USC season preview: Offensive line

Right tackle

Starter: Fourth-year junior Zach Banner

Backups: Freshmen Chuma Edoga and Clayton Johnston

Right guard

Starter: Sophomore Toa Lobendahn or Viane Talamaivao

Backups: Third-year sophomore Nico Falah and redshirt freshman Jordan Austin

Center

Starter: Senior Max Tuerk

Backups: Third-year sophomore Khaliel Rodgers and freshman Cole Smith

Left guard

Starter: Sophomore Damien Mama

Backup: Redshirt freshman Chris Brown

Left tackle

Starter: Fourth-year junior Chad Wheeler or sophomore Toa Lobendahn

Backup: Freshman Roy Hemsley

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Who is gone: Aundrey Walker, Giovanni Di Paolo and Nathan Guertler

Who is new: Freshmen Chuma Edoga, Clayton Johnston and Cole Smith

Outlook: USC is young at guard but does not lack for experience, and the line returns key veterans at tackle and center.

Tuerk, 6 feet 9 and 285 pounds, will start for a second season at center. He started at left guard as a sophomore and made six starts his freshman season at left tackle and guard.

Tuerk was named to several preseason watch lists, including the Rimington Trophy, which is awarded to the best center in the country.

Banner, 6 feet 9 and 360 pounds, will start at right tackle for a second season.

Lobendahn, 6 feet 3 and 290 pounds, is the most versatile player on the line and could play any position. During training camp he lined up at left tackle and right guard.

Mama, 6 feet 4, has slimmed down from the 370 pounds he was listed at last season to 355 pounds. He played in 12 games last season and made several starts.

Wheeler was sidelined last season after he suffered a knee injury against Utah. He returned to practice in a limited capacity during training camp this summer and was eventually cleared to play.

Wheeler, 6 feet 7 and 280 pounds, started at left tackle in 2013.

Talamaivao, 6 feet 2 and 320 pounds, was in the rotation and had some starts last season at guard and is expected to fill the same role.

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