USC Trojans coach Lincoln Riley has provided an update on key player injuries ahead of their highly anticipated clash against UCLA. The No. 17 Trojans are preparing to face the Bruins, and Riley addressed the media on Friday, offering insights into the offensive line's condition.
Injury Concerns for Paige and O'Connor
Riley confirmed that Elijah Paige will be sidelined for the remainder of the season. "Elijah Paige won’t (play). We went ahead and got a procedure done this week on him to get him shut down for the year and then with an eye towards getting him ready for the off season," Riley stated. Kilian O’Connor is also facing a similar situation. "And then you know Kilian certainly won't be ready. He hasn't had a procedure yet, but he'll end up doing virtually the same thing here pretty quickly." These injuries present a challenge for the Trojans' offensive strategy.
Riley added that other players are "progressing" and the team is working towards having as many players available as possible for the game against UCLA. The coach's comments suggest a focused effort to maximize the team's potential despite the injury setbacks.
Addressing the Leaping Penalty Controversy
Riley also addressed the recent leaping penalty against Oregon. He revealed having "pretty extensive conversations" with both the conference and national rules officials. However, the feedback was "a little bit inconclusive," highlighting a gray area in the interpretation of the rule. The discussion centered on whether the player got through a gap, with Riley pointing out the separation between the lineman and the snap.
Riley acknowledged the ambiguity of the situation: "And then the question is what is a gap in that moment when two guys are kind of joined together, but they're kind of leaning a different way because he clearly gets through without going over people, which is kind of the intent of the rule."
The Trojans face UCLA on Saturday, and the injury updates and rules clarification add another layer of intrigue to this rivalry game. Fans will be watching closely to see how USC navigates these challenges.