USC Coach Lincoln Riley Gives Injury Updates to Key Linemen

USC Trojans coach Lincoln Riley fell to 0-6 against AP Top 25 teams on the road with USC in the 34-24 loss to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Riley addressed this performance and gave updates to offensive linemen Elijah Paige and Killian O'Connor.

Oct 28, 2023; Berkeley, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley (center) walks on the field before the game against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans are entering their second bye week of the season following a tough 34-24 loss to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. It was a wet and rainy road game in South Bend that the Trojans found themselves in position to take a lead late before a crucial turnover.

USC coach Lincoln Riley reflected on the game to reporters after practice and looked ahead to what is in store for the Trojans as the season goes on. He also gave injury updates to offensive linemen Elijah Paige and Killian O’Connor. 

What Lincoln Riley Said 

Sep 27, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley on the sidelines during the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

Elijah Paige and Killian O’Connor's Return 

“We are hopeful. They’re making some real progress. Starting to get a lot closer. I think it’s more realistic now…Definitely more realistic now than what it’s been here the last several weeks.”

Offensive Line’s Performance vs. Notre Dame 

“We battled. I thought we pass protected pretty well…I thought by in large, Jayden had a lot of time to do what he needed to do. We weren’t quite as clean in the run game as we were against Michigan.” 

“We missed some opportunities. We had a lot of plays in the run game where four guys were good and one guy got beat or missed an assignment and it made us pay. The number of kind of agonizingly close runs were tough to watch that night on the plane right home…Did a lot of good things, but got to play better.”

Biggest Difference Between Michigan and Notre Dame Game

Notre Dame safety Adon Shuler, left, knocks the ball out of the hand of Southern California wide receiver Makai Lemon (6) in the second half of a NCAA football game at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“Physicality was honestly about the same, which I kind of felt that in the game. If you sit down there, you’re evaluating it. If you’re giving up plays in the run game, you watch, are we getting moved backwards? Is the line of scrimmage getting reset or are we not doing a good enough job in gap control in assignments.” 

“My sense was after the game before I got to the presser and had a chance to watch it all that’s what it was. And watching it, that’s exactly what it was. The first run of the game. We got two guys completely out of position. It’s a perfect call, it should be a dead play. It should be a four yard gain, maybe.”

“But against a good team with two phenomenal running backs, you give them a couple of gimmes on top of it’s just going to be a real challenge in battle the entire game, that’s where the run defense was and those were our biggest struggles throughout the game. It was really assignment based. We didn’t play nearly as in sync as we did the previous week. Physicality, effort, and all that was about the same. It was a physical battle. They won some reps, we won some reps.”

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On Being 0-6 on the Road Against Top 25 Teams at USC

Sep 27, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Southern California Trojans running back Waymond Jordan (2) runs through the Illinois Fighting Illini defensive line during the second half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

“We’ve put ourselves in position to win a lot of these games. Obviously you’e got to go win them. I get it. In your ascent as a program, that’s one of the last steps because it’s the hardest thing to do. To go on the road and win against really good football teams in college football forever and ever, you see it every single week. It’s always a challenge.”

“We’re putting ourselves constantly in that position and that’s a great start, but obviously the expectation is to go win them and we’ve got some other great opportunities coming up. Another big one coming up after the bye week.”

Team’s Response to Loss in Practice

“They’ve been good. We had a really good practice here.Watching it, I think they saw exactly what we talked to them about after the game and what we talked about in the team meeting yesterday. They came out here ready to work. Own the things they got to be better. I think they are disappointed, but I think they also see a gap they know they can close…Just got to come out here and get your elbows dirty and go to work.”