It was rare to have all five starters on the field at the same time after week 4. Paige and O’Connor each missed multiple games after suffering multiple lower body injuries. Noa went down with an injury on the Trojans second possession of the game against Nebraska in week 10 and never returned.

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Hayden Treter is entering his third season with the program. Similar to Raymond, he offers position flexibility, having played both guard and tackle. Treter made his first career start for the Trojans in the Alamo Bowl at guard. Redshirt freshman Ratumana Bulabalavu moved from defense front to the offensive front this past season and provides depth.

The Trojans signed three offensive tackles in the 2025 cycle, with Elijah Vaikona being the lowest rated of the three, per the 247Sports Rankings, but the Santa Margarita (Calif.) product received the most playing time of the group as a true freshman. He saw action in 4 games, including the bowl game, where they used him in packages to include an extra offensive lineman.

Aaron Dunn was a four-star recruit in the 2025 class. The Utah native saw action in one game this past season at offensive tackle but was someone that caught the attention of his teammates because of his relentless work ethic.

Five-star offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe will factor into the depth at offense tackle. He was the highest rated offensive tackle and recruit for USC in the 2026 class, per the 247Sports Rankings.

A name to remember that could shakeup up the Trojans offensive line in 2026 is freshman center Breck Kolojay. The four-star IMG Academy (Fla.) product is a fierce competitor at 6-foot-6 and 325 pounds. He and Pepe were roommates at IMG.

Esun Tafa starred on the offensive line for a Corner Canyon (Utah) team that won three consecutive state championships. The No. 5 rated interior offensive lineman is another true freshman that will be competing for early playing time at guard.

Kaylon Miller joined the Trojans program as a preferred walk-on with his twin brother, King, in the fall of 2024. A year later, the Miller twins were a vital part of the Trojans success. Kaylon was a reserve guard that started seeing extended playing time the second half of the season as the injuries began to pile up, including starts in each of the last three games.

USC also signed four-star offensive tackle Vlad Dyakonov, who was a standout at the Navy All-American Bowl. He will continue to add weight and muscle. Interior offensive lineman Kannon Smith and John Fafita and offensive tackle Chase Deniz are also a part of the No. 1 recruiting class.

Offensive Line Depth at USC

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