Earlier than he arrived at USC, Micah Banuelos was already fairly accustomed to taking part in via ache. As a standout offensive and defensive lineman at Kennedy Catholic Excessive in Washington, his shoulder would come out of its socket throughout nearly each recreation. So Banuelos would take a look at, have his shoulder popped again in after which reenter the sport like nothing modified.
“Then,” his father, Roy Banuelos, says, “he by no means mentioned something about it after.”
However when that shoulder harm lingered previous highschool and into his freshman season, there was no ignoring it anymore. Simply weeks into his first fall at USC, the employees prompt Banuelos get surgical procedure.
It might be some time earlier than Banuelos made his method again — and even longer nonetheless earlier than he’d be competing for an actual position on USC’s offensive line. The shoulder harm robbed him of the next spring, then a knee subject nixed his second season after only a few video games. However in the beginning of his third fall at USC, Banuelos has lastly entered the combination at guard, a place at which USC is perilously unproven.
If a federal decide doesn’t grant an injunction Monday to switch lineman DJ Wingfield in his lawsuit towards the NCAA, then Banuelos shall be considered one of many vying for the opening he leaves behind up entrance. Banuelos has taken appreciable snaps via camp with the first-team offensive line, whereas redshirt freshmen Hayden Treter and Makai Saina and walk-on Kaylon Miller have additionally factored into the competitors.
It’s the primary time that USC coach Lincoln Riley has actually gotten an prolonged take a look at Banuelos, although he’s getting into his third season in L.A.
“He was most likely any individual we knew the least about, simply because he was damage a lot,” Riley mentioned. “He’s getting a ton of reps proper now, and to this point, he’s simply carrying on from that. He has a variety of energy. He can actually transfer individuals. He can actually play behind his hips. There’s so much to love about what he does, and if he stays wholesome, he’s actually going to show into a great participant.”
Riley had comparable reward for Treter, who has additionally handled accidents since coming to USC. The coach known as Treter “one of many highlights of camp.”
The Trojans entered the offseason in want of extra consistency from their offensive line, particularly with a comparatively new beginning quarterback in Jayden Maiava.
The competitors at USC’s open guard spot stays one of many closest battles on the staff with simply over two weeks remaining till its season opener. Even Alani Noa, who began 12 of USC’s 13 video games, hasn’t been assured of a beginning spot.
That uncertainty up entrance is likely to be nerve-racking to some. Riley and offensive coordinator Luke Huard insist they don’t see it that method.
Huard mentioned he feels “actually, actually good” in regards to the present state of the offensive line, whereas Riley mentioned he feels “significantly better” now in regards to the depth on the place than he did in spring.
“A few of that younger depth coming alongside, we would have liked that to occur,” Riley mentioned. “Their ascent is necessary not only for this 12 months, however for the longer term.”
It’s simply as essential at offensive sort out, too, the place redshirt freshman Justin Tauanuu has made his personal case to be part of USC’s beginning entrance. It’s attainable that he slots in at proper sort out, whereas Tobias Raymond, the projected starter there, kicks into guard to fill the void left by Wingfield.
However coaches and teammates like what they’ve seen out of Banuelos.
“You may inform when a man simply desires to be on the market and treats day-after-day like his final,” left sort out Elijah Paige mentioned. “He’s placing all of it out right here.”
For some time, Banuelos might solely look ahead to his shoulder — after which his knee — to heal. That half was excruciating, his father says, caught in place as others made strikes up the depth chart.
“He was fairly down,” Roy Banuelos mentioned. “I’d name him and simply inform him, ‘It’s OK, man. You’ll get your time. It’ll come.’”
Now, with USC in determined want of somebody stepping up at guard, that point could lastly have arrived.
“All he needed to do was play soccer,” Roy Banuelos mentioned. “So his angle now — it’s evening and day.”
