Lincoln Riley made it very clear to his USC running backs and wide receivers in Year 1 of his tenure with the Trojans: If you don’t know how to block, you won’t get as much playing time. If you can’t be a complete player and teammate, you won’t get nearly as many touches.
It was a simple message of accountability: Players need to prove they can help their teammates on the field if they are going to be rewarded with opportunities to carry or catch the ball.
Travis Dye set the example and provided a roadmap for his 2022 USC teammates. They have taken the message to heart as the spring of 2023 arrives.
“I got a number of guys who can step in and make those blocks,” running back coach Kiel McDonald told 247Sports. “Darwin (Barlow)’s taking steps. Austin Jones has been very, very consistent in practice. Marshawn (Lloyd), those guys can all fit the bill if they need to go ahead and put their face in somebody, so hopefully those guys are stepping up. Even the young guys, A’Marion Peterson is a big, physical young guy that absolutely can block, so he does a lot of good things.”
USC doesn’t take shortcuts under Lincoln Riley on the offensive side of the ball. Being a good teammate means more than being a good runner. Helping the team, not getting more touches, is what counts the most.
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