USC quarterback Jayden Maiava is rolling through spring practice with three dependable tight ends serving as a safety blanket as he continues to develop.
This Trojans' tight group features diverse skill sets, with USC coach Lincoln Riley describing it as “a deeper, certainly more talented group than what we’ve had.”
Lake McRee is one of two returning tight ends who caught passes last season, finishing with 24 receptions and 245 yards. Now he’s at the forefront of a group competing for playing time, in a wide-open battle as the team looks for much more production from the position.
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“That was one of the things that Coach Riley talked about last season,” McRee said of the group becoming more of a focus in the offense. “It was something that was important to both of us that we wanted to display a little bit more.”
McRee, who walked out with the seniors during senior night last season, decided to return for one more year because he felt he “had a bunch of unfinished business” and didn’t want to leave on a negative note. Now, McRee enters his redshirt senior season as the group’s natural leader at 24 years old. He is joined by Joey Olsen, who praised McRee for his veteran leadership.
“I just really take a lot of the stuff he does and learn from him — just how to be a professional, how he runs routes, how he blocks, his physicality,” Olsen said. “Each of these guys pushes me every day too. We all push each other to be better players.”
Olsen is doing his part to separate himself by doing extra work and film study, giving extra effort during practice and doing extra reps outside of practice. He’s eager to make himself a well-rounded receiving and rushing threat.
“I love both,” Olsen said. “I’m a receiver at heart, so I do love to catch the ball. But I love doing both, as long as I’m out on the field.”
Walter Matthews combines the pass-catching and route-running abilities of a skill player with size and power that make him an asset in the red zone. His 6-foot-6, 272-pound frame also gives USC a boost in the run game.
“It’s almost like an offensive tackle-type body, but with athleticism,” Riley said of Matthews. “When he catches the ball, he’s tough to bring down because of how big he is. And in the ...
