USC Trojans’ Lake McRee Addresses Impact of New Position Coach, Final Season

USC Trojans redshirt senior tight end Lake McRee is one of a few players that remains from the previous regime. McRee discussed preparing to play his final collegiate season and impact of new position coach Chad Savage.

Sep 7, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans tight end Lake McRee (87) runs the ball against Utah State Aggies cornerback D.J. Graham II (4) during the second quarter at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images | Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

Time certainly does fly. A student-athlete can go from being a wide-eyed freshman trying to navigate being away from home for the first time, to a more grounded senior with a college degree in the blink of an eye. 

USC Trojans redshirt senior tight end Lake McRee is one of just a few players that still remain from the previous regime. As he takes part in his final fall camp, the Austin, Texas native discussed preparing to play final collegiate season.

“I mean, it's crazy. It's my last year. It's gone by really fast," McRee said. "I feel like the days go by slow, but everything else goes by really fast. I feel like I kind of still can just look back when I was a freshman. So it definitely hasn't hit me, this will be my last year. I'm going through all my last first right now, my last summer workout, my last first practice, fall camp, my last fall camp. So, I'm just trying to not take it for granted and be grateful for it."

New Position Coach

Sep 7, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans tight end Lake McRee (87) runs the ball against Utah State Aggies cornerback D.J. Graham II (4) during the second quarter at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images | Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

McRee is on his third position coach in his career with the Trojans. He spent the last three seasons under the tutelage of Zach Hanson, who transitioned to the team’s new offensive line coach following the conclusion of the 2024 season. 

USC coach Lincoln Riley hired former Colorado State coach Chad Savage to improve the team’s recruiting efforts in Southern California, but also help get more production out of the tight end room. 

“It's been awesome ever since coach Savage has come in,” McRee said. “He's taught us so much, a lot in the route game stuff, because we came from Coach Hansen, who is a great tight end coach with an o-line background, and then coach Savage with the receiver background. So, I feel like I kind of got the best of both worlds for a tight end learning from an o-line and a receiver coaching."

“I feel like couldn't ask for nothing else as a tight end. Coach Savage has been awesome and he's really technical about his details, and he's hard on guys at the top from all the way to the bottom. So, yeah, can't ask more for what he's done for us and we'll continue to develop," he continued.

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McRee has developed into a phenomenal run blocker under Hanson and flashed his potential last season as a pass-catcher a year ago. The 6-foot-4, 250-pound McRee has been working to improve one specific area of his hand under Savage. 

“I think just being more consistent and more like fluid in my routes and stuff like that,” McRee said. “So still working on that, for sure, and he's getting me right, but I'd probably say just, just being a little more fluid.”

Health Heading into the Fall

Sep 1, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Southern California Trojans tight end Lake McRee (87) against the LSU Tigers at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

McRee was shut down for the last week and a half of spring practice after battling a couple of nagging injuries. 

“I feel great. It's the best I felt in I don't know how long," McRee said. "So it was tough to sit out in spring, but it definitely is paying off now, and my body feels the best it ever has.”

Tight End Room

Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans tight end Walker Lyons (85) carries the ball against Notre Dame Fighting Irish safety Xavier Watts (0) in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

McRee headlines what is the most talented tight end room the Trojans have had in the Riley era. 

Sophomore Walker Lyons gained valuable experience last season after not playing in a live game for two years because of a season-ending injury he suffered in the first game of his senior year in high school and then taking a year-long LDS mission after graduating. 

Behind them is redshirt junior Carson Tabaracci, redshirt freshmen Walter Matthews and Joey Olsen and freshman Taniela Topou. 

McRee has noticed the difference in the room from the spring to fall camp. 

Nov 23, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; USC Trojans tight end Lake McRee (87) runs a pass between UCLA Bruins defensive back K.J. Wallace (7) and defensive back Bryan Addison (4) during the second quarter at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

“We're starting to become a lot more physical each and every day. People are starting to learn their bodies from how they change in the summer, and we're starting to see those changes and use them in ways that are better and stuff like that. And I think just being more consistent from top to bottom and coming out every day, not starting slow and trying not get in the face and try to start fast."