USC’s center battle has moved from the background to the front burner with the season closing in fast, and Wednesday’s closed scrimmage at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum should give Lincoln Riley a better read on where the Trojans really stand.
The timing matters. Sam Carter’s No. 18 jersey on Tuesday morning served as a reminder that kickoff is just about two and a half weeks away, and USC still has some sorting out to do before San Jose State visits the Coliseum on Aug. 29.
Riley said the scrimmage will be about more than just the usual practice work. The Trojans want to see how players handle a setting that feels a little more like game day, especially with the added pressure and the different rhythm that comes from being in the stadium.
“Outside of live tackling and breaking tackles, we’re looking at situations a lot tomorrow,” Riley told reporters. “No matter how much you simulate it, getting in the Coliseum, having a little bit of different atmosphere and more lead-up to the scrimmage than maybe a traditional practice - you’re excited to see how that plays out.”
For coaches, this kind of setting is as much about organization as performance. The scrimmage lets them work through sideline communication, tablets and all the little moving parts that can get messy when the pace picks up.
For players, it’s a chance to run through their own game-day routine, though not everyone will be under the same level of contact. Some will be live, while others will be limited to a “thud” level that keeps tackles from going to the ground, depending on experience and what the staff has already seen.
Riley said the younger players will be under a particularly sharp lens.
“When we get in those scenarios, do they really get back to trusting what they’ve been doing on the field?” Riley said, “And trying to see guys not kind of go out of their way or out of their element to try to make plays or to stand out. Guys that just really do their job.”
The biggest roster issue right now is up front, where starting center Kilian O’Connor is out for the season because of injury. That has pushed USC to lean on depth it has been building since camp opened July 31, and Riley said Tobias Raymond, Kaylon Miller, Willi Wascher and Kannon Smith are all options at center.
That depth has become a major talking point because of what USC already went through last season. The offensive line had to juggle six different combinations while dealing with injuries, yet the unit still finished as one of the best front fives in college football. The Trojans gave up six sacks in the first nine games and averaged 503.2 yards of offense per game.
“It’s awesome that we have that depth there,” Trojans offensive tackle Elijah Paige said. “Obviously, it’s horrible to see Kilian go down, but I’m very grateful that we have the depth we have and very grateful for (offensive line) Coach (Zach) Hanson and him training us all at different spots.”
Riley said the group’s versatility is encouraging.
“To still have four (centers) after an injury like that is a very positive thing for a football team and all four of those guys have been impressive,” Riley said.
One of the players in that mix, redshirt sophomore Kaylon Miller, is getting some help from a familiar source: his twin brother, King Miller, the Trojans’ 6-foot, 225-pound running back. Kaylon is 6-foot-2 and 305 pounds, and the competition at center is heating up.
“Just staying focused,” King Miller said of how he’s helping his brother. “There’s a lot of great guys out there, especially in the O-line room. Every day is competition, so I’m just making sure he’s in line and over there having great competition out there right now.”
Kaylon Miller has also made a clear jump in camp after adding 10 pounds this offseason without giving up the downhill movement that helped him average 74.8 rushing yards a game last season.
“Honestly, I feel amazing,” Miller said. “Since I’ve been here, it’s definitely the most explosive I’ve felt. Faster, everything.”
At running back, King Miller and Waymond Jordan form USC’s top one-two combination, and the room has enough depth and flexibility to create different options beyond them. Position coach Anthony Jones, Jr. said that versatility is a big part of why he believes there is NFL talent in the group.
“Can these guys bring extra value to the overall team? And not just on the offensive side of the football,” he said.
“The biggest thing about being an NFL running back is doing a lot of different things. Serving the team any way you possibly can.”
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