Mason Murphy faces a defining season at USC. Trojans Wire asked Lincoln Riley about how the right side of the USC offensive line is shaping up in spring camp. Everyone expects the left side and center to be set with veteran Jonah Monheim moving inside to center. Emmanuel Pregnon will remain the left guard. Elijah Paige, coming off that solid start in the Holiday Bowl, is penciled in at left tackle. Murphy fits in elsewhere.
Here’s how Riley answered our question about the right side of the 2024 USC offensive front:
“The right side, we’re working Alani (Noa), we’re working Amos (Talalele). When Gino (Quinones) gets back, we’ll certainly work Gino some at the guard position,” Riley told us. “Right tackle it’s mostly (Mason) Murphy. (He) has taken the majority of the reps with the ones right now. If we play today, he would certainly be the starter, no question about it.”
Being the starter and playing at the expected standard, however, are two different things. One thing to watch for as spring ball continues: Are guys being projected as starters because they are dominating on the field, or more because their competitors for jobs aren’t performing as well as hoped? The reason for certain guys being elevated above others needs to be the product of positive — not negative — developments. That’s something to monitor as spring practices continue.
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