Will USC Trojans Find Increased Production from Tight End Position?

The Folsom (Calif.) product saw his first action in two years. He suffered a season-ending injury in the first game of his senior year and then immediately took a year-long LDS mission after graduating high school. 

Lyons arrived on campus in June 2024. He appeared in 11 games, including three starts, when Lake McRee was out with an injury for a month during the first half of the season. 

The former four-star recruit was thrusted into an expand role but it has paid dividends as he prepares for his second season at Southern Cal. But that was just the first step. 

Lyons had the opportunity to take part in his first winter workouts and spring practice and now, his second fall camp. 

“I feel like I've improved in a lot of ways. I think just lots of reps and practice have helped me a lot just over the spring,” Lyons said. “The fall, being able to stay healthy through it all and just be present. But I'd say one thing, I think I've taken a good step forward is definitely just like route running and just moving better.”

McRee showed at the start of last season that he was beginning to take that next step. McRee, who has appeared in 39 career games with the Trojans, set a new career-high in catches against LSU in the season opener and receiving yards against Utah State in week 2. 

Heading into his final season, McRee says his “body feels the best it ever has.”

New Position Coach

McRee has had the benefit of having Zach Hanson, who transitioned from tight ends to offensive line coach this offseason, for three seasons. Riley hired former Colorado State receivers coach Chad Savage to be USC’s tight end and inside receivers coach. 

“It's been awesome ever since coach Savage has come in,” McRee said. “He's taught us so much, a lot in the route game stuff, because, we came from Coach Hansen, who is a great tight end coach with (an) o-line background, and then coach Savage with the receiver background. So, I feel like I kind of got the best of both worlds for a tight end learning from outline and a receiver coaching."

“I feel like couldn't ask for nothing else as a tight end. So coach Savage has been awesome and he's really technical about his details, and he's hard on guys at the top from all the way to the bottom. So, yeah, can't ask more for what he's done for us and we'll continue to develop.”

Savage is known as a phenomenal recruiter, evident by his part in the Trojans owning the No. 1 ranked recruiting class in the 2026. But McRee and Lyons have raved numerous times about his coaching staff and the impact it has had on developing their game. 

“He's very good at just finding what you need, finding what works for you, and checking up on you, making sure good and also pushing you to become the best,” Lyons said. 

Savage has put an emphasis on the room improving as route runners. The best way to become reliable targets for the quarterback 

The two have also mentioned how much more physical the group is this season. Everything in the Big Ten conference starts in the trenches, which includes the tight end position. 

“I think just overall, we're doing a lot more in the run game and pass game, just getting more involved in offense as a whole,” Lyons said. “So, I would agree, like physicality is one of those things that we've definitely improved on.”