Overlooked aspect to pay dividends for USC tight end

USC fans have enjoyed the increased emergence of 12 personnel on offense. It is still early, and the starters have not even had a full run an entire game yet, but many are expecting to see the tight ends play an important role for the Trojans in 2025.

This will become especially important during the Big Ten portion of the schedule when teams inevitably begin to tee off Makai Lemon and Ja'Kobi Lane. That is not to say that the Trojan wideouts will not still be able to produce monster numbers. After all, this is coach Lincoln Riley's offense. The duo could each be double-teamed on each play, and they still find a way to directly contribute.

That being said, defenses will aim to limit the potential of Lemon and Lane as much as possible. Even if that effort proves to be largely unsuccessful, it will be the likely game plan for many heading into any game against USC.

Between the wideouts and running threats in the Trojan backfield, this should open up avenues for Lake McRee and Walker Lyons, particularly if there is a continued steady use of 12 personnel.

Pick-your-poison choices presented by USC offense

Naturally, defenses try to eliminate any and all threats. For any unit, however, there will be certain concessions that have to be made. As shared on X by Shotgun Spratling, McRee believes that the combined TE and WR room under coach Chad Savage is helping him out. It is known that Lemon is an extremely skilled and precise route runner. The veteran tight end is taking advantage of the added time with the wideout and has mentioned that he has picked up a few tools of the trade in this regard.

The season is still young. Expect, though, to hear down the road about something that Lemon shared with McRee proving to be the catalyst for a pivotal conversion or touchdown at some point for USC.