Tag: Emmanuel Pregnon

Offensive lineman Emmanuel Pregnon will return to USC in 2025

Emmanuel Pregnon returning is absolutely central to USC’s fortunes in 2025. The Trojans needed this to happen.

It has not exactly been the best offseason for USC’s offensive line. The Trojans have already lost several key contributors from the unit to the transfer portal, including experienced starting tackle Mason Murphy. However, USC got some great news on the front on Wednesday, when new offensive line coach Zach Hanson announced that guard Emmanuel Pregnon for the 2025 season.

After starting his career at Wyoming, Pregnon transferred to USC ahead of the 2023 season. He has started at left guard each of the past two years, and has arguably been the Trojans’ best offensive lineman during that stretch.

Getting Pregnon back will be critical for a USC O-line in an otherwise precarious state. The unit has struggled the past two years, and has lost several key players to the transfer portal, in addition to four-year starter and team captain Jonah Monheim moving on to the NFL.

Having Pregnon around will also be critical for Hanson, who was officially named the offensive line coach on Wednesday after spending the last three seasons working with USC’s tight ends. He replaces Josh Henson, who left on Tuesday to be the offensive coordinator at Purdue.

One fact shows why USC football fell short in the Big Ten this year

USC placed just one player on the Big Ten’s first team this year, and it was the punter. Few facts will tell a simpler story about the Trojans in 2024.

There are many indicators and telling facts which explain why USC football fell woefully short in Big Ten football competition this year. Earlier this week, the Big Ten announced its all-conference football teams for the 2024 season.

In a rather fitting development just one Trojans made the first team. Who was it, you ask? Why, that would be punter Eddie Czaplicki, of course.

Czaplicki being the lone Trojan to earn all-conference honors was a rather fitting microcosm of USC’s season. The Trojans struggled offensively throughout the year, with Czaplicki frequently needing to bail them out in terms of field position.

Two USC players did earn second team all-Big Ten honors: offensive lineman Emmanuel Pregnon and running back Woody Marks. The Trojans also had four players on the third team: offensive lineman Jonah Monheim, cornerback Jaylin Smith, long snapper Hank Pepper, and return specialist Makai Lemon.

In addition, Lemon was an all-conference honorable mention at wide receiver. Also earning honorable mention recognition were linebacker Easton Macarena’s-Arnold, offensive lineman Elijah Paige, tight end Lake McRee, safety Kmari Ramsey, and defensive lineman Gavin Meyer.

The Trojans finished the regular season 6-6, and await their bowl game destination.

USC offensive lineman Emmanuel Pregnon accepts East-West Shrine Bowl invite

Emmanuel Pregnon leaving for a pursuit of an NFL career makes USC’s offensive line situation more complicated heading into 2025.

Significant news emerged from USC football on Tuesday morning: USC offensive lineman Emmanuel Pregnon accepted an invitation to the East-West Shrine Bowl, signaling the end of his USC career after the Trojans’ bowl game. Pregnon thinks he can pursue his NFL dream now. Based on the season he had for USC in 2024, it seems like a good decision.

Pregnon anchored this line early in the season with Jonah Monheim adjusting to a different role at center and Elijah Paige and some of the younger linemen struggling before they improved later in the year. Pregnon was the most consistent and dependable lineman in his position unit this season. He deserves a substantial amount of credit for keeping this line together and preventing it from falling apart during some rough times in late September and early October.

Pregnon’s decision changes the offensive line equation for USC in 2025. The Trojans and Josh Henson have picked up a few four-star flips in recent weeks, but as we saw this past season, bringing in recruits has to be combined with having proven veteran guys who can stand tall in September while the younger linemen get coached up during the season and grow into their roles. USC faces a delicate balance in trying to get this line right for 2025.

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Is the USC Trojans’ offensive line ready for LSU’s pass rush?

USC’s offensive line has to make sure Miller Moss has time to find open receivers against LSU.

USC football offensive line coach Josh Henson has an early opportunity to silence criticism of the poor performance of the 2023 Trojan offensive line. Henson’s first really big test of 2024 arrives quickly, when the Men of Troy play the LSU Tigers at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas in Week 1 of the college football season. LSU Wire recently discussed if the Tigers in Baton Rouge could replicate coordinator Blake Baker’s attacking pass rush last year at Missouri.

In 2023, Missouri’s defense under Blake Baker ranked No. 8 nationally in sack rate. Arriving at LSU along with Baker was defensive ends coach Kevin Peoples, who was a key to Missouri’s elite pass rush last fall.

Baker and Peoples will look to achieve similar numbers at LSU, but whether the Tigers can reach that mark in 2024 remains a question.

Bradyn Swinson proved to be a valuable defender down the stretch, but he needs to put it together over the course of an entire season. A promising breakout candidate is former five-star Da’Shawn Womack as he enters his sophomore year.

With LSU’s liability at corner and thin depth on the interior defensive line, the pass rush needs to be strength of this defense.

USC fans are confident about the emerging combination of Emmanuel Pregnon and Elijah Page. They are excited to see how the Trojans’ Swiss Army Knife on the offensive line, Jonah Monheim, will perform in leading his younger but skilled teammates.  On the right side of the line it will all come down to consistency, and offensive line coach Josh Henson has made it clear that the guard who can lock down that stability on the right side will be the guy. Last year’s early season injuries and off season roster issues thrust Alani Noa into a starting role early on. If Noa can establish cohesion in his sophomore year with Mason Murphy, another skilled lineman who has struggled to maintain consistency, the Trojans’ offensive line should see significant improvement.

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Three USC football players make 2024 Outland Trophy Watch List

Jonah Monheim and Bear Alexander are Outland Trophy candidates.

It is that time of year: award watch list season. Players across the country are being included on watch lists for the various college football awards which will be handed out in December after the regular season ends. USC football players are included on this list. A USC athletic department presser made it official: Jonah Monheim, Bear Alexander, and Emmanuel Pregnon are on the Outland Trophy Watch list.

The Outland Trophy goes to the best interior lineman in college football. USC doesn’t have elite depth at the position across the board, but the Trojans definitely have a few individual stars. Monheim and Alexander are the two big shining lights in the trenches for the Trojans. If USC is going to be good this season, those two players have to lead the way on offense and defense, respectively.

They will also need help. One man is not enough to make a complete defense, as Tuli Tuipulotu found out for USC in 2022.

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Trojans Wire joins USC YouTube show to discuss 2023 NFL draft, the portal, and more

We joined @TrojanConquests and @LBCTrojan to review the #NFLDraft and evaluate more #USC successes in the transfer portal at the @VoiceOfCFB.

There is so much to discuss this week in the world of USC football. Life will become a lot more quiet and calm in June and July, before August camp and the ramp-up to the regular season, which starts in late August against San Jose State. Right now, though, the first days of May provide an intersection between the NFL draft and the transfer portal. USC is in the thick of these storylines, so there is a need to make sense of everything which has happened over the past several days.

We joined Tim Prangley and Rick Anaya on their new USC show, Trojan Conquest Live, at The Voice of College Football. We have plenty of NFL draft analysis and a fresh look at the transfer portal and the Trojans’ new additions, Emmanuel Pregnon and Bear Alexander.

Trojan Conquest Live airs every Sunday at 8 p.m. Eastern and 5 p.m. Pacific. Subscribe to, like, and share the USC channel at The Voice of College Football.

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Emmanuel Pregnon fills holes in USC offensive line, builds back depth

After Courtland Ford transferred and Ethan White’s health prevented him from playing, #USC needed depth. Here’s the answer:

The USC offensive line wasn’t in crisis mode, but the position group certainly did need reinforcements in the spring transfer portal window. Why is the signing of former Wyoming offensive lineman Emmanuel Pregnon so important for USC and Lincoln Riley? It’s not just that Pregnon was the No. 2-ranked available prospect in the portal. It’s much more than that.

Courtland Ford transferred out of the program. Then Ethan White, the new addition from the University of Florida, had to decommit because of health problems which have likely ended his football playing career. Losing both Ford and White eroded USC’s offensive line depth. The Trojans had amassed enough players to gain two-deep stability at all five offensive line positions. However, the Ford transfer and the White decommitment changed that.

Enter Pregnon, who fortifies the offensive line group, restores a measure of lost depth, and will enable the Trojans to breathe a lot easier.

Justin Dedich, Jonah Monheim, and Jarrett Kingston are certain to be three of USC’s starting offensive linemen. After that, we could see some shuffling, but with Pregnon aboard, Lincoln Riley and Josh Henson have so many more options in terms of juggling the position group and slotting players into roles where they will get a chance to play, especially if other guys get hurt.

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Lincoln Riley, Josh Henson land OL Emmanuel Pregnon in transfer portal

#USC lands the coveted Wyoming transfer and fills a crucial need along its offensive front. Another huge portal score.

Sunday, USC landed Bear Alexander, the top-ranked available player in the spring window of the 2023 college football transfer portal.

Wednesday morning, the Trojans and Lincoln Riley landed former Wyoming offensive lineman Emmanuel Pregnon, the No. 2-ranked available player in the spring window of the portal.

Lincoln Riley is pretty good at this whole transfer portal thing, dontcha think?

It’s another big get for the Trojans, who needed some reinforcements on their offensive line after Courtland Ford transferred out of the program and Ethan White — an incoming transfer from Florida — had to decommit due to health problems.

In 72 hours, USC has significantly improved its quality of line play, getting bigger and tougher at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. We know the Trojans have skilled playmakers on offense. We know the Men of Troy have speed and talent at receiver and running back. It’s all about having an offensive line which can protect Caleb Williams, and having enough depth to withstand injuries when they occur.

Getting Pregnon builds back depth on the offensive line and significantly reduces anxieties about what the offensive line can achieve this season.

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LSU offers one of the best offensive linemen in the transfer portal

LSU is in hot pursuit of one of the best offensive linemen in the transfer portal. This one is all the way in Wyoming.

LSU is in hot pursuit of one of the best offensive linemen in the transfer portal. This one is all the way in Wyoming.

[autotag]Emmanuel Pregnon[/autotag] is a 6-foot-6, 297-pound offensive lineman originally from Denver. He was not highly recruited coming out of Thomas Jefferson High School in 2020.

He decided to take his talents to Wyoming to play for the Cowboys. After spending three years there, he is looking for a different bull to ride. LSU has entered the sweepstakes for him with multiple power five schools so far.

Pregnon would be a great guy to grab out of the portal because you can never have too many offensive linemen.

Former Wyoming offensive lineman offered by Tennessee

Former Wyoming offensive lineman offered by Tennessee after entering the NCAA transfer portal.

Former Wyoming offensive lineman Emmanuel Pregnon has received a scholarship offer from Tennessee.

“After a great talk with Glen Elarbee, I am blessed to say I have received an offer from the University of Tennessee,” Pregnon announced on social media.

The 6-foot-6, 318-pound guard played at Wyoming from 2020-22.

He entered the NCAA transfer portal on April 15.

Pregnon came to Wyoming from Thomas Jefferson High School in Denver, Colorado.

Since announcing intentions to transfer, Pregnon has received scholarship offers from the Vols, Arizona, Purdue, Minnesota, Illinois, Oregon, Indiana, UCLA, Ole Miss, Colorado, Washington State, Kentucky, Auburn, Arizona State, Charlotte, Penn State and Miami.