USC’s fall camp hit practice No. 10 on Tuesday, and the big picture remains pretty clean: the Trojans are healthy, the offensive line is starting to take shape, and a couple of defenders are making themselves impossible to ignore.
Lincoln Riley said there were no new serious injuries and no one newly at risk of missing the opener. The only known absences remain Killian O’Connor, who is out for the season with a leg injury, Tanook Hines, who is still sidelined but nearing a return, and true freshman Roderick Tezano, who had a procedure before summer and is expected to miss camp but is progressing well. A few players are dealing with nicks, bruises and soft-tissue issues, which has led to limited reps here and there, but outside of those three absences the roster is in good shape.
That matters now because USC is almost halfway through camp, with practice 10 coming on day 11, and the Trojans are set for a scrimmage Wednesday evening at the Coliseum. The plan is player-specific rather than a strict split, with a mix of thud and full contact.
Younger and less experienced players are expected to get more live work, while proven veterans like Elijah Paige and Jahkeem Stewart will lean more toward thud, though everyone healthy should get some full-contact reps. It should be a useful checkpoint for where this team really stands.
Up front, Riley said he feels comfortable starting any of four centers. Tobias Raymond is still the expected starter, but Kaylon Miller is moving more to center, and freshman Kannon Smith and redshirt freshman Willie Wascher are also in the mix. At tackle on the second unit, Aaron Dunn, Elijah Vaikona, Keenyi Pepe and Vlad Dyakanov were all getting work.
In the secondary, Christian Pierce appears locked in at safety, with Alex Graham beside him in the two-deep. Nickel reps went to Kennedy Urlacher and Isaiah Rubin. Graham, in particular, sounds like a player who is going to be tough to keep off the field, with the expectation that he’ll end up somewhere in the safety-nickel rotation.
But the real buzz from practice came from two defenders who are starting to separate themselves.
Alex VanSumeren has been one of the most eye-opening names of camp. The defensive lineman showed off that underrated strength by throwing the weighted sled and dummy with ease during the low-pad explosion drill.
He brings a Big Ten body, Michigan State experience, leadership and football IQ, and what once looked like a solid rotational role now feels a lot harder to pin down. With USC’s interior group already deep - Jahkeem Stewart, Floyd Boucard and Jide Abasiri among them - VanSumeren is making a strong case to be part of the weekly plan in a bigger way.
Then there’s Desmond Stephens, who looks like the clearest breakout candidate on the roster right now. The linebacker has reportedly looked like a different player every day, and he’s up to around 250 pounds without giving up the lateral quickness or fluidity that make him so interesting.
He’s also carrying himself with a lot of confidence, taking on more of a leadership role by coaching teammates and picking guys up. In these drills, he’s been the best linebacker on the field.
Jayden Walker, Devin Bryant and Talanoa Ili have all had good moments, but Stephens is the one setting the tone heading into the season.
With the scrimmage coming up, USC should get a better read on a roster that already looks healthier than most teams at this point in camp. The offensive line is settling, VanSumeren’s power is turning heads, and Stephens is making the kind of leap everyone around the program was hoping to see.
In Other News...
USC May Be Closing In On Lincoln Rileys Next QB Of The Future
USC appears to be making a move well ahead of schedule at the quarterback position, and the latest name tied to Lincoln Rileys pipeline is Texas prospect Trey Wright. A three-star recruit from Lone Star High in Frisco, Wright has picked up attention from a wide range of programs, with Colorado, Oregon, UCLA, Michigan, TCU and SMU all in the mix as he weighs his next step.
National recruiting insider Steve Wiltfong reports that Wright is expected to land with the Trojans, which would give USC another potential long-term answer under center to develop for the future. For a program that has built much of its identity around elite quarterback play, getting ahead of a crowded recruiting race could matter just as much as the commitment itself. [Read more 🡒]
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USC Heads Into Scrimmage With One Crucial Offensive Line Job Unsettled
USC is set to get a longer look at itself in a closed scrimmage at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, a useful checkpoint for Lincoln Riley as kickoff approaches. The staff is trying to sort out readiness and depth across the roster, and nowhere is that more important than up front, where the Trojans have had to keep searching for the right combination as camp rolls on.
Kaylon Miller has been among the linemen drawing attention for his progress, and the center competition has become one of the more important pieces of the preseason puzzle. With the offense still working through that spot, this scrimmage should give USC a clearer sense of who can handle the job and who is ready to step in when the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]