USC Football: Zach Banner, Damien Mama, Chad Wheeler On Outland Trophy Watch List

USC football’s Zach Banner, Damien Mama and Chad Wheeler were named to the Outland Trophy watch list as candidates to be declared the nation’s top interior lineman in 2016.

Three USC offensive linemen earned a place on the Outland Trophy watch list Friday, with Zach Banner, Damien Mama and Chad Wheeler among the 70 standouts recognized.

The Outland is awarded to the nation’s best interior lineman across offensive and defensive lines.

Banner, who has started 27 games for the Trojans, was named on the All-Pac-12 first team and won USC’s Offensive Lineman of the Year Award. Though he had a chance to leave for the NFL, the redshirt senior opted to return for his final year of eligibility, giving him a chance of competing for All-American recognition.

Wheeler is one of USC’s most experienced returning linemen with 34 career starts at left tackle under his belt. Injury impacted his 2014 season but he came back to earn All-Pac-12 second team honors in 2015.

Mama has been a regular on USC’s offensive line since joining the Trojans in 2014. He has started 17 games in his career and is known for his huge size, listed at 325 pounds on USC’s roster.

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The inclusion of three Trojans means more than half of USC’s offensive line made the watch list. As he returns from injury, center Toa Lobendahn could find himself making waves up front as well, while Viane Talamaivao continues to fly under the radar at guard. Guard Chris Brown, who could start over Mama this season, is also expected to play a major role on USC’s line this year.

A number of players USC will face this season also made the cut including Cal’s Chris Borrayo; Oregon’s Tyrell Crosby; Utah’s J.J. Dielman and Lowell Lotulelei; UCLA’s Conor McDermott and Eddie Vanderdoes; and ASU’s Tashon Smallwood.

Notre Dame’s Jarron Jones and Mike McGlinchey and Alabama’s Cam Robinson also made the list.

USC has had just one Outland Trophy winner, which is fairly surprising considering the the awards’ long history going back to 1946 and the Trojans’ exceptional pedigree on the offensive line. Ron Yary won the trophy in 1967 while Tony Boselli was a finalist in 1994.