TIME FOR WALK-ON TO RUN

USC names O'Connor as starting center after he unexpectedly outplays transfer Reed in camp, proving the most consistent option

- BY RYAN KARTJE

KATELYN MULCAHY Getty Images

KILIAN O'CONNOR, right, and Caleb Williams celebrate a secondquarter touchdown against San José State at the Coliseum in 2023.

When he arrived as a walk-on center in the fall of 2022, Kilian O'Connor came in with every intention of fighting for a spot on USC's offensive line.

For the O'Connor family, there was a certain pride in being a walk-on. His father and grandfather were walk-ons. It didn’t matter that he was buried on the depth chart, or that the odds were stacked against him. It was his duty to stay ready.

“I came here to be a player,” O'Connor said. “I didn’t come here just to be a bag holder.”

Now this season, he'll play a much more essential role for the Trojans as their newly minted starting center.

O'Connor was officially named the starter Tuesday after a preseason camp in which he unexpectedly outplayed transfer center J'Onre Reed. He'll be joined on USC's starting offensive line by Elijah Paige at left tackle, Tobias Raymond at left guard, Alani Noa at right guard and Justin Tauanuu at right tackle.

Lincoln Riley said that Reed would still “factor in” on USC's offensive line this season, but noted that O'Connor had clearly been the most consistent option through camp.