The USC offensive line has spent the first seven weeks doing more than just protecting the quarterback. It has quietly become one of the biggest reasons the Trojans’ offense keeps humming. With the explosive skill talent and elite quarterback drawing the headlines, the front five deserves a bigger share of the spotlight.
Elijah Paige sits at the top of the group’s midseason grades with an A. He has been dealing with recent bumps and missed the Penn State game, but before that he was listed as the second-highest graded tackle in college football by PFF.
Paige has looked like one of the best players on the roster, and his play has been a major part of why the line has held up so well. His next step forward has already shown up on Saturdays, and his return gives Jayden Maiava and the USC offense added firepower against the best of the Big Ten.
Tobias Raymond also earns an A after handling a difficult assignment to open the season. His ability to move around and settle in at center has helped turn this unit into the force it has been so far.
The center spot can make or break an offensive line, and Raymond has kept everything steady. He looks like a strong MVP candidate on this team because the rest of the line has had a solid foundation underneath it.
Hayden Treter gets an A for the way he has impacted the run game. He has been a major reason there have been lanes for King Miller and Waymond Jordan, and USC has found real success running behind him.
His 91.4 run-blocking PFF grade against Rutgers matched the tape, and King Miller’s 102 rushing yards in that game told the same story. Treter’s physical style sets the tone up front, and he should be fun to watch against what comes next.
Alani Noa lands at B+ and has brought the kind of experience this line has needed. He has fit well alongside the younger players and veterans like Elijah Paige, giving the Trojans exactly the kind of steady presence they wanted from him this season.
Justin Tauanuu also checks in with a B+. He has picked up valuable reps and shown he can be a quality starter at tackle.
His growth has given USC stability, and his development has been one of the more encouraging parts of the season. There’s a belief here that he can become a dominant force next year.
The highest single-game grade, though, goes to Vlad Dyakonov, who receives an A+ after stepping in for the injured Paige against Penn State. The freshman handled the road test with no hesitation.
He helped keep Maiava to just one sack, played a clean game with no penalties, and even showed awareness by falling on a fumble to prevent a turnover. In his first start, he did not blink, and he may have made a case to crack the starting lineup sooner than expected.
The buzz around him is plenty justified.
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The conversation is less about rewriting the past than about what the new format might change for a program like USC going forward. An expanded playoff would not erase the seasons that slipped away, but it would give the Trojans far more room to survive the occasional stumble and still keep a path alive. For a fan base that has spent years measuring itself against a national standard, that is a meaningful shift, even if the real intrigue is how often USC would have been placed and how deep those chances might have run. [Read more 🡒]
JuJu Watkins Is Already Putting USC Back In The Spotlight
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Watkins returns after missing last season because of injury, and her comeback gives USC an immediate centerpiece as it prepares to open with an exhibition against Cal on Oct. 25. For a Trojans team that has spent the offseason waiting for its star to rejoin the floor, the bigger question is how quickly Watkins can pick up where she left off and what that means for a program already being treated like one of the leagues headliners again. [Read more 🡒]