Coach Lincoln Riley speaks on USC units that have taken biggest strides

A lot of attention can sometimes become too focused on the so-called skilled position. For USC, though, the aspect that has needed to see drastic improvement and in a hurry is that of the offensive and defensive lines.

Especially by virtue of being in the Big Ten, it cannot be expected for the Trojans to win games without having a formidable force in the trenches. In this conference, any team that is not big enough or mentally tough enough will be exposed quickly.

Even during a 2024 season that saw the Trojans not pick up enough wins, the margins themselves could have suggested that things were not as bad in Troy as some were making it out to be. That sort of line of reasoning and argument can certainly have some element of validity to it.

An aspect that was clearly not at the needed level was that of the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.

As shared by Trojan Football ✌️ ᶠᵃⁿ on X, coach Lincoln Riley discussed the fact that this area of the team was something in particular that he wanted to focus on and improve.

During the interview, the Trojan HC shared the belief that the offensive and defensive lines are now at the point where they can be dominant and physically imposing.

Continued needed progress at USC

Time will tell, of course. When taking into consideration, however, how the Trojans have been recruiting in that area and the introduction of director of football sports performance Trumain Carroll, there are growing signs that speak to the promise of USC taking the needed jump here.

In order for USC to not only be competitive in the Big Ten but also on a national scale, this is a part of the roster that will indeed need to continue to develop. With this as an area of focus, it appears that coach Riley is making a concerted effort to ensure that the trenches will be an area of strength for USC.