USC Trojans Offensive Lineman Elijah Paige 'Never Had Interest' in Transfer Portal

The USC Trojans have lost multiple key players to the transfer portal, but offensive lineman Elijah Paige has remained loyal to USC coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans. Paige will lead a revamped offensive line without center Jonah Monheim.

Oct 28, 2023; Berkeley, California, USA; USC Trojans offensive lineman Elijah Paige (72) during halftime against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans offensive line will look quite different in 2025, but USC left tackle Elijah Paige is prepared to lead his position group under offensive line coach Josh Henson. The Trojans' starting center, Jonah Monheim, is out of eligibility and is expected to hear his name called in the 2025 NFL Draft. Offensive lineman Emmanuel Pregnon might also leave USC for the NFL.

In addition, USC coach Lincoln Riley's roster has lost a few offensive linemen to the transfer portal: Mason Murphy, Amos Talalele, Gino Quinones, and Kalolo Ta'aga. With so many players leaving his position room, did Paige ever consider the transfer portal?

“I’ve never had interest in any of that. I just want to grind and get better," Paige said to the media after Thursday's practice.

Oct 28, 2023; Berkeley, California, USA; USC Trojans offensive lineman Elijah Paige (72) during halftime against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

“I just think it’s important. I committed here, not for any of those outside reasons," Paige continued. "I committed here because I see coach Riley’s vision and I believe him and I trust in it and I’m a part of it.”

The offensive line is not the only position group at USC that has lost multiple players to the transfer portal after it officially opened on Monday, Dec. 9. Most notably, Trojans quarterback Miller Moss and running back Quinten Joyner will not be with the program in 2025.

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Riley was asked about the large number of departures, and the USC coach talked about the changes in the college football landscape with name, image, and likeness combined with the transfer portal and immediate eligibility for transfers.

“I don’t want to get into guys’s individual decisions," said Riley. "I think those conversations are private and meant that way. . . . The world understands it in the NFL that sometimes players make decisions to leave, sometimes players get cut. Sometimes there’s not [salary] cap room"

Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Wide receivers Duce Robinson and Kyron Hudson have also entered the transfer portal, but receivers like Makai Lemon, Zachariah Branch, and Ja'Kobi Lane all remain with the USC program.

“I don’t know that it’s so much as ‘convince.’ I think you lay out the things we want to do, and you lay out how we see them. Every player’s got to look at their own situation and decide if they see that as a fit. So, you try not to get too attached to it. It’s just the world that we’re in right now," said Riley.

The Trojans are expected to be active in the transfer portal, adding offensive lineman to join Elijah Paige. In USC's 2025 recruiting class, the Trojans signed four offensive lineman: four-star Alex Payne, four-star Aaron Dunn, three-star Elijah Vaikona, and three-star Willi Wascher.

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