
Elijah Paige hopes to take on leadership role for USC's offensive line in 2025
This season, USC's o-line does not have that established veteran presence, meaning that the Trojans will be forced to turn to a new generation of leaders. One player who has been looking to step into a leadership role in 2025 is redshirt sophomore offensive tackle Elijah Paige.
Representing USC at Big Ten media days in Las Vegas last week, Paige spoke about trying to take on a leadership role on the Trojans' offensive line in 2025.
"Teaching [the young guys] everything that I know, the moments that I had that were the 'low points of the season,'" Paige said, via 247Sports. "Teaching them and guiding them so that they don't have to go through the same things that I went through. Telling them everything that I know, playing in different environments, playing against different players, how to go against different pass rushers, just giving them everything that I have, and obviously they know a ton too. They learn the same things that I learned. So yeah, we're just kind of a team.
"We've gone through it. We know what it feels like. Obviously, you never want to lose a game, but we've learned a ton from it. Our team's learned a ton. We've learned personally a ton about ourselves, and we're just excited to go out there this fall and play."
As a redshirt freshman starting at left tackle last season, Paige was named All-Big Ten honorable mention. Now entering his second season as a starter for the Trojans, Paige will look to develop into one of the top offensive linemen in the conference.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


San Francisco Chronicle
26 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Rays place All-Star first baseman Jonathan Aranda on injured list with a fractured left wrist
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays placed All-Star first baseman Jonathan Aranda on the 10-day injured list Friday with a fractured left wrist. Aranda was injured Thursday in a collision with New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton. Aranda said the injury did not feel 'catastrophic' and he's hopeful he'll return this season, although the Rays cautioned he won't be able to use the wrist for approximately three weeks. Aranda's wrist has been immobilized in an air cast and he's scheduled to undergo more imaging at the three-week mark. At that point, the Rays will reassess his return timetable. 'Let's see how the bone heals," manager Kevin Cash said before Friday night's series opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers. "I think he has re-imaging in about three weeks, but we will continue to remain optimistic.' Stanton hit a soft grounder in the fifth inning to third baseman Junior Caminero, who charged in on wet grass to field the ball. Aranda reached for Caminero's wide toss that sailed into the runner, and his left wrist appeared to hit Stanton's left shoulder. Aranda, a first-time All-Star, is batting .316 with 12 home runs, 54 RBIs in 103 games this season. He has a .394 on-base percentage, and an .872 OPS, making him one of the majors' most dangerous hitters. The Rays reinstated Ha-Seong Kim from the IL and recalled Tristan Gray from Triple-A Durham. Trade deadline acquisitions Griffin Jax and Hunter Feduccia were active for Friday night's game. ___


San Francisco Chronicle
26 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Newcomers Helsley, Rogers and Mullins join Mets in the thick of a pennant race
NEW YORK (AP) — Pitchers Ryan Helsley and Tyler Rogers and outfielder Cedric Mullins jumped into a pennant race Friday when they joined the National League-East leading New York Mets in search of the franchise's first championship since 1986. 'Everybody's very excited — they're matching my excitement to be here,' Rogers said before the Mets opened a three-game series against San Francisco. The Giants traded Rogers to New York for José Buttó and a pair of prospects Wednesday. The Mets, who fell to the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in last year's NLCS, entered Friday with a half-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies. 'From looking across the dugout a week ago, this is a team where you're like, man, this team is the complete package,' Rogers said as the teams met for the second straight weekend. 'So I'm very excited to be a part of it. Whatever they need from me, hopefully I can give it to them.' Helsley, who had 21 saves for the St. Louis Cardinals before being acquired for a trio of prospects Wednesday, and Rogers, a side-armer whose 392 appearances since 2019 are tied for the fourth-most in the majors, are expected to fortify a bullpen that was beginning to show vulnerability ahead of All-Star closer Edwin Díaz. 'At first I was kind of surprised, honestly, having Díaz here,' Helsley said. 'But in the playoffs, you'll take as many good arms as you can get.' Helsley said he was looking forward to serving as a set-up man for the Mets, whose bullpen ERA of 3.80 ranks 11th in the majors. New York made 36 transactions last month involving 18 relievers, including left-hander Gregory Soto, who was acquired from the Baltimore Orioles on July 25. 'If I need to throw the sixth, seventh, eighth — whenever it's going to be, I'm glad to do so,' Helsley said. Mullins, who was acquired from the Orioles on Thursday for three pitching prospects, didn't start Friday's game after arriving at Citi Field less than three hours before first pitch. He is expected to become the starter in center field, where the slumping Tyrone Taylor and converted infielder Jeff McNeil have been splitting time while Jose Siri recovers from a broken leg. Mullins, who won the Silver Slugger with the Orioles after going 30/30 in 2021, robbed the Toronto Blue Jays of a pair of homers during his final series with Baltimore earlier this week. 'I'm just trying to be myself and bring the type of game I know I can bring,' Mullins said. 'Bunch of different stuff — using my legs, running, stealing bases, playing solid defense, showing a little bit of power here and there, bunts. Just a little bit of everything.' The trades were the first as professionals for Helsley, Rogers and Mullins. 'It's pretty crazy,' Helsley said. 'I probably equate it to like the first day of school ... where everything's so new.' Rogers and Buttó, who signed with the Mets as an international free agent in 2017, are likely to make their debuts this weekend for their new clubs against their old ones. Both players flew to New York with their former teams. 'Baseball's funny that way, isn't it?' said Rogers, who was traded the same day his twin, Taylor, was sent from the Cincinnati Reds to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Taylor Rogers was dealt to the Chicago Cubs on Thursday. 'Being traded is new and then to go out there and pitch for a new team for the first time ever is going to be weird. And then to look up and see the Giants uniform in the batter's box is going to be something.' 'I was talking to José today, I said the timing of this might not be the greatest thing in the world,' Giants manager Bob Melvin said. 'But I think a day removed from it, I think he understands it's a business as well and he knows he's going to get a very good opportunity here.' ___


Fox Sports
26 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
Rays place All-Star first baseman Jonathan Aranda on injured list with a fractured left wrist
Associated Press TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays placed All-Star first baseman Jonathan Aranda on the 10-day injured list Friday with a fractured left wrist. Aranda was injured Thursday in a collision with New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton. Aranda said the injury did not feel 'catastrophic' and he's hopeful he'll return this season, although the Rays cautioned he won't be able to use the wrist for approximately three weeks. Aranda's wrist has been immobilized in an air cast and he's scheduled to undergo more imaging at the three-week mark. At that point, the Rays will reassess his return timetable. 'Let's see how the bone heals," manager Kevin Cash said before Friday night's series opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers. "I think he has re-imaging in about three weeks, but we will continue to remain optimistic.' Stanton hit a soft grounder in the fifth inning to third baseman Junior Caminero, who charged in on wet grass to field the ball. Aranda reached for Caminero's wide toss that sailed into the runner, and his left wrist appeared to hit Stanton's left shoulder. Aranda, a first-time All-Star, is batting .316 with 12 home runs, 54 RBIs in 103 games this season. He has a .394 on-base percentage, and an .872 OPS, making him one of the majors' most dangerous hitters. Cash shifted Yandy Diaz to first base in Aranda's absence. The Rays reinstated Ha-Seong Kim from the IL and recalled Tristan Gray from Triple-A Durham. Trade deadline acquisitions Griffin Jax and Hunter Feduccia were active for Friday night's game. ___ AP MLB: recommended Item 1 of 2