USC Football: Dominant Trojans O-Line Listed Among 2023's Elite

Without a solid offensive line, no football team will find much success. The big men up front are some of the most crucial players on a team but oftentimes can get overlooked. Yet, they hold the most important job in the sport: protecting the quarterback and keeping them upright.

For the USC Trojans, if they have any hope for success this season, they will need their offensive line to thrive again this year. With reigning Heisman Trophy winner in Caleb Williams leading the charge, the offensive line's job becomes much more important for USC. Luckily for the team and Williams himself, his unit seems to be one of the best in the country and, hopefully, will be even better this season.

Heading into the new college football year, Pro Football Focus ranked the Trojans' offensive line as the fifth-best across the country. That is high praise for this unit, but they earned it with their performance on the field last season.

“When Caleb Williams won the Heisman Trophy last year, he made sure to bring his offensive line with him to the ceremony and recognize them. For good reason, too. USC’s line was the only unit in the country in 2022 that posted 85.0-plus grades both in pass blocking and run blocking. “

Per PFF

USC returns two starters from last season: Jonah Monheim and Justin Dedich. Both should improve with another year under their belts, but they were both great last season as well. Dedich is one of the best interior linemen in the nation, and he posted the highest pass-block grade among guards last season with a 90.0.

Monheim totaled the most pass-blocking snaps without allowing a sack or hit last season. He is one of the better tackles in the country and will be tasked with protecting the blindside of Williams again this year.

But alongside them will be some new players, and USC benefitted from the transfer portal here. They got Emmanuel Pregnon from Wyoming, Jarreyy Kingson from Washington State, and Michael Tarquin from Florida. All three were great last season for their respective teams, and they should once again help this team out.

USC enters the year with big expectations. and without these linemen, none of those goals will be possible.