USC Assistant Coach Spills New Details on Lincoln Riley’s Masterplan After HC Makes Jayden Maiava Stance Clear

Despite an offseason full of hustle and a positive vibe about the roster’s health and depth, the USC Trojans have not yet returned to their historical dominance. But there’s a genuine belief that things are starting to click. Key developments include strengthening the defensive line under coach D’Anton Lynn and maintaining optimism about quarterback Jayden Maiava’s growth. Other than that, addressing the offensive wrinkle, Lincoln Riley is hatching a pretty clever plan involving the tight ends on his roster.

It is led by veteran Lake McRee, who returned for one more year with some unfinished business. Chad Savage, USC’s inside wide receivers and tight ends coach, dropped some interesting nuggets about Lincoln Riley’s 2025 plans. He’s fired up about how the offense is evolving and the role the tight ends are gearing up to play, as Savage shares in a sit-down interview with the team reporter, Keely Eure.

Chad also reflects how he is a massive fan of Riley’s tactics. “Nothing but respect,” Savage said on USCathletics. “He’s obviously one of the best minds and one of the most respected play-callers there is. And it’s because of how he operates on a day-to-day basis. He’s very confident in how he operates in offense.” This group is turning into one of the deepest and most talented lots he’s had since arriving at USC. No more just blocking or being a safety valve. These tight ends are learning to run routes more like receivers and are becoming real weapons in the passing game.

But in order to do that job, there are some credentials. “We just have to show that we’re worthy of doing. So he can trust us as a play caller because if we can’t perform that in practice as a play caller, he’s not going to trust us,” Savage said. Riley roots his confidence in his offensive scheme in how meticulously he breaks down the game and prepares his team every day. His track record at Oklahoma and now USC shows how he can take on different rosters. And can still put up explosive numbers and dynamic offenses. Tight end Lake McRee is stepping into the spotlight for USC’s 2025 season. And he could be the secret weapon in Lincoln Riley’s evolving offensive masterplan.

What makes McRee so important is his blend of experience and leadership. Coming off a solid 2024, where he caught 24 passes for 245 yards despite missing several games due to a leg injury. He is recognized as the tight ends room’s natural leader at 24 years old. Riley and tight ends coach Chad Savage are molding McRee into a much more dynamic weapon. That is capable of running crisp routes and creating matchup problems for defenses. McRee’s impact goes beyond the stat sheet. He’s often the safety blanket for the quarterback, especially for Jayden Maiava, providing a dependable target when plays break down.

“It’s going to be great this summer,” Chad added. “Because now everybody’s healthy, just working with everybody. But yeah, there’s definitely a jack of all trades, and you’ve got different skill sets, different personalities with all six, seven guys.” Even with some minor injuries, Riley insists on managing McRee’s reps carefully. Thus, the plan of shutting him down in spring camp was to keep him fresh and healthy for the grind ahead. With Riley’s plan, McRee is ready to showcase his full capabilities. If he delivers, he could transform the tight end position from “just a safety valve” role into a real weapon in the Trojans’ offense.

Lincoln Riley’s quarterback philosophy

Lincoln Riley recently cleared the air about Jayden Maiava’s status as USC’s quarterback for the 2025 season. When asked about the QB battle as fall camp approaches, Riley didn’t hesitate to say that Maiava is the heavy favorite to start. After all, Maiava finished strong in 2024, starting the last four games and going 3-1 against tough defenses. Riley praised Maiava’s toughness, work ethic, and growth, highlighting that he’s been doing “outstanding work.” But don’t mistake Riley’s confidence for complacency.

He’s brutally honest that the starting job isn’t locked in stone. With dynamic talents like freshman Sam Huard and Husan Longstreet pushing hard in practice. Riley is emphasizing a competition that keeps everyone sharp. “Well, it’s first-world problems, right? Having two guys you really believe in. And multiple guys you believe in the QB room is a great thing,” Maiava’s primary strength so far has been avoiding big mistakes while managing the offense well, but Riley wants to see more consistent execution and fewer turnovers if Maiava wants to hold onto that QB1 spot.

Maiava has the prototypical frame and dual-threat skills Riley looks for. He is standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 220 pounds, and also shows improvement in decision-making. He rallied USC in the Las Vegas Bowl by throwing four touchdowns despite some early struggles. Which in turn gave Riley even more faith in his potential. However, Riley also stressed that if Maiava accumulates too many costly errors, there will be consequences, meaning the competition is real and ongoing.