Hackett Likes the Way They Are Lining Up

Until USC rebuilds its offensive line, the program won’t get back to where the Trojans want to be.

That’s the way Coach Paul Hackett sees it, and he has plenty of company.

The beginnings of progress are visible at camp, where the Trojans have gone from 11 scholarship linemen to 17, and from a starting offensive line with only one experienced player--Travis Claridge--to five potential returning starters.

“I think we’re making strides,” offensive line coach Steve Greatwood said. “The thing I feel best about is the depth and competition. Even our second group, across the board, those guys have all started for this football team.”

Add to the returning bunch a touted group of freshman, as well as Faaesea Mailo, who started three games as a freshman in 1996 before serving a two-year Mormon mission in Japan.

“There’s a guy who will challenge immediately,” Hackett said of Mailo, who has been been working at second-team left guard behind Donta Kendrick.

Mailo, who once weighed as much as 365 pounds, is down to 326.

Brent McCaffrey is the incumbent at left tackle, with Trevor Roberts behind him. Eric Denmon is ahead of Matt McShane at center, and Zach Wilson and Jason Grain--30 pounds slimmer since the spring--are competing at right guard.

Claridge has moved to right tackle, but last year’s starter, Matt Welch, is trying to force Claridge back to guard.

Claridge says he is happy at tackle.

“I should have been playing tackle since I got here, from what everyone tells me,” Claridge said. “I’m almost too big, height-wise, to play guard. I mean, I’m a lengthy guy instead of a squatty, no-neck guy.”

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If the freshmen linemen don’t play a down, Greatwood will be happy.

“If I had my way, the whole class would redshirt,” he said. “If you’re talking about really establishing dominant offensive line play, that’s the whole key.”

The class of five freshmen is led by Lenny Vandermade from Santa Ana Mater Dei and Nate Steinbacher from Anaheim Esperanza. Hackett called Vandermade “probably the most impressive of the bunch.”

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Linebacker Markus Steele and receiver Craig Mitchell are awaiting junior college transcripts and are not expected to practice until later in the week. . . . Freshman receivers Kareem Kelly and Marcell Allmond made a first-day impression, and with limited depth at receiver, both should get playing time. Freshman cornerback Darrell Rideaux also impressed Hackett. . . . Linebacker Armand Holland will sit out a week because of back and abdominal problems.