Availability of USCs Ja’Kobi Lane, Elijah Paige

As USC enters a important stretch of its convention slate, it’s unclear if it’ll have its star wideout or beginning left deal with prepared to play.

Junior wideout Ja’Kobi Lane did return to apply on Tuesday after sitting out last Saturday’s win over Michigan State with an higher physique injury he suffered the week before. But junior offensive deal with Elijah Paige was not seen getting into or leaving USC’s apply area.

USC coach Lincoln Riley declined to present an update on Lane or Paige on Tuesday and instead referred reporters to the Big Ten’s availability report, which is launched two hours before kickoff every Saturday.

Without Lane, who is averaging virtually 27 yards per catch this season, USC was pressured to rely on senior Jaden Richardson, who had just one catch coming into last Saturday’s sport. He doubled that output against Michigan State and would presumably play a comparable position if Lane is unable to play.

“He’s really created his own value here,” Riley said of Richardson. “He can play any of the receiver positions in our offense. Just does a lot of things well.”

Lane got here out for early warm-ups last Saturday in shorts and a sweatshirt and appeared as if he’d strive to play. But when the workforce returned in full pads, Lane got here out of the tunnel a number of minutes later in road garments.

It’s not clear how close Lane was to taking part in then or how significantly USC was really contemplating the likelihood. After the sport, Riley described his injury as only “inconclusive.”

USC has a bye next week after its journey to Illinois.

“[It] was a little bit unexpected,” Riley said of Lane’s injury. “I don’t think it’ll be super long, but at the same time, I can’t sit here today and say for sure he’s going to play next week or in the coming weeks.”

Paige left Saturday’s sport early in the second quarter and never returned, inflicting a chain response down USC’s offensive line. Paige was changed by Justin Tauanuu, who shifted from left to proper deal with. Tobias Raymond then moved from left guard to proper deal with, while Micah Banuelos took over at left guard.

“These guys take a lot of reps at different positions throughout the week and really have throughout camp,” Riley said. “Some of the position flex we’ve built up at that position really paid off.”

Illinois is dealing with its own injury points, but on protection. In a blowout loss to Indiana last week, Illinois was without most of its beginning secondary. This Saturday, it undoubtedly gained’t have All-Big Ten cornerback Xavier Scott, who’s out for the season, and it may also be without a beginning security who is in concussion protocol. Two other key cornerbacks have yet to apply, but Illinois coach Bret Bielema expressed hope that they’d be cleared by midweek.

Even without its top purple zone receiver and its steadiest offensive linemen, USC’s offense didn’t show many indicators of slowing down last Saturday. It still piled up 517 yards of offense.