Position Battle Brewing on USC Trojans Offensive Line

USC has the luxury of returning all five starting offensive linemen from a year ago, which bodes well for quarterback Jayden Maiava in his final season.

However, that doesn’t necessarily mean the Trojans will have the same starting unit in 2026. With a talented freshman class on campus this spring and a group of returning players eager to carve out a role, no spots are guaranteed.

Position Battle Brewing on USC’s Offensive Line

USC Trojans Lincoln Riley Keenyi Pepe Recruiting Class IMG Academy Breck Kolojay Spring Practice Injury Justin Tauanuu — (#44) Keenyi Pepe, OL, 6'7, 330 pounds, for the white team, Class of 2026, during IMG's Academy Pro Day held at IMG's football field in Bradenton, FL on Thursday, Feb, 27, 2025. | Thomas Bender/ Sarasota Herald-Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Five-star offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe was the Trojans highest ranked recruit in the 2026 class, per 247Sports. Pepe finished as the No. 5 overall prospect and No. 1 offensive tackle in the final recruiting rankings. The IMG Academy (Fla.) product was a four-time MaxPreps All-American playing for one of the premier high schools in the country.

Pepe is playing right tackle to start his collegiate career and is going to make things very intriguing at the position heading into the fall.

Redshirt sophomore Justin Tauanuu started all 13 games at right tackle last season and played well. He was a key figure in the Trojans having a well balanced offensive attack in 2025. But the Huntington Beach native is out this spring as he recovers from an offseason procedure.

That has opened the door for Pepe to take some valuable reps and close the gap this spring. At 6-foot-7 and 330 pounds, Pepe is physically ready now to step in and play a pivotal role on the offensive front. USC coach Lincoln Riley had some praise for the five-star recruit.

“Pepe’s an interesting combination of size and power that a lot of times it takes years of a college offseason program to develop but he’s an athletic guy too,” Riley said. “He’s not heavy footed. He’s smart, he’s been in here a lot. He’s worked hard to study it, he’s getting more and more confident each day and as he gets more confident we’re going to see those physical gifts that he has translate more to the competitive situations.

“Each day you can tell it’s a little better. He’s got a bright future and he’s one of those guys with his ability as soon as the light comes on, he’ll be tough to keep off the field.”

Riley has made it clear that if a freshman from the team’s No. 1 ranked recruiting class is their best option at any position, then they will play.

With that said, Tauanuu shouldn’t be written off. It’s a good problem to have for Trojans. Competition breeds excellence. If Tauanuu remains in the lineup, it means he’s taken a big step, which is exactly what teams want in a returning starter.

Interior Offensive Line

Redshirt junior Tobias Raymond started all 13 games last season. He bounced around from guard to right and left tackle because of injuries and DJ Wingfield being deemed ineligible before the season.

This spring, Raymond has been taking reps at center. Whether that’s to create depth at the position with last year’s starter Kilian O’Connor suffering two lower body injuries last season that kept him out for an extended period of time and still recovers this spring and J’Onre Reed exhausting his eligibility, or if it’s a permanent move remains to be seen.

A name to keep an eye on would be Pepe’s high school roommate at IMG, Breck Kolojay. The Colorado native is another freshman that is physically ready now at 6-foot-7 and 320 pounds. Kolojay can play center or guard and brings an intense energy and physical style of play that is necessary in the Big Ten.

Alani Noa, a two-year starter at guard, is a lock to start. How it shakes up for the rest of the interior offensive line is a key storyline to follow heading into the season.

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